word to the wise

[Mainely,Bob]

We were talking a while back about those videos you see from emerging countries where safety is non-existent.
Someone(I forget who) was saying that it may be cheaper now to ignore safety but later on down the road someone will have to pay for those people`s health problems.Cheaper to prevent it now that to treat it further down the road.
Such expensive hindsight is what bankrupts some countries and financially cripples others.

[Ratel10mm]

For what it may be worth, in the U.K. it seems a common practice to wrap the springs in leather (fairly heavy leather, obviously) & sewn up. The idea is that it stops the bits of spring even as they start to fly. From what I hear it works very well.

[Judson Yaggy]

Good thread. I get lengths of big truck heavy duty radiator hose that matches the spring diameter and install over the springs on my mechanical hammers. Then a mesh guard over the whole mechanism. Also try and remember to wear my hard hat when running them but to be honest that doesn't always happen. Saftey glasses and earplugs go on when I walk in the door of the shop.

[Don Hanson]

A little late to the party here, but...

I have 3 Little Giants and love them! A 1909 25 rebuilt by Sid, a 1941 new style 100 that I rebuilt (Sid helped w/babbit) and a brand new 2010 100 heavy ram.

I broke one spring on the old 100, it all just fell straight down, no flying bits, was a new spring. I put the old spring back in, that was 5-6 years ago. Broke a toggle link last year and it all just fell straight down. The links should have been replace long ago.

I have guards on both 100s, but not on the 25, I need to add one soon. These hammers get run hard and often.

Judson, I like the idea of the large radiator hose, that is good!

BTW, at some point Little Giant stared offering guards for the hammers, not sure when this happened though.

[ThomasPowers]

Of course when safety is considered you generally plan for the worst case! I've been in 3 car wrecks so far and never had to go to the hospital; however I know of others who suffered major trauma---I wear my seat belt!

[bajajoaquin]

My coworker came in to my office today to tell me about a find from the weekend: a 1928 Boy Scout manual. Among other things, he told me of some of the interesting things Boy Scouts were encouraged to do as their "good deeds." One was "crank start a car for a one-armed man." At first, I thought it was referring to the WWI veterans, but then I got to thinking, and it was probably referring to industrial and farm accidents. Guards and regulations make things a lot safer now.

Also last weekend, my uncle was out for the holiday. He was telling a story about my grandfather, who was a chemical engineer for Rhom and Haas, working in the Plexiglas plant. Some of the chemicals used to make it smelled of rotten eggs, and permeated leather. His work shoes always smelled dreadful, and he wasn't allowed to bring them into the house. When my uncle asked what smelled so bad, he said, "That's the smell of your bread and butter." Being a little kid, my uncle took him literally, and thought his father made bread and butter - and it was a stinky job!

[clinton]

come on where is your sense of advenrutre? leter fly!

[Don Hanson]

I absolutely agree with fciron on little giants. They do not hold up well, in my opinion, in industrial applications. They are just too flimsy to stand up to the rigors of what I do in my shop. For a town blacksmith, back in the day, who did one-off repairs and not production runs, they are probably a decents machine. For what I do, give me a fairbanks, beaudry(or their close cousin the barbour stockwell), bradley, williams and white, etc. And because little giants break down under hard use, that adds to the danger factor.

I don't know what 'fciron' means and I can understand LGs not working for you, in your shop. But they work for me in my shop.

The 25 and 50 were the hammers in the "town blacksmith" shops and I'd say many got a good workout. The 100, 250 and 500 were the hammers that mostly went to industry and they are a different animal. I do agree that Fairbanks and Beaudry are heavier built and probably better suited for industrial production work, but I wouldn't sale the larger Little Giants short.

I've run my old 100 lb Little Giant pretty hard for over 12 years now, full time knife and damascus making. I liked it enough to buy another

I think most of the negativity we hear about LG comes from the fact that there are a high number of them out there. Most of which are worn out, and owners not knowing how to adjust or oil them. I've been in shops and done demos with LGs that were so lose and sloppy I could not get any work done. I did a damascus class once in a shop with a 50 lb, that the ram was so lose, it's moved 1/2" side to side, and dry as a bone. 15 minutes with a wrench and a little oil and it was running very well. These worn out hammers are the ones likely to break stuff and fly apart.

[fciron]

Don, fciron is me, Lewis! I used to work at the Metal Museum in Memphis about 15 years ago. I've got a couple of 'Poppa Don' knives in the kitchen, been out to your place even.

I believe Stewart was agreeing with my comment (at the top of the page) that the lack of safety equipment on LGs was not due to penny pinching but lack of interest. I agree that a well tuned Little Giant works fine. I've got a twenty-five and a fifty. I had a similar experience with the 50 when I first started renting the shop: at least 1/2" of play in the guides, also pulled a couple of shims from the bearings and tightened the treadle connecting rod before I could use it.

That said, there are very few adjustable/renewable parts in a Little Giant, which makes it difficult to keep them in good repair. My 25 had the original arms and links, yet when I got a new spring from Sid it was too short for my hammer. Of course, the fact that any new replacement parts are available at all puts it ahead of other mechanical hammers.

There are lots of them out there and we're gonna keep using them. I know I am. :lol:

[Don Hanson]

Oh, I misunderstood, thought fciron was one of those words I never learned in school,lol...

Hey Lewis, very good to hear from you! Been a long time, man... I do miss the time I used to spend at the Metal Museum. Great folks and good times. I do stay in touch with Rob Keeler and Wally, but have lost touch with everyone else.

Take care,