beaudry

 I'm not sure how a spring linkage hammer can said to actually push or squeeze the work, but they can be made to momentarily ''dwell '' on the hit at the bottom of the stroke.

This should theoretically give a deeper penetration to the force of the blow before the flywheel spring and linkage lift it for the next cycle.

By backing off  the spring tension on my Beaudry  the hammer is able to give a ''dead blow'' with no bounce at the bottom of the stroke, dwelling at full down for a split second before  lifting back up for the next stroke . By quickly letting off on the treadle the ram can stay full down on top of the work, but it's not really a squeeze but rather held by the full weight of the ram on top of the work.

This dead blow is handy for top tool work and swaging because there is no bounce to the hit.

Loosening the spring tension on the Beaudry does't seem to result in any noticeable loss of power in contrast to the Little Giant type linkage.  There the spring and toggle arm tension has to be sufficient that the toggle arms are level or pointing slightly up to get the most power out of the hammer.  I assume that the linkage on the Murray hammer is basically the same?

Is the ability to squeeze or hold the work with air pressure pushing down on the ram inherent in all air hammers or is it a special valving set up just on certain kinds ?

 A quick look at Sanderson Iron web site will tell you that  he is well versed in the setup, care and use of a fine collection old American  mechanical metalworking machines as well as a very impressive portfolio of work produced with those machines. I appears that  he has the resume to back up his strongly held opinions whether you agree with them or not  .

As I said before; ''different strokes for different folks ''.

Twenty years ago in the US if you wanted to acquire a power hammer suitable for a small general or artistic blacksmith shop,  the choice was either an old mechanical hammer in rebuildable condition, a top dollar imported Kuhn pneumatic or an large industrial hammer that was fairly cheap to buy but required   a massive investment of time and money to move, install and power before you even knew if it ran.

Now there are a whole bunch of smaller import machines available, Turkish clones of the Kuhn/Reitter or the Chinese  knockoffs of the Beche/Chambersburg design.

These are competitively priced and  usually require minimal work to install and power. Reports of their  quality and durability vary widely and only time will tell how well they hold up.

I went the mechanical hammer route because at the time it really was the only  viable option. They have served me well , paid for themselves many,many times over and provided a good living, enough to raise a family and fund an eventual retirement debt free .

Any limitations are more from lack of understanding or imagination on my part rather than the equipment.

The true masters of the mechanical hammer era are all gone now, For better or worse we are the next generation trying our best and figuring it out and keeping it alive as we go.

The few mechanical hammers I see listed for sale seem to be sad old machines at top dollar on Eb$y, crudely repaired by hillbillies to ''git her done''and cash in on a fad.

If I was starting over, I'm not sure what route I would go.

There's no way a crank actuated hammer cannot have a slight sideways sweeping action as the ram starts it's upward travel.

Following the circular path of the crank plate , its moving to the side  until it reaches top dead center and then it moves to the other side as it's coming down.The ram guides keep this sideways motion to a minimum, but it is still there  . To eliminate it entirely , the guides would be have to be so tight the ram could not move.

A hammer that is not set up with the path of the ram dead plumb will have the same problem caused by the constant pull of gravity.

This might be worse in an air hammer with that long piston hanging down. Over time that slight but steady pull will likely cause uneven wear in the guide parts and seals, making the problem worse.

We're talking very small increments of angle here ,but with the speed and falling mass of a hammer and repetitive action of a hammer there is an effect. This could be considered a problem, but it's just simple geometry and physics in action.

Being aware of the potential problems  of getting the work out of line and paying attention and heading it  off the at the pass [ as Clifton Ralph was fond of saying. ] is usually enough to get the proper end result in the work.

Unlike most of the history of ironwork, contemporary blacksmiths take basically perfect material  as it comes from the mill and reshape it imperfectly to suit our vision.

That slight imperfection of form is what I think is at the heart of  the response of the human eye and spirit to forged art work.

Picasso attributed his success as an artist not to the fact that he knew how to paint, but that he knew when to stop.

Great discussion here! Thanks

 I should have qualified the statement above that the vertically configured crank actuated hammers have that noticeable sideways sweeping action from translating a circular motion to a vertical up and down motion.

This tendency probably led to the design and popularity of mechanical helves and guided helve hammers, particularly in certain types of production settings.

 Mechanical hammers by the nature of their design are translating a circular motion [ the rotating flywheel and crank plate ] into an up and down motion[ the ram in the guides]

Depending on the length and fitting tolerances of the guides that contain the ram, the hammer will always have a slight sideways ''sweeping'' action.

This is most noticeable when drawing or forging down a square or rectangular section . If you are not paying attention this can result in a trapezoid or offset diamond section that is difficult to correct if let to go too long.

