Getting the Top Die Out?

[forgeahead]

Hello Guys,

I have a #25 little giant which I bought a few months ago; however, I can't get the top die out. It was really wedged. One wedge was driven in alongside brass shims. I can't drive it out like you are suppose to do. Any ideas? The only idea I have come up with, but haven't tried is to weld on extension onto the edge of the wedge where it was driven in. Place a jack between the extension and the die making sure that the jack only connects with the die and not the die set area and begin to jack slowly hoping to pull the wedge or push the die the other direction, perhaps both. Is this a sound idea? Any other thought?

Thanx

[Fe-Wood]

Not sure I understand the proceedur but it sounds like it may be more work than needs to be done. There is a pin in the top die going from ram head to die. This is to help keep the die from moving. What I did to remove my dies that were rusted in was soak with penetrating oil and work the wedge and die in opposite directions with hammers. One hammer for pounding on die or wdge and the other as a backer. Once I got them loose, I removed the wedge. I wasn't in a hurry so I would soak with oil and work it a bit and soak some more and let sit for a while (days) and go back at it.

Good Luck!!!

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

Do it the way you describe, only once you get a little strain on the jack try hammering on the end of the wedge. Also you can weld a round bar on and build a slide hammer in place.

[mike-hr]

Be careful hammering on the thin end of the wedge. A little too much hammering, what do you know.. it's now the thick end, and won't drive thru, no matter who's your uncle. I've done Grant's slide hammer bit, works good. I got tired of slide hammering, ( had a fairly stuck wedge), so I drilled a 3/8 hole in a bit of scrap, welded it to the wedge, tightened a nut&bolt thru the hole, and used an air chisel against the bolt head. bu-bu-bu-bu-bu-shoooo! Out she popped. I immediately made a new wedge, but this one is a good 4 inches longer than it needs to be, with a bygod 3/8" hole drilled by the fat end, ready for the air chisel next time.
Whoops! This was on my bottom die, the thread's about the top die. Don't know of a proud wedge will crash into the top guide workin's or not, feel free to ignore!

[ThomasPowers]

I just removed the top die from my Champion powerhammer: After 250 blows with a 5# hammer on a brass "saver" didn't shift the wedge (even with a week or two soaking with PB-Blaster). I removed the top holder. Cut off the end of the wedge I had been hammering on with an an angle grinder and took the piece over to my screwpress.

Used a butcher to press on the clean cut off end, two bumps and the butcher was at full depth. Replaced it with a piece of 1/4"x3" strapping and a couple more bumps and the wedge was out.

For the bottom die that was mounted with 1 wedge and 4 shims: there was enough protruding that I was able to drill it crosswise, put in a bolt and use a come along to apply just enough pressure that the hammer was almost moving along the floor. Tapped the other end a couple of times with the hammer & brass "saver" and *ping* it was out.

Now one cautionary tale: A friend of mine was trying to remove the bottom die from his first powerhammer and was having a real rough time of it so he asked me to take a look. I looked at it carefully and told him he was going the wrong way. 15 minutes later it was out...

[forgeahead]

Thanx for the suggestions. I think I will try the air chisel idea. Less stress on everything.

[forgeahead]

The die is out!! I tried the various methods suggested. No go. I simple drilled out the wedge with a long thin aircraft drill bit. It's out.