John Larson

I've been again watching the late Grant Sarver's video showcasing his Bell steam hammer valve and control modifications. Being hearing impaired I have a tough time understanding Grant's talking. Here is what I think he did to the Bell. His treadle is connected to his main air valve. His manual ball valve is a second valve used to meter air to the spool valve. It is not clear if he feeds air to the common chamber of the spool valve or if he feeds to the "raising" side. I think it is the common chamber. He has a chain (with spring?) running from the treadle to the lever that he uses to control the motion cam's shaft. So when he steps on the treadle he activates main air flow and slightly moves the cam which is what gets the spool off center to initiate tup movement. Tup motion is brisk enough to have inertia always inducing reciprocation. He never shows the "treadle hammer" type control that Ken Zitur highlights. Well, at one point he got close,

Matt Harris, you got a new machine? I'd like to see it.

Ken, it is you that put me on this path. A time window has opened up that allows me, finally, an occasion to build a separate machine for my use of a 3-position spool valve.

We all think your shop is the cat's meow. I think your amount of shop development work is very impressive. I want to visit some day when I take my grand tour of notable shops. Right now I'm working on a 100 pound hammer for use in steam hammer valving research. When I get a bit further along with the project I'll post some stuff.

I was told by a reliable source who attended the Chambersburg Engineering auction that orientals had winning bids on the blueprints and files. By guess would be that an Anyang of the same weight hammer head would come in a bit lighter because tthey do not use the gear drive system on the crank-to-motor system. Bergman is the best info source fer shur.

As the late skinny Elvis sang, "Ain't it funny how time slips away?"

Surew hope to see that big guy running and working at Fire & Ice 2013.

Glad to read of your endeavors. Welcome back.

Thanks, ptree. I don't know right now where to get the good stuff, but will look around.

Contact Brian Russell in Tennessee. Superb guy who can supply info and dies. He's the Sahinler dealer in USA.

Black goo of eath? If it happens how is it removed or overcome?

I finished a very heavy duty Octagon 150 today, heavy duty in the sense that its width is the same as the 200 built last year. It permits a 9" diameter hammer head that uses the largest S-7 dies made by Brian Russell. The cylinder is a specially made Norgren 4" diameter piece that uses larger air cushions to enhance air flows through the caps and the caps are taller than stock, too. Light treadle hammering gives the lightest short stroke taps that are desirable with crown dies, yet still gives the kind of power expected of a 150. I haven't shot a vido of this thing, but another 150 can be seen on you tube at jcl10000. I believe this new one is a might heavier than 150, closer to 160, and the one on youtube was right at 150.

Old cogealed/dried grease can be softened using oil or diesel fuel. Once you have softyened the stuff and wiped it off, and repeated the process umpteen times, you can then removed the oil from the surface with hot water and detergent.. Saves the paint. And wash your clothes. :-)

If you call David Kayne at Blacksmith's Depot he may have the parts on the shelf. He used to stock repair parts for Tom's hammers and he definitely knows the ins and outs of these hammers.

Happy New Year to you steam hammer lovers. And anyone else who wanders past the door. I'm planning to be active in physical R&D on steam hammers this year and I'll share what I learn.

Ed, it is a shop made hammer patterned after the Big Blu and the ABANA Kinyon plans. It should run just fine with one iron in the fire (intermiittant forging) at about 125 psi (based on that cylinder size) and a 60 gallon tank. The 60 gallon tank ought to recharge during reheating of the metal with that 6 hp compressor. 80 gallons takes 1/3 longer to recharge, obviously. Use air tool oil in the lubricator with antifreeze if you are in cold climate. Ingersol Rand sells it by the gallon. Probably air tool oil mixed with some ethylene glycol antifreeze (1/3) antifreeze, (2/3) air tool oil. I was told by a Detroit smith that the old fashioned mix was 50/50 alcohol & air tool oil. DO NOT USE wd-40, Marvel mystery oil, etc because the fancy molecules cause the seals and o-rings to swell. Use at least 1/2" hose. Enjoy.

Allow a place for the flow equalizer. You will want it eventually.

A fabulous memeory in film. Thanks.

Very, very good. Thanks.

contact Matt Harris

Dave, thanks for the update. Sorry about the temperature effect. Got my fingers crossed for your success.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I have not dropped out of the steam hammer R&D group, and I do spend some time sketching ideas, but my intent is to get my hammer backlog completed and also help my new shop mate try to get his fabrication business up and running.

This thread contqains an enormous amount of info. A goldmine, of sorts, for steam hammer lovers.

Dave, congratulations. I was just watching Toby Hickman forge a pair on tongs on facebook and he has the short stroking you are seeking. He has a DVD on power hammer techniques and you can contact him at his e-mail: LCF@wildblue.net and the video apparently accompanies his abana article from fall 2011. Paul Beisler posted the snippet on Facebook.

Wii.K., does your copy have unimpaired figures 17,18,19? Mine looks like a poor copying job with pages overlapping some.