Dave Hammer

I bought a Nazel 1B with some problems a few months ago. I brought it back to life just before Christmas. If you've never seen one run, you might enjoy this YouTube video...

Woody_B Generally, three_phase power is used to facilitate the need/desire for high-torque, low RPM motors on powerhammers. If it is acceptable to you to use three_phase motors, you can, as described above, easily generate generate three_phase power from the single_phase power 220V power you probably already have. If you truely want to use only single_phase power, you can run power hammers on single phase current if you have a powerful enough single_phase motor. If the motor runs too fast to use directly (pay close attention to the recommended BPM for the power hammer you are driving), you can use a jackshaft to create the proper RPM at the powerhammer drive pulley. A jackshaft generally consists of two pulleys on a mandrel. One of the pulleys is driven by a belt from the motor, the other pulley drives the powerhammer drive pulley. One more thing.... The heavier the motor, the better it will work for you (single or 3-phase). Rotating weight provides torque, which helps getting the powerhammer going.

David Browne.... Is that a 150# Bradley Upright Compact?

Well Grant, I guess that tells us what you make all (or at least most) of your tongs and tooling with.

You guys take this way too seriously..... Whatever happened to just using eyesight and your thumb???????

It was mentioned that those kinds of hammers have trouble performing. Does that mean it didn't perform at all?

I don't think any brushed-on coating over Koawool will protect it from flux. A refractory (manufactured by ANH) can be used to make a floor that is impervious to flux. The product is called Plastech 85P and can be ordered online. You can read about it at "http://www.refwest.com/browseproducts/PLASTECH-85P-55--(STD).HTML". You may also order it at that site, but it can be ordered directly from the manufacturer for less cost. Harbison-Walker Refractories Company Pittsburgh, PA: 412-375-6897 Mexico, MO: 573-582-1300 ext. 16 Houston, TX: 713-635-3200 Plastech 85P can only be ordered in 55-pound boxes. It is a rammable refractory that needs to be formed (and packed) to the size you need. I build a small wooden box without a top or bottom (the size I need for a forge floor), then put some of the refractory into it and "ram" it tight with light blows from a hammer. Then carefully lift the frame away from the refactory and put it in the forge. I usually build round forges, putting one inch of kaowool all around the inside, then set the floor on top of the koawool. I put a slight "dome" on the floor as I make it, then use that dome as the bottom of the floor in the forge (that way the floor is level in the forge). I then add a second inch of kaowool around the inside of the forge, from one side of the floor to the other (holding in place with high-temp wire if necessary). Coat the koawool for best results with ITC products or Plistics-900 from Larry Zoeller. Flux will not damage the floor, but you still need to keep it away from the forge walls. The instructions you get with the refractory tell you it needs to be "burned in" using a very strict method, but I just fire up the forge at low heat and run it for a while till the floor hardens. I have never had problems using this method. The refractory is pricey (close to $100 (including shipping) to get a 55# box shipped to me), but it will make many forge floors. If you only use one forge, you might find others in your blacksmith guild that have a need and would share the cost.

Thanks....

Monstermetal... I have a Nazel 3B I'm working on. What specific oil (brand, description and product number) do you use in your self contains? Also, can you recommend a source.

This would be a saftey concern to me. I'm not just trying to be negative here, but if I were dealing with that kind of weight, I'm not sure I would use anything except what I know is intended to do it. If you use something that is not up to the task and it fails, it could shatter and send schrapanel somewhere you might wish it hadn't. The proper pin can't cost more than a visit to an emergency room. If the pin you are using is designed for the piece of equipment you are using, maybe you need to be revisiting how you are moving stuff around.

Danger Dillion... "Is this machine for extremely large dies and what is that on top an exhaust?" The Nazel "N"s are designed so large dies can be used. That tower on top is the muffler, which does translate to an exhaust. It's internal design is an integral part of the air control.

Larry Zoeller (Goggle his name) sells sleighbell cutouts. He may be out of stock right now, but he will restock if he is. All you have to do is forge it into shape and add the stem. Outstanding bells....

Yup... and Yup. It will work.

