Patrick H

I did finally get a chance to attack one with a drill and it drilled beautifully, reminded me of Stressproof.  I keep checking them at night but so far I can't detect any green glow.    I may have a couple of nice big 1" plates next week.  One will make the hammer base.  I see this thing getting heavy quick.

Thanks for finding that welding info Chris.

Thanks for all the input.  The basic design I am looking to follow on the hammer is one built by Fred Connell and documented here:  http://ornamentalroseengine.com/smith/hammer/index.htm

The blocks I have can be welded quite easily using 7018 stick electrodes.  They each have a length of chain welded on to move them. My tig welder is a 300 amp transformer machine that stick welds very nicely.  If the rain lets up tonight I will drill a test hole.  I to make a bolt on bottom die so it can be changed down the road if I ever need to.  I am obviously still in the research stage and welcome all advice or opinions.  I didn't expect to find steel for the lower anvil this quickly so it kind of jump started the project.

Hello everyone.  This is my first post so thought I'd give a little background.  About 10 years ago I took a 6 week blacksmithing class put on by my local gild.  I enjoyed it greatly and acquired a nice anvil (late 1700/early 1800s Mouse Hole) and built a brake drum forge.  Life happens as it often does and I never ended up doing anything with them.  Now the kids are older and quite interested as well.  I am a habitual tinkerer and builder so have decided to build a power hammer.  I have a decent sized shop to work in and a mill, lathe, and shaper plus mig and tig welders.

Ok, long story short, I intend to build a Dupont linkage style hammer with a true disc style clutch rather than the tire style.  I acquired 2 steel blocks that I would like to use as the bottom anvil.  They measure 10" x 12" x 16".  Luckily they are stamped with the steel type on them but internet searches on that just keep sending me to nuclear reactor research documents.  Anyway, they are A508-CL2 (class 2) reactor pressure vessel steel.  They came out of the local nuclear plant when construction was shut down and everything was auctioned off in 1984-1985.  As near as I can tell these are forged blocks and considered NiMoCr steel.  Weight is in the ballpark of 550 pounds each.

I think they would work great for the anvil, what say the experts?

Thanks,

Patrick