I imagine that all  other things being equal, that  an air hammer with the ram cycling straight up and down  does not have this particular problem .

As noted up thread, the size and width of the dies and the surface area coming in contact with the work makes a big difference in the effective force of the blow.

My 100# hammer with narrow drawing dies can draw circles around the 200# with flat dies , but is much less versatile for general forging and unsafe for handheld tooling.

The 25# hammer is usually fitted with combination dies which are almost the best of both worlds and can really do a lot of work within it's capacity

 I think that after a while  you get to know the strengths and limitations of the machines in your shop and you begin to design your work to take advantage of those capabilities.

Every  hammer that I've run [ not many, aside from my own three ] seem to have a distinct ''personality''  in how they perform.

Maybe this is why I like it so much and forging has such a feeling of being a living process.

 It seems as if this is a case of ''different strokes for different folks''

I went the mechanical hammer route when I set up my shop years ago partly because at the time they were the most available and affordable option.

I found that I could also run a larger mechanical hammer on my limited power service than a comparably sized pneumatic.

I also find that I personally  am able to understand the mechanics of the machine better and that adjustments and repairs are more within my capabilities.

I've learned to live with the advantages and limitations of the equipment I have, to keep it well maintained and adjusted properly and  make appropriate tooling to fit.  

I'm really more interested in the shapes and forms I can make with the machines that I have than the technical fine points between  the two schools of thought.

I routinely forge really long tapers that are hollow from end to end under the 4'' x 8'' flat dies on my 200# Beaudry, something that is only possible with a really well mannered  machine.

The hammer was built with mechanical adjustments for both height and speed of the stroke. These however need to be changed while the hammer is at rest.

With the factory clutch and brake it is possible to hit hard or soft  single blows from a dead stop as well as full power blows  feathering out to fine finishing taps to planish the surface.

I think mechanical hammers historically were more of an American invention, while across the pond there were more manufacturers of smaller pneumatic hammers available to smaller shops.

Going back to the original post about the capacity to forge 2'' material, I think it's apparent that it's possible to move the surface of large stock with a light fast hammer, but to really work it all the way to the center is going to require both sufficient mass and power from the hammer.

You can tell if you are driving all the way into the center if the end of the bar is pushed out convex rather than concave.

This capacity isn't so important to non structural ornamental work , but for forged parts that really need to take a load it's essential.

This is an interesting discussion, in my opinion much more so that the usual run of ''what's this beat up old anvil worth ? or how do I make a sword?'' 

I also like mechanicals for the reasons above but to be honest have very limited experience with pneumatic hammers.

That said,  pneumatic hammers seem to be the machine of choice for most industrial shops and professional smiths.

 It seems one of the big advantages of a air hammer is that  a wider range of stock thicknesses or combinations of tooling can be worked efficiently without having to adjust the stroke length.

I've been a professional smith for 20+ years and have always used mechanical hammers, partly from the electrical power limitations of my shop.

My main hammer is a Beaudry Champion #7 [200# ]  with a 7.5 hp, 220v , single phase motor that runs [ sometimes in conjunction with other machines and lights ] with no problems on my 90 amp shop service

 If you are really going to forge up to 2'' steel all the way into the center you are going to need  a hammer with a minimum ram weight of 200#.

Just as important ,you really need to have a forge that will get the material HOT,  and to work it HOT and keep it HOT.

 You've got plenty of stroke with that fly press and it doesn't need to be modified to work.

Make the combined height of your top and bottom tooling  such that the ram is fully enclosed within the guides at about mid stroke or the point of highest stress doing the job at hand.

The bottom tools should have a piece of 3/8'' or 1/2'' plate with the tooling welded on top with a flange all around to clamp it to the bed of the press with the  hold down clamps.

The top tool should have a shank and flange plate welded to it or various small tools can fit into a common tool holder.

In any case the shank of the tool should not bottom out in the hole in the ram with all the force being taken by the flange against the base of the ram.

Keep the tooling tight and aligned and the ram well supported at the position of greatest stress. Keep the ram, guides and screw well lubricated with oil.

Most tooling can be made from mild steel and it is useful to  having a good supply of cutoffs for fabbing together  tooling  for the task at hand.

I keep a supply of both bottom tool base plates and  top tool flanged stems handy so I can quickly make a tool for a particular application, with about 100 tools already made, stored on a rack nearby .  

A fly press is an incredibly useful tool  in the blacksmith shop for both hot and cold work.

The range of work possible ,once you understand the basic principals and limitations is limited only by your imagination.

 Any idea of the craft being practiced in the first painting in the original post ?

My guess is maybe a lens grinder with the various ceramic jars containing grinding compounds and the odd shaped piece of glass on the shelf, the base material from which the lenses were cut ?

