Fe-Wood Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 After working my tail off all summer in San Diego, away from home for almost 4 months. I had decided to upgrade the 100 pound Little Giant. I was really looking for a self contained air hammer but was coming to the conclusion that I didn't have the funds for the size I really wanted. Just before I finished the job in Dan diego Clinton forwarded a link to me about this 200 pound Bradley for sale in San Francisco. After talking with a few people at Octoberfest, I was pretty sure (or more sure than I already was) I was going to buy it. I had made arrangements to look it over on my way home from Octoberfest on Sunday night. Turns out I sold the Little Giant at Octoberfest too. Sometimes one just has to go where the wind blows them... After looking the Hammer over, We wired and fired up the Bradley. Runs smooth and sounds great. It also comes with a sales brochure. I will be picking it up next week. I think I'm going to move my whole smithy outside.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Um....isn't it missing an anvil? (I assume it is detached for easier moving) OK,I see it in the 4th frame (and mostly hidden in the 3rd) Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamey Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 NICE!!! I really like those Bradley Compacts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 They sure did love their rubber cushions, didn't they? That's a good looking hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Yes it is a good looking hammer, I went to look at it last week for Fe. I am glad that it was still there when he was able to see it for himself. It was too big for my back yard shop, if it were a 100 pound hammer I would have tried to work out a deal for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Did you see the link to the operator manual on the 40-lb Bradley rebuild thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Sure seems to be in "better than average" condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Congrats on the new hammer. Sorry I missed you at Octoberfest, to much going on here at the present. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K A Willey Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Great hammer you'll love it,looks to be in great shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Yeah you cant go wrong there... .that was a great hammer at a great price... well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 Thanks everyone! I'm real happy to be getting it. To bad it will be a couple months before I can actually use it.... Isolated footing and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamey Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 my biggest "equipment" regret is not snagging a 100 Compact I had the chance to buy.... still kicking myself over that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 SWEET! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted October 4, 2011 Author Share Posted October 4, 2011 I had the pleasure of meeting David Brown this summer. He has a 100 pounder in his shop and loves it. The way he described the difference between the Bradley and a self contained was in part what made me jump on this hammer. Besides the no shipping cost..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Hammer Envy! Your a lucky Man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Low-Alloy Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I had the pleasure of meeting David Brown this summer. He has a 100 pounder in his shop and loves it. The way he described the difference between the Bradley and a self contained was in part what made me jump on this hammer. Besides the no shipping cost.....If you don't mind, could you tells us the described differences between a self contained hammer and a Bradley hammer? Not having used either I would like to hear them.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted October 5, 2011 Author Share Posted October 5, 2011 Low-Alloy- I haven't used the Bradley yet so I can't speek to the difference from experiance. From what David was telling me, it has to do with the type of hit, power and control each hammer can produce. Mechanical and self contained hammers each have there inherant limitations.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hammer Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 T Low-Alloy- I haven't used the Bradley yet so I can't speek to the difference from experiance. From what David was telling me, it has to do with the type of hit, power and control each hammer can produce. Mechanical and self contained hammers each have there inherant limitations.... The Bradley Compact Upright is powered by the motor with a flat belt. The speed of the ram is controlled by how much the belt is tightened with the foot treadle. The lighter the touch on the treadle, the slower the ram will cycle (the belt slips). The speed of the ram determines how hard the ram hits (at higher speeds, the ram is "flung" down with more force than just it's dropping weight) A self-contained is powered by an integrated air compressor (within the frame of the hammer). Every stroke of the air compressor (constant speed, driven by a motor) produces a stroke of the ram. How far the ram comes down during that stroke is controlled by the treadle (valves turned by linkage from the treadle control the air, which will push/pull the ram up and down). Either hammer, if in tip-top shape, could crack an egg without breaking it (assuming the die spacing on the mechanical is appropriate for it). Either hammer can be used with tooling (with the mechanical generally needing more setup to adjust to tooling height). Self contained hammers can usually be used for clamping (ram held down by air pressure). Self contained hammers generally have more air-space (distance between the dies during the stroke) than mechanicals. This gives you more room for tooling and or larger projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamey Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 ... be sure and post some pics when you get the hammer in place & running. I keep coming back to look over the pics, thats the cleanest Bradley Compact ive seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 Thanks Lamey- In the trial run, it ran smooth. as smooth as an unmounted hammer w/o an anvil can anyway. I'm itching to go get it but its raining here... I will post picks of the new room I'm going to build for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Browne Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Wow, I'm really late to the party here...Peter, did you get the Bradley up and running? Great looking hammer, I'm jealous! -DB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel.85 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Do you have it running yet? Or still worried about it pushing through your floor? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel.85 Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 Also, it looks like the dies are set at a 45deg, Ive seen others that are strait from front to back. Is that adjustable or is it something different with the hammer models they made? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fe-Wood Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 I think the die location was a factory option on later hammers. I also have a modification for the motor mount that looks factory. It isn't running yet. I'll be working on that this winter. I'm converting my shop to 3 phase :D Seems all the tools I want run on it so I better wire for it! I haven't decided on the permanent home yet so I'm going to mount it on a timber platform with a steel plate. Hopefully I won't drive it through the floor..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironstein Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Nice hammer! After watching the Clifton Ralph dvd's, it made me want a Bradley. I am getting by with the Anyang 88, but theres something so alluring about a hammer with history! I like the handle to adjust for work height. In Clifton Ralphs dvds, he is constantly grabbing those wrenches to adjust it, the handle will make things much quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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