You could hot-cut that size into strips and make some nice tools (chisels, punches, drifts, etc...).

Grant... I certainly agree that the plate installation would not be possible if the anvil needs to sit more than 8-10 inches below the hammer frame. I certainly don't have experience with all of the larger Nazel hammers. I have seen 3bs and 4Bs installed with the plate, but.... all the Nazel anvils I've seen are short enough so the plate installation would work.. The important factor is that he get proper help from someone who is familiar with that particular hammer AND understands how the hammer works so the proper installation is planned.

You can mount the hammer on a 2" steel plate (4x8) for a lot less money and effort. The anvil would be bolted directly to the plate, with the hammer frame being set higher using "C" channel. Bob Bergman and Ralph Sproul are using this method with success. Bolt heads are welded to the plate fror the anvil. The anvil is set on a thin hard maple platform with belting. Studs are welded to the flat side of the "C" channel for bolting the hammer frame down. The bottom of the "C" channel is welded to the plate. The proximity requirement for the anvil - ram is taken into consideration to determine the thickness of the wood and the height of the "C" channel. The plate can either be fastened down to your concrete or just corralled with angle iron so it doesn't move around when the hammer is in use.

Be sure you have someone with experience with Nazel hammers advise you when you set up that hammer. If it is not set up properly (anvil - frame proximity), you can do serious damage to the hammer the first time you use it.

Frosty..... "loof for Lump"??? Is that performance art or just some kind of coloquial dance?

Divermike... Nice work.... Regarding the one that seems to rattle.... If the stem isn't solid to the bell, the bell won't ring like it should.

I haven't seen those plans, but the best advice I can give you is to find heavy round for the anvil. The heavier, the better....

You can buy Green Valley coal at the mine (pickup or trailer loading, no bags). If you are within driving distance , it's worth the trip. Call before you go to get the current price... I guess you could take your own bags and fill them.

With this type of hammer, if you set the anvil too low, I GUARANTEE you will damage the hammer if you use the hammer and the upper die cannot reach the piece you are intending to forge (or the upper die just reaches it). If the anvil sits too low, the upper portion of the ram will hit the lower ram guide. Figuring out the proper height for your anvil is not difficult. Since the ram is (currently) hanging down, you should be able to assume it is all the way down. To determine the correct height of the anvil, the top of the die on the anvil (lower die) should be positioned to be about an inch higher than the current bottom of the upper die. When the hammer is operating, this will prevent the ram from hitting the lower ram guide on the down stroke. The one inch gives you room to dress the dies (in the future) if you need to. To determine where the anvil needs to be bolted down (position of bottom of the anvil base), just measure the distance between the bottom of the anvil base and the top of the anvil's die. The anvil needs to be mounted on a base (separate or integrated to the frame base) which is one inch higher than it would take to just have the two dies touching one another. In the future, if you change dies, you also need to remember to take this into consideration. The new dies must also have this physical space overlap. Explanation: The ram is a free floating object that is controlled (up/down actions) by valves managing the air flow (generated by an integrated air compressor). The upper portion of the ram (larger diameter) works as a piston in a cylinder. The lower portion of the ram (smaller diameter) slides in a guide, through which the top of the ram cannot pass. If the ram is allowed to fall (or be pushed by air) into the lower ram guide, it will break the ram guide (trying to force part of it down). This will destroy the ram guide (and possibly damage the ram itself) and put the operator at risk (from flying broken metal). This is prevented by having the top die hit the bottom die with about an inch of clearance between the (piston portion) of the ram and the top of the ram guide when the ram is at its lowest possible position (which is boundaried by the dies hitting one another). That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

It kinda depends upon how good you are at scrounging materials.... and how accessible materials are to be scrounged (or bought at scrap prices). Clay builds and sells them. You might drop him a note to see what he gets for them. He might have an idea how much the average build cost it. He travels around... giving workshops where they are built.

Try this... Price is $30US including postage to US and Canada, $32US to other countries. Send check or money order to Clay Spencer, 73 Penniston Pvt. Drive, Somerville, AL 35670. E-mail clay@tirehammer.com