Beaudry & Co. input

[james gonzalez]

I have been offered a running and allegedly rebuilt Beaudry 06 with motor presently under power. I have not tried it, but reputable sources guarantee it's condition as good. Price is $3,500.
I presently am running a striker 88 in my shop and it has done everything I needed done up until now. A second hammer is not a necessity for the volume
of forging I do. My shop, furthermore, is not large enough as it is. If I bought this machine it would be in storage until the day I set up a larger shop space.
I love these old machines, though, and it is hard to pass one up.
What do you think?

I am not at liberty to post seller's info without consent.

[Judson Yaggy]

Beaudrys are outstanding mechanical hammers. IIRC a #6 is around 150#, and if the condition is as stated then it's a good deal. Even if you have to store it for a few years I'd buy it, then even if you keep your Striker you can have different dies on the two hammers for different operations.

Hmm... Boston isn't that far away from me, if you give it a pass let me know...

[HWooldridge]

I have a #4 and the only thing I would consider trading it for would be a larger Beaudry. They are one of the better mechanicals - which is why they are still in much demand. I would snap it up if it were available in my area.

[Ed Thomas]

The Beaudry hammer is my favorite mechanical hammer, and I personally prefer them to all utility air hammers and most self-contained hammers I've used. A lot of that preference is because that is what I have and I'm so comfortable with them. However, air hammer owners usually like their air hammers better than mechanical hammers. It is very rare for an air hammer owner to switch to mechanical, but fairly common for mechanical hammer owners to switch to one of the high-end air hammers.

So at that price, which is a very good price for a nice weight Beaudry hammer in good shape, you should still take some time with it and see if you REALLY want it. Are there things you want to do with your Striker that you can't do, and hope to do with the Beaudry? Fire up the forge and run hot metal under the Beaudry hammer before you buy it, and see if you think you'll learn to like the difference in control and power.

Just because it is a good price for a good machine does not automatically mean it is a good deal for you.

However, if you do buy it, some of us have had ours for awhile and been through quite a few repairs and installations, so will be happy to share what we've learned if you run into problems. Good luck and keep us posted.

[james gonzalez]

Thanks to all for the input.
I think I will follow Ed's advice and run some hot iron under this machine before making any final decision. Is there anything specific one should look for when inspecting these type hammers?

[Ed Thomas]

James,

Since it sounded like the current owner is claiming a recent rebuild, you probably don't have to be as concerned as when you buy an abandoned hulk from a warehouse. However, Beaudry hammers do have some specific issues that show up due to neglect of routine lube and maintenance. Take a flashlight with you to do some of the inspections I recommend.

1. The ram is kept between the cast body on one side, and an adjustable guide on the other side usually with a brass sleeve. The only lubrication is through a weep hole on each side at the top of the ram. If these are blocked, or never filled with oil, the ram will quickly wear grooves in the guides and begin binding. So, look for unusual wear on the ram guides.

2. The ram is sort of thrown and caught as it goes up and down. Two large springs have rollers at their ends inside the ram. The only lubrication for these is a squirt of oil from an oil can by the operator. If that is not done, the rollers begin to bind and eventually stop rolling. Then they just rub up and down on the inside of the ram. Once the roller wears on one side, it is worthless and you will have to machine a new roller bearing, or find somebody to do that. So, look inside the ram with a flashlight and see if the rollers look round. Inspect for unusually high wear inside the ram caused by the roller. Be concerned especially if one side has high wear and the other doesn't. This has been an issue on two of the three Beaudry hammers I've owned, by the way. It is just too easy for owners to forget, or not know, to squirt oil on the rollers every now and then.

3. Watch the main shaft at the top of the hammer as it operates. Does it wobble? Rebuilding that particular sleeve/bearing is a real pain.

4. Look for cracks on the anvil and sow block. All three of my Beaudry hammers have been abused badly, with significant chunks battered out of them by former owners because the keys get stuck in the dies or between the anvil and sow block, and they are removed with sledgehammers. The cast iron can only take so much abusive hammering before it cracks at the weak points along the dovetails.

5. Look for dings and dents in the upper die, which is easy to overlook. Not a big deal, but dies are very expensive to have made if you can't do it yourself.

6. Watch the power supply in motion. Does the motor run smoothly? Does the flywheel engage smoothly and easily as the belt tightens? It is excessively noisy anywhere that can't be explained? Is the belt wearing evenly? Is the break lining in good shape? Does the hammer start and stop with control -- is it well-behaved? Is the motor big enough? (That size hammer should have a 5 hp motor, I think).

There are plenty of other checks, but these are probably the most expensive things to watch for. I've been up all night, so perhaps more will occur to me when I get some sleep.

Don't let this list scare you away from the Beaudry. There is almost nothing that can't be fixed; it's just that it can be a lot of work and/or expensive. A well-running Beaudry is a thing of beauty and a real delight to use. Of all the mechanical hammers, it is pretty widely recognized as having the best overall control, and hits with some real authority when you need it to. When in good shape, they take almost no effort to maintain, and last pretty much forever with that minimal maintenance. If you can post pictures, I can probably add more advice.

Ed