My new Rusty style Power Hammer

[Mark Wargo New2bs]

Just a quick photo to show the power hammer I built with the assistance of our local welder. The hammer weighs about 30 lbs. Only partially painted and a tad more work to do on it but it has bolt on dies and I will have quick change spring dies for use with these flat dies.

Mark

[Mark Wargo New2bs]

Here are a few more higher quality pictures that show details like linkages and dies. I need to add a jam nut on the turn buckle and I'm going to get the UHMW a tad tighter on the sides of the ram. I'm going to construct a wooden base to bolt it to so that it doesn't walk. I also need to get a contact wheel fabricated to replace the pulley that is currently acting as the drive wheel. Although it has bolt on dies (currently 4140 flat dies), I'm going to weld a nut to a strap fitted around the bottom die to accomodate spring tools with a bit of angle iron welded to the bottom. This should make it a snap to swap between dies and flats. Let me know if you see areas that could use improvement.

Mark

[LDW]

Good job Mark, thats a good looking hammer.

[Mainely,Bob]

How`s it work?That`s the most important part.
If it does what you want it to do how can it be anything but a success?
I`d say it was an excellent use of available equipment judging by the pics.

[Bush Bugger]

well done Mark you have done a fantastic job looks great and will do the job thanks for the pictures still collecting bits and pieces myself to build a power hammer to fabricate one day :)

[arftist]

I would just suggest using bronze instead of plastic.

[Mark Wargo New2bs]

Hey Arftist, what would be the advantage of bronze over UHMW?

Mark

[Sam Salvati]

well how's it hit??!? How long does it take you to say draw out a RR spike to 1+ feet long?

[stevomiller]

Hey Arftist, what would be the advantage of bronze over UHMW?

Mark

I'd be interested as well. I have never built a power hammer, but was an equipment engineer and used UHMW for wear plates and guides quite often with exceptional results. It does need rigid backer plates and should never be used as a structural component of the guide system.

Best,
Steve

edit: just reviewed the pic of the ram guide, how do you adjust the guides in the x axis? Are the six bolts for adjusting the guide in the Y axis? What method is used to keep them from loosening? Edited August 29, 2010 by stevomiller

[arftist]

Hey Arftist, what would be the advantage of bronze over UHMW?

Mark

Can't say for sure that one is better than the other...I used bronze and I like it. I like to think that bronze is more heavy-duty, and has less give, but I might be wrong.

[Mark Wargo New2bs]

Bob and Sam, I can't tell for sure how well it's going to hit yet. I had intended to finish it this weekend and mount it to a base, but I wound up working instead due to personnel issues. Hopefully I can finish it up next weekend and hit something other than copper pipe with it. I'm not comfortable hitting hot iron until it is mounted solidly.

Steve, I don't have any adjustments on that axis, but now that you mention it, they certainly wouldn't be out of place.

Arftist, I'm going to run it on the UHMW and see how it holds up. It is supposed to be much more abrasion resistant than carbon steel.

Mark

[Stormcrow]

So what's the verdict on your hammer? I have a very similar but heavier one in the works. It doing the job? :)

[Mark Wargo New2bs]

I have been slammed at work and haven't been able to put the finishing touches on it. The department I direct is growing from 92 employees to 144 employees and we are smack in the middle of that hiring process. I'd rather be forging for sure.

From test runs, I determined that the main pivot system I had in place was not going to work as intended. There was too much slop in it and it was affecting the timing and sapping power from the hit. I ordered pillow block bearings and took them to the machine shop to have a plate cut to fit on top of the main hammer mast. I haven't had time to go by and pick that up. Once I get that welded and get the sandwich plate welded to the shaft between the pillow blocks I will tighten up the UHMW and do some more test runs. I anticipate that those modifications will resolve most of the issues. At that point I'll take pictures and try to shoot some video.

Thanks for asking!

Mark

[ptree]

I built my rusty style hammer in 2002, and have used and improved ever since. May I offer the following:

1. Build and install a steel safety hood over the leaf spring, in 8 years I have had several to break, and my hood contained the bits and pieces. Make it easy to on/off as you will need to be able to access for repairs etc.

2. Start looking for heavy steel to add to the anvil. The power of the hammer will not be usable if you have too little anvil. I started with a 32# ram and about 350# or anvil, and I was lucky to find some free scrap to add and now at about 650+# with an ram increased to 45#. I added to the anvil, then to the ram. The extra anvil weight MADE the hammer.

[Jeff Seelye]

I built my rusty style hammer in 2002, and have used and improved ever since. May I offer the following:

1. Build and install a steel safety hood over the leaf spring, in 8 years I have had several to break, and my hood contained the bits and pieces. Make it easy to on/off as you will need to be able to access for repairs etc.

2. Start looking for heavy steel to add to the anvil. The power of the hammer will not be usable if you have too little anvil. I started with a 32# ram and about 350# or anvil, and I was lucky to find some free scrap to add and now at about 650+# with an ram increased to 45#. I added to the anvil, then to the ram. The extra anvil weight MADE the hammer.

I am building a "rusty" as well. Where do the springs break? Are you using new springs or car springs? Got any pictures of the Guard? I was more woried about protecting the shaft in the back. Thanks, Jeff

[arftist]

I am building a "rusty" as well. Where do the springs break? Are you using new springs or car springs? Got any pictures of the Guard? I was more woried about protecting the shaft in the back. Thanks, Jeff

There is a picture of Ptree's hammer on Anvilfire in the power hammer pages.

[ptree]

I have had several used springs break and so use only new now. I have a short leaf top and bottom with a single long leaf. It usually breaks right in front of the short leaf. I got 5 years and a bunch of work out of the most recent spring.

My hood is 16ga sheet steel and is shown on the anvilfire page as mentioned above. Most of the rusty styles will allow the ram to exit the machine if the spring breaks on the up stroke, so I built mine stout.

[Jeff Seelye]

I have had several used springs break and so use only new now. I have a short leaf top and bottom with a single long leaf. It usually breaks right in front of the short leaf. I got 5 years and a bunch of work out of the most recent spring.

My hood is 16ga sheet steel and is shown on the anvilfire page as mentioned above. Most of the rusty styles will allow the ram to exit the machine if the spring breaks on the up stroke, so I built mine stout.

OK Thanks, I still haven't seen your hammer yet (got to the JYH pages though. I just finished the guard for the pulley and the rod. My ram has a bottom bracket welded on to change dies. I like the idea of a guard on top though. I bought springs for mine too. Won't be back here until Fri.

[Jeff Seelye]

Here are a few more higher quality pictures that show details like linkages and dies. I need to add a jam nut on the turn buckle and I'm going to get the UHMW a tad tighter on the sides of the ram. I'm going to construct a wooden base to bolt it to so that it doesn't walk. I also need to get a contact wheel fabricated to replace the pulley that is currently acting as the drive wheel. Although it has bolt on dies (currently 4140 flat dies), I'm going to weld a nut to a strap fitted around the bottom die to accomodate spring tools with a bit of angle iron welded to the bottom. This should make it a snap to swap between dies and flats. Let me know if you see areas that could use improvement.

Mark

Mark, it looks sweet! you've got a lot of work tied up into that.

[bkforge]

I would just suggest using bronze instead of plastic.

Bronze is a waste of money, UHMW will last just as long and probably work better since it has a lower coefficient of friction. Bronze is sooo 20th century. I have 2 hammers made using it and they work just fine. One is 75 lbs and the other is 25 lbs. I agree that your anvil is "a little light". More is better here....