this is my recently started project, utilizing a lot of scrounged steel and parts, partly inspired by the helve hammer blueprint by Jr Strasil, heavy c-channel and railroad tie base, angle iron frame from a John Deere disk for sampson post will be cross braced, disk bearings for pivot point, 4" wagon tounge for main beam, will be backed with white ash lumber, leaf spring linkage to spare tire style eccentric and clutch, anvil is 8.5" tube with a 75lb die block across the top, once full of scrap iron and sand or concrete should be near 400lb anvil altogether,
Im shooting for about 25lb ram, counting half the weight of the arm, one question, should I use 4" cut sections of train rail for the dies?, I believe Ive seen this done in photos, but wonder if it could fail somewhat dangerously, other point to ponder, does it make any differance if I put concrete or sand in the anvil post?, I have plenty of heavy steel to toss in, the fill just needs to keep it from rattling around and force it to move with the post during impact, any other advice or input is also welcome,
Thanks Woodsmith

looks like I good start, keep the pics coming

Here's the 25 pounder I built:

$100 was way to cheap Grant lol!

I think I hear the strum of banjos in the back ground. That is some good ol oakie engineering there Grant, that does work pretty darn good. I have heard that old engine blocks work good for fabricating machines- you get a machined core with bolt patterns on different planes- a good place to start

Danvil i have always liked that video very cool to know who made it

thanks for the input Grant, I figured that rail would work if I reinforced it through the center, my original plan was to use a belt tension clutch, but was advised that I would go through belts too fast, dosent matter too much Ive got parts to do either way, my current plan is a drive ratio resulting in 375 hits/ miniute just because its the same as 25lb LG, seems like a good starting point Im guessing from the size of the pulleys on your hammer it would be the same ball park for speed? Love the build style by the way
if this forging hammer works good enough Ill build another light weight fast version for planishing / stretching alluminum and sheet metal work for the car building in the backround there.

thanks, Woodsmith

No, I think we were shooting for ±200 BPM.

hey woodsmith, just an idea,if you are going to fill the base up with junk and use sand to fill in between,and you have the room...how about welding a collar in the top with a plug to be able to add more sand to top off when it settles. just an idea, jimmy

Just to add to Jimmies Idea of using sand as filler/weight - adder, I have saved the saw dust from my carbide tip cold cut saw, this dust ,all steel , and punch outs mixed do very well as a weighted base for a ring roller. I cemented the whole mass together with a strong brine.

Steel fines, chips, and brake drum/rotor turnings will meld together into a concrete like dense solid with the addition of a small amount of water. