GobblerForge Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 Over the years I have seen some wonderfully ingenious designs on home made power hammers. How many of you have built them? Do you still use them? Do you have pics? Do you have tips as to improvments? Gobbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valentin Posted August 19, 2006 Share Posted August 19, 2006 I;ve made a power hammer this year ... worked on it for a while it;s made out of an old press with a car diferential and a disk brake 2 control the speed .There is a problem with it it;s not working as it shoud .... and now is just a pile of junk sitting in my workshop i will post some pictures with it tomorow or the day after I am shure that there is a desight simple and nice that works ...mine just did not :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 I am also wanting to build one too. I have a bunch of designs from helve hammers to Little Giant style to ones of my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Roy Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I bought some plans from Appalachain Power Hammers, but haven't dared to build one yet. I am working in a wood frame building and would destroy the place with a power hammer. A friend told me he set one up in his garage and quickly pounded a hole through the 4 inch thick concrete floor. I need to design a good foundation first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogvalley Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I have a home built appalachian style helve hammer and use it at least weekly, in my busy season I use it daily. It already has hundreds of hours on it. Upto 182 beats per min, 75 pound ram weight, 6 inch stroke, 1 horse drive motor. Parts from three junk/scrap yards plus the springs off my Jeep. You can see a pic on my forge page or elsewhere on this forum. Search under "powerhammer junkies". If ya'll are really interested I might take a few more pic of her and post em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Awww please do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GobblerForge Posted August 21, 2006 Author Share Posted August 21, 2006 Cool hammer. Gobbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Yes, please take more pictures. Once I get a welder set up, I am going to consider building a powerhammer. Of course, It needs to find a place inbetween all the other stuff, like a 2x72 beltsander, a new forge, a guillotine fuller, etc etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 I recently saw a few different pictures of what people called a Tire-Hammer. Here's one of the images. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Hmm, like an LG instead of a helve style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 I like the LG style better than the helve style, there just seems to be less possible damage to your body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogvalley Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Assuming that a LG style could cause less damage than a helve hammer if it broke is a guess at best and in my opinion totally incorrect. The bulk of the moving parts of a helve hammer are BEHIND the center column and away from the operator. An LG style has a spring and a number of lever arms right in your face. I have this home made 75# plus a Fairbanks 25# (which LG copied). Both are good machines and equally reliable, but if the Fairbanks breaks a spring or arm, its probably gonna hit me or at least fly past my head while I xxxx myself. With the home built, the parts are gonna just fall away from me. LGs are not safer. Your mileage may vary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Jim Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 There is a 25# LG in the shop I frequent. There is usually an initial warning that comes the first time someone uses it. The warning is basically "Use at your own risk. That spring might explode one day and it sits about a foot and a half away from your face." I like the looks of the LG style better then the helve, but I agree that the helve style might be safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolano Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Ah yes, what fun. I had a lot of fun using that powerhammer. those things are so useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Here's a quickie of my tire hammer. Sorry for the poor quality of photo. Gotta re shoot one of these days. Hammer is about 38# Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 This is my tire hammer, built in a Clay Spencer workshop in Tallahassee Memorial Day weekend. This was the first heat, just to try things out, so all I'm doing here is mangling metal. I'm right pleased with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredlyFX Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I've seen pictures somewhere of a couple of LG's that have a solid steel plate on the front over the spring. They used the two bolts up front to attach it. Seemed like it would make it much safer to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GobblerForge Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 Never heard or saw a "tire" hammer. Can you tell me more? That looks very interesting. Gobbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapman1077 Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 Take a look at two. As Jock Dempsey has openly objected to images from Anvilfire being used in other places without his specific permission, one on the images that was recognized from Anvilfire has been removed and replaced it with a link to the page where it can be viewed. The hammer photo posted here and removed is at this link. Site Admin IForgeIron one image removed, by Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GobblerForge Posted August 28, 2006 Author Share Posted August 28, 2006 Since most newer digital cameras shoot movies as well, could someone post a 5 second video of the tire hammer in motion? I am definitely considering building one of these. I will keep coming back as questions arise. I'm here a couple times a week while having my morning coffee anyway. Maybe I will start a progressive thread on it so everyone can watch it being built. Naw, that would just show everyone how slow I really am. Gobbler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 Aww come on Gobbler! That would be pretty amazing. Nice hammer Glenn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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