Virtually any craft would benefit from having a vise at hand and until fairly recently, the post vise was the only type available.

Does anyone know when the first mechanics or machinist type vises with the parallel  jaws came into use ?

 Thanks Alan , I'll look into that.

I am proposing that the text be laid out straight across the disc in parallel lines [ just like on a page ] , rather than in a circular layout.

It's too hard for someone to read a text that goes around and round.

This thread is very timely and there have been numerous good suggestions so far.

Does anyone know of any software that would layout a text with a font size the same as the hand stamp being used on an exact scale to fit on the size of  plate required.

I'm in the process of negotiating a commission to stamp a short text on either 3 1/4'' or 4'' diameter bronze discs.

The stamp size will be either 1/8'' or 3/16''.

There are at least 50 pieces to be done, all with a different text required.

I'd like to find an easier and faster way to lay these out in a more professional manner than trial and error.

I'm hoping that I could compose this to the correct size on the computer and then print it out. I then could glue the cut out paper disc with the laid out text on the bronze plate and then stamp through the paper. 

The paper would be removed either by soaking it off with water or a solvent or burned off with a torch.

I have both a Mac and a PC

It would be interesting to see what a good anvil or power hammer cost a few hundred years ago in comparison to the average wages of a  working blacksmith of the time.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were quite expensive and represented a substantial capital investment . The fact that so many have had working lives spanning generations shows that they were considered to be valuable tools ,  to be used hard but well worth taking care of.

Good tools have always cost real money.

I  bet that  tools and equipment are in many ways cheaper and more easily available now to the average person than at any previous time in history.

Metalwork is expensive and always has been . It takes a real commitment and investment of time, effort and cash to play the game.

 I have an 200# anvil thats stamped ''MADE IN SWEDEN'' on one side with a raised [cast ] ''14'' on the other .

It looks like the pictures of  Soderfor anvils that I've seen. Maybe it was made to be exported.

When I got it , it had several bad torch cuts from a former life. I had a friend of mine who is a certified welder weld up the cuts with some kind of high strength rod. He said that if it could be cut with a torch it could be repaired by welding.

The repair has held up fine and the anvil was my main shop anvil for at least 10 years

It's a very tough anvil with good rebound.

I think I paid $140 for it and $35 to have it repaired about 20 years ago.

Willey,

What's the tube  running down from above the brake ?

 Just look for a local ceramics supply house that caters to professional potters.

Ask for a high temperature reflective kiln wash that can go up to cone 10 or higher. They usually have zirconia in them.

I buy 1 gallon pails of ITC 100 from Seattle Pottery Supply which runs about US$100 and lasts me about 6 or 7 years, recoating both gas forges about once a year.

A pint won't get you very far and it's much cheaper by the gallon. Keep the lid on tight and protect it from freezing. If it gets dried out, thin it back to a brushable consistency with distilled water and a paddle in an electric drill. 

Apply it liberally  to all exposed ceramic fiber and the steel edges of the door openings with a brush and /or sponge. Let it fully dry with some sort of gentle heat source and ventilation for  least a coupe of days before firing the forge.

You should also be able to get the kaowool from them as well.

You can get a liquid rigidizer for kaowool that you can brush or spray on. This hardens up the kaowool and makes it easier to apply the ITC 100.

The rigidizer and kiln wash are well worth it, both to increase the thermal efficiency of the forge a well as protect the insulation.

It also cuts down on the free floating kaowool fibers in the exhaust from the forge. These are classified as a ''temporary irritant'' but I think they used to say the same thing about asbestos. 

Dirt floors in a blacksmith  are great for a lot of reasons ;

Easy on your body, warmer too.

They won't catch fire or crack or spall when  you drop something hot.

Hot cut offs  and sparks stay put when they hit the floor instead of going into hidden cracks or corners.

Losing tools in a dirt floor is just a myth.

You can dig a trench and bury wiring or air lines as your shop layout and needs evolve over time.

Pour concrete puttings just below grade for the anvil, vise or power hammer.

 All three of my  mechanical hammers have brakes that can stop the ram at any point in the stroke.

The Beaudry #7 [200# ] motor driven hammer has the factory brake  that engages with the same linkage that operates the clutch. The brake shoe is lined with thick belt leather glued to the cast iron shoe with Gorilla glue. I replace the leather every few years .

The Little Giants [25# and 100# ] have brakes that I built , as LG did not include a factory built brake  in their design .  

The 100# hammer has a band brake lined with some sort of synthetic belting that covers about half of the top of the flywheel and is actuated through the same linkage as the clutch.

The 25# has a leather lined brake shoe, similar to the Beaudry design.

All of these are adjusted to smoothly grab and stop the flywheel at the same time the mechanical clutch is acting to disengage the drive from the hammer mechanism. 

