Frosty Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Well, I finally gave up on getting it to run on 240v and rewired the motor to 120v and it works just fine now. While I was trying to figure out what was wrong with which machine I did a little work on the LG. I cleaned it up and painted it, remounted the motor, built a brake and a spring guard. Lastly I extended the treadle down to a comfortable working height after mounting the hammer on 4" x 12" timbers. Sorry, no picture of the treadle extension but it's not very interesting. As mentioned earlier, my first spring guard wouldn't have cleared in operation so I modified it. I cut about 1 1/4" off the bottom of the frame at an angle and replaced the angle iron with a piece of 1/8" strip stock. The brake was pretty simple though drilling a hole in the frame for a 1/2" bolt was a major chore. I shifted the pivot bolt as close to the connection between the tread rod and shifting fork to maximize the throw on the brake band. The connecting rod between the brake lever and the band should've had a pivoting attachment point on the lever as it shifts the band sideways when it lifts it off the crankplate. Still, it lifts it clear so I'm not going to repair something that works. The band is 1/8" strap with leather epoxied as a brake shoe. It's mounted to the main cap bolts on the left side of the hammer. It doesn't bring the hammer to an immediate stop but it doesn't make half a rev. I'll try adding some more spring to it and maybe get a faster stop. And that's where I'm at now. A functioning power hammer and making tooling. Too cool. :cool: Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Really cool Frosty. I like your comment about making tooling. Everyone here thinks/knows I'm crazy. I'll say I can fix that and three weeks later I finally have all the bits 'n pieces/tools needed for the job which takes five minutes. Personally, I think that is a major part of the game Get ready for some serious pounding now.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welder19 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Looks good Frosty! welder19 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 That's so pretty!! I give it a 2 weeks and it will be drippin' with oil! THEN it will look AWESOME! Nice job on the guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Gosh, now it is too pretty to use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 oooooo, (slobber), that's nice, (drool), (wipe lower lip off), now you have to have a name, if you go to all that trouble you gotta name it, maybe Jolly? for the green giant? or how's about Marvin, (the martian)? maybe we oughta have a contest! and I want pics of the tooling!! Good job pal, Big Red is very pleased to have your hammers aquaintence!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Nice job - I really like the guard, thoughtfully designed and executed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 And here I thought I was hearing thunder down here. Its only Frostys new toy. Now I want one. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chyancarrek Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Great job Frosty! Make sure to post some pics of the tooling as you go! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lumpkins Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 A Man on a mission,, Get er Done... Looks good Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Nice Frosty!!!! Excellent design for the brake and spring guard! Consider it copied... At least once anyway:D Did you do the grinding/polishing on the drum where the band rides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 oooooo, (slobber), that's nice, (drool), (wipe lower lip off), now you have to have a name, if you go to all that trouble you gotta name it, maybe Jolly? for the green giant? or how's about Marvin, (the martian)? maybe we oughta have a contest! and I want pics of the tooling!! Good job pal, Big Red is very pleased to have your hammers aquaintence!! It's name is "Bobbie" after my Mother. Life insurance money from her passing came in literally the day I found out this hammer was available. I just haven't made the stencil yet. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 How do Bobbie, happy hammerin!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 (edited) Nice Frosty!!!! Excellent design for the brake and spring guard! Consider it copied... At least once anyway:D Did you do the grinding/polishing on the drum where the band rides? Thanks. I wanted to balance the anti-shrapnel factor with being able to spot trouble before a catastrophic failure occured and this is the guard I came up with. That's also why the spring is painted red. I stripped the old paint off and repainted with a hard enamel so any stress points will show. Makes the paint crack and peel. Of course that only works if the piece fails gradually from an initiation point and springs often don't. I used a med-coarse paper disk to clean the crank plate for the brake. I think a #40-50 grit would've meant faster stops. Oil? It's already dripping and there's floor dry in strategic places around the base. Believe it or not the guy I bought it from appologized for it being covered in oil! Tooling is starting off with some simple things like spring drawing dies, shouldering and tennoning dies, maybe a texturing die or two, some hacks and punches. As I get the chance I'm going to visit Metalmangler and check out his collection of dies and hammer tooling. Frosty Edited July 30, 2009 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 (edited) Lookin good there Frosty! A 50lb Little Giant is all I have these days. Painted similarly and has a new dropped treadle close to the floor. Brake are over-rated but still handy. I knew a very good blacksmith who liked to adjust his to slowly tick over (idle) so it would take off smoothly when he stepped on it. Made 2-1/2 X 7 dies for mine so now it's a sixty pound LG! Also managed to get my crank in the lathe to turn the O.D. of the crank plate for the brake. Hmm, spring guard? Might have to make one of those. Many years ago I had a spring go whizzing past my face. Edited July 30, 2009 by nakedanvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double Y Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Nice work Frosty! Did you put any reinforcing in the concrete of your floor? Or do you think the timbers will be enough? I am in the market for a hammer myself and have an existing shop with rebar in the concrete, but I am curious if you feel you need more support than just the timbers? Thanks and have fun breaking the hammer in! JL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 Thanks Grant, this is my first power hammer and I'm still getting my head wrapped around the potentials. I kind of like not having the hammer coast to a stop but that's the way I am with all machinery. I want it to stop when I shut it off. It's my biggest gripe about disk grinders. As it stands I have to step on the treadle pretty hard to get it cycling but I got a little paint on the clutch while painting. should I sand it a little or do you think it'll wear off. OR is it something else? I'm using 30w oil on the clutch but have tried both lighter and heavier with no noticable difference. JL: I know a lot of guys with hammers this size and larger that run them on their shop slabs without doing anything special. Bob Bergman runs his 3B Nazel (300+lb ram) and 200lb Bradley Helve on his shop floor, they're mounted on timbers but that's about all he did and his floor is holding up fine after many years. Still, when I had my floor poured I made it thicker in the area I knew the hammer(s) were going and doubled up on the rebar. The main floor is 6" with #5 rebar on a 2' grid, under the hammer it's 8" with #5 rebar on a 1' grid. I've also done some other trick things to the floor like 2" sq. receiver tube "gozintas" on a 4' grid welded into the rebar for welder grounding and hydronic heat tubing yet to be hooked up. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 "gozintas" Frosty Bless You! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Only gozintas? No "comezatas"? You know: gozinta here and comezata there. You done good on the floor, often we don't have the choice, so we run it on what we got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 Need a couple Huksontas too. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 All I need to do to change a gozinta inta a comezata is apply some liftit to the wentintait. I forgot to mention I connected the gozintas to an underfloor exhaust system so I can take care of smoke and fumes locally without sucking all the warm air out of the shop in the winter. All in all it took me months of weekends to get everything installed and right, getting all the gozintas flush with the floor surface was finicky in the extreme. Nothing to sneeze at, IMNSHO anyway. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I think you forgot to attach the finagnle rod to the whichacuzee lever, which will allow the hummina hummina more floggability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 I always liked "Whenindoubt Forge" But I settled on Off-Center, sounded better than Off the Wall Forge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 As it stands I have to step on the treadle pretty hard to get it cycling but I got a little paint on the clutch while painting. should I sand it a little or do you think it'll wear off. OR is it something else? I'm using 30w oil on the clutch but have tried both lighter and heavier with no noticable difference. Thats the problem with dupont linkage style hammers as far as I can tell. The inertia of the tup is greater than the little flywheel can smoothly move. With practice though, you should be able to play her like a fiddle. Congatulations on getting her up and running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcraigl Posted July 31, 2009 Share Posted July 31, 2009 (edited) I've never seen white grease on a PH before.... good thing you got a picture of that. It'll never be white again. Frosty, I'm sure you've seen 'em, but something I noticed while watching the Clifton Ralph videos. He always managed to time the "stop" so that the ram stopped at the top of the stroke. I think it's a whole lot easier to get the thing cycline if it's coming down when you first step on the treadle than if it's lifting the hammer to get started moving. Also, it appeared to me that his hammers really stopped quite quickly when he let off the threadle. Anyway, things to think of. I know Mike-hr's hammer doesn't have a brake on it, and some times you gotta stomp his treadle pretty good to get it going. Makes it a little bit difficult to deliver a softer first blow as by the time it comes all the way around it's swinging pretty hard. Have fun getting to know that thing. One thing for sure with all hammers and I think especially these old mechanical hammers is that they've each got their own personality. Once you get to be friends with them you can make 'em really sing. Edited July 31, 2009 by mcraigl added info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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