How to tune a self-contained hammer??

[nuge]

I'm way more of a machine "user" than anything else, and while I think I know whats going on in my equipment thats probably not always the case.

Seems really true with my air hammers. I tinker around and adjust stuff here and there and sometimes it will behave better and sometimes worse. For example, the other day I had a tightening party on the cylinder bolts and that changed the hammer a lot.

So, if I was to tune the beast from zero, how would you go about the task?

Heres a pic of the linkage, seems a good place to start. If someone could explain to me what is going on here, what to shoot for, that'd be great.

[Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver]

That picture reminds me of the hand lever on a Chambersburg. If you're standing in just the right spot and snap the treadle down to get a single blow it'll whack you on the head so hard you see stars (don't ask me how I know this)! What cha got there, an Anyang?

[nuge]

Thats a "Striker".

[Jamesrjohnson]

The main adjustemnt is the distance between the upper and lower valve. It looks like someone put a turnbuckle in this linkage for adjustment. Normally, these adjustments are made in the factory and do not need to be changed. If you would email me, I will take you through how to adjust and tune your hammer... although there is little to tune.
James@anyangusa.net

[nonjic]

Asuming it does not need any new parts (piston rings etc), like james says there is not much to tune!

Try and get the valves to the factory setting (the length of the link),

Replace any blowing gaskets, torque everything up, clean any 'varnish' from the oil off the control valves and bottom valves 'one way check valve' , check the drive ropes are tensioned correctly, a shot of grease and your good to go :)

[nuge]

Asuming it does not need any new parts (piston rings etc), like james says there is not much to tune!

Try and get the valves to the factory setting (the length of the link),

Replace any blowing gaskets, torque everything up, clean any 'varnish' from the oil off the control valves and bottom valves 'one way check valve' , check the drive ropes are tensioned correctly, a shot of grease and your good to go

Thanks Men -

The oiler is a bit finicky in this hammer. I really need to have a look. Whats the best way to clean the valves? A good soaking in some carb cleaner?

Drive ropes? Do you mean the crankshafts?

How tight should the cylinder bolts be?

[nonjic]

Hey Nuge, The striker hammers are pretty similar to the Anyangs, I fit a good quality non return valve on each of the oil lines on the hammers I sell, I guess the striker would benefit from the same treatment (the Non return valves in the cylinder connectors tend to stick open, leading to irratic and over oiling)

By drive ropes I mean the 'v' belts that connect the motor pully to the flywheel on the back of the hammer.

Carb cleaner will work nicely!

Im not sure of exact torque figures for the fastners, Tighten them untill they shear, then back them off half a turn :lol:

[Dave Hammer]

Torque specs are not usually specific to any machine. They are specific to the type and size of the bolt. Look at

http://www.raskcycle.com/techtip/webdoc14.html