It takes some time to get this action coordinated ,so that the clutch can fully  disengage and the brake can stop the flywheel from running on,   but once set, the hammers have excellent control and are very responsive. It is critical however, that the clutch is set up, lubricated and adjusted properly before the brake is adjusted so that the two are working together, rather than fighting each other.

Even so, I've found that sometimes after running the hammers hard for a number of hours , the response  becomes erratic. This is more noticeable in warm weather.

I finally solved the problem by slightly loosening the brake, finding that as things heat up the flywheel must be expanding slightly, just enough to make the brake/flywheel interface too tight to release easily when I first step on the treadle.

I'm curious what kind of brakes other people have on their hammers and how well they work.

A brake makes them so much more useful as well as safer and being able to take one hard hit  and then stop allows the use of all kinds of top tooling.   

 I have one just like it that I mounted flush with the top of one of my smaller steel tables. It's not really designed for heavy pounding, but it is handy from grabbing work  at a lower  height than a bench or leg vise. I mostly use it for holding work for grinding or boring and tapping  when I want to be right next to it and bearing straight down on the tool.

Various tapered wood shims or blocks will enable you to hold tapered or irregular shaped pieces securely and are quick to make to suit the job.

 Correction, the plate tables I built and referred to in the post upstream are 42'' x 10 feet x 1'' thick , not 10 inches.

A  heavy plate table is nice to have in that you can draw out the whole project full size with soapstone and make all the pieces to size and assemble a project right to the drawing.

It's also possible to do the same thing on a platten ,but you have to work around the holes.

Before I got my platten table I built one from a bunch of 4'' wide flange beams spaced 2'' apart,  shimmed and bolted to a heavy welded frame.

The parallel flanges of the WF section makes it easy to clamp very securely all around the edges and anywhere in the middle of the table.

This seems a much better steel section to use for the purpose than a channel.

This was a  really solid and useful tool but no substitute for a real cast iron platten.

I traded the  some of steel from that table to the boom truck driver that delivered and set my 5,600# platten on the base . The rest of the steel went into various projects ,

so nothing was wasted. 

I've got a 5' x 10' x 5'' thick platten table that weighs 5,600#. It's out in the open with no obstructions , so I can work long bars on it without hindrance.  It forms the third leg of the  work triangle between the biggest gas forge and the biggest power hammer.

The table is unknown brand  from a scrap yard with 2'' square holes. I had to weld a piece of 2'' x 2'' x 3/8'' angle to the stems of the standard Acorn 1 5/8''  bending pegs to make them fit. I used nickel rod. This makes the pegs offset so that they are actually more versatile in how  they can be arranged for spacing. The standard Acorn clamps work without modification.

My advise is build a heavy fabricated stand that is bolted to the floor or it's own footings. Get it dead level  with the top  at anvil height. Build a heavy shelf on the bottom as well as some bars to hang an array of clamps. Electrical outlets at the corners are handy as well as a solid secure mount for a welding ground cable.

Mount a couple of heavy duty vises next to the table near the corners on their own steel pedestals bolted to the floor and to the stand. Keep the top clear except for the job in progress

Mount some good lights above it , high enough to be out of harms way. If you have, or are planning a jib crane or overhead hoist in the shop , locate the table so that the crane has access to all parts of the surface and beyond.

I also made two other tables , 42'' x 10'' from 1'' plate that are dead flat and level . They have accurate  square corners, useful as a quick reference for layout.

Two tables at the same height with about a 2'-3' gap between them is really useful for big projects that need access into the middle of the piece. The second table can be smaller and lighter than the main table, but it is most useful if it is exactly in plane and the same height and is mounted solidly to stay that way.

I love my heavy tables and simply could not work effectively or efficiently without them.

 Looks like a good one, how much did you pay for it?  

Nice to see someone post a picture of a newly acquired old anvil without immediately asking  for the best way to grind on it , weld it , mill it or otherwise ''repair'' it .

 Dress up the edges with a file to slight radius and then use it just as it is .

 Nice score , that thing looks brand new. What did you pay for it?

I'm more interested in that unusual post vise in the background of the second photo . Care to post a couple of pictures of that as well ?

 What year and serial number is that hammer ? 

I've got one just like it , center clutch, wrap around guides , serial #635,  built in 1922 , rebuilt by Little Giant in 2005.

It's been a great hammer, my main moneymaker for many years.

They are much inproved with a band brake over the top of the crank plate and a guard around all those flailing arms when it's running full out.

How are you going to  set it up for making cymbals ?

 I've had a Grizzly 2 x 72 knife sander for 20 + years,  used everyday in a full time professional shop.

I've replaced the bearing in the top idler wheel once after about 10 years and that's it.

Great powerful machine , lot's of choices of belts available from True Grit Abrasives