Bob S

Albert what kind of anvils etc do you see in local (Afghanistan) shops?

Welcome to the forum.

Bob

Thanks for the warning. Are the back clamps and the threaded rod to get the hammer to hit harder or is it so you can get more room between the head and anvil.

I bought a set of treadel hammer plans from abana, but they are different from this hammer ,it mentions Paul Marx in the plans,it looks the same except the plans don't show a crank or clamps for the back and it uses 8 springs instead of three.
Maybe abana has more than 1 type of treadel plans?

The 'back clamps' allow you to move the head up or down to allow for different length tool or workpiece size. In practice I try to make tools about the same length to keep raising and lowering to a minimum. Ideally the ram should hit your tool or work when it (the ram) is horizontal.

The threaded rod is for adjusting your treadle stroke (as your move the head) so that you hit your tool or work as your leg is extended. The treadle should be 1" or so from hitting the floor.

Paul Marx made the 'original' fixed head t-hammer. Clay Spencer came up with the adjustable head (ram).

Be careful it's easy to get hurt. Go slow.

Hi, I got the Treadle Hammer to my place,thought I was going to take it in the basement . But the the anvil is solid 5x5 . This a picture of one exactly like mine . What name or who designed this hammer. The previous owner said he went somewhere and a group of guys each built one,together . Thanks Keith

This treadle hammer is Clay Spencer's swing arm style. Plans available from ABANA if I remember right. A great hammer.

Be SURE that you ALWAYS hold one hand on the raising and lowering crank when you loosen the two brake shoe clamps at the rear. ALWAYS keep your hands CLEAR.

Ok call me crazy but I was thinking of making my own anvil. I have 2 now one peter wright and a vulcan. The vulan is an ok anvil made of cast iron and a steel face, I can buy a piece of steel and could pour over 100 lbs of cast iron into a green sand mould. Maybe if there are any old timers out there who know how to bond the 2 or point me in the right direction that would be great. I know people have want posted about getting an aso and putting a face on it but I want to start from scratch. People were doing this a long time before I was born and I know it can be done and that I can do it with just a little more info.                               Thanks from the crazy smith

Could you post some pictures of the things you have done so far? I would be interested in some pics of the last few 100lb cast iron pours. No disrespect meant. just want to see your bonafides.

Sad news. The old timers are moving on.

RIP Norm.

I'm running a 50 lb. Little Giant that was buit in 1913.

 

I run it on a daily basis.

 

Before firing it up, I lube that baby with chainsaw bar oil.

 

My clutch is getting greasy and affecting performance.

 

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Matt

why don't you just put less oil on it? If it's running off it's too much oil.

I remember when I grew up (1950s) seeing  the words "Made in Japan" on the bottom of a little model car or toy was a joke. They would usually break on the way home. Today "Made in Japan" like Toyota etc is a mark of quality. When China makes that leap watch out.

Are you going to make some Fisher anvil clones?

I see that your location is in China. That would probably be the place to try it.

Don't have a torch (I'm 14) anyway I could do it with a firebrick forge that reaches high enough temperatures that I have to regulary replace the bricks?

you're 14!!? well lucky you. wish I was.

you may need to buy a better firebrick.

sure use your forge.

The Secret of Blacksmithing is theres NO secret to Blacksmithing.

I guess that depends on what you think a 'secret' is. A secret could be anything you don't know. It doesn't mean that someone else is keeping it from you. It just means that it's something you have yet to have revealed to you. Secrets can be revealed in many ways. By a 'master' smith.  By a book. By sweat and hard work (the best way but not the easiest). And sometimes by an internet forum like this.

Here is a thread from today that has a few excellent 'secrets'.....

http://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/31028-drawing-out-math/

Ok now that were past the discussion if I should soften it or not I'd like to know how I should do this, to what colour I should bring the hammer and how to let it cool off and stuff.

when I softened my main forging hammer I put it in the vice and held the torch on it till the colors ran. then check it with a file. you want the file to bite. Then check it on your anvil. If it still leaves a ding do it again.

it should be said that not every anvil requires a soft hammer. I have a Trenton that is on the soft side. I also have a Kohlswa that is VERY hard and doesn't ding.

point is you want your hammer to be softer than your anvil.

Very sad news. 

I was wondering if any of the things we talk about here every day, would have at one time been considered 'trade secrets'? Like what?

Are there trade secrets any more?

Would we know if there were any?

Do you know any?

What are they?

anvil "anatomy" is a misnomer, since anatomy refers to internal organs.  Anvil "morphology" is more apt phraseology

that's what I wus gonna say.......

my point wasn't  that I was worried about breaking the anvil but that even with a strong anvil or swage block or bolster plate I would find it easier to make hardys or swages by drawing down a somewhat larger piece rather than upsetting at all. especially by using a jackhammer point or piece of leaf spring.

never mind.

If you don't have a swage block, is it dangerous to use the hardy hole in terms of potentially breaking the anvil?

this seems to be the current method of making a 'hardy' tool. personally I have always found it easier to draw down rather than upset (up).

start with a piece somewhat larger (1/4") than your square hole and draw down the shank. then form the tool end into a cut off shape or a swage or ?.

even easier is to take a piece of leaf spring and draw down till it fits your square hole diagonally.

broken or used up jackhammer points which are widely available in construction rental places etc. they already have an upset collar and are easily made into a useful tool.

Go to your local fastener store (maybe Fastenal), or try your local farm/implement store if you are in a rural area. Sometimes they have a plastic, giveaway type gauge for measuring nuts and bolts. I would also get a low priced dial caliper (under $50) so that I could measure directly.

http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INPDFF?PMPAGE=297&PARTPG=INLMK32

 I'll be cleaning it up with a grinder soon, as recommended by many here:
 

don't grind on it.

you should probably start your own thread.

I am moviong this on to ANVILS section, you do realise this was in the tailgating section and no thread lasts more than 30 days there,   :)

http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/hammer,scythe/Interesting

 I'm 63 years old and have never seen the US dollar is worth less than the Canada dollar, think about what that means.

HH

CH

I thought about it for a while but nothing happened :rolleyes: . What do you think it means?

Maybe privately.

Bob

Looks great , no  need to heat treat unless your working cold metal :)  

but it can't hurt.

The tire upsetters aren't very useful to the average shop but a tire roller could be handy for a variety of work. Your upsetter is very cool looking tho and may have some value as a rusty steampunk sort of object.

Wow ThomasPowers: "Frankly if I was your instructor I'd flunk you for just asking that!" Maybe you missed that part in the beginning of his statement that he is a STUDENT. Now is the time for him to ask the many questions he's been thinking about. I see you have 13, 122 post. More than most people will every accumulate. Other blacksmiths have offered their thoughtful opinions. See Brian Brazeal and Jason above. A statement like yours reflects more on you than on the question asked by the student.

Each of us probably have unique resumes in our path to discovering the benefits of being able to forge metals. What an exploration it has been. Totally satisfied after 25 years; I am just above a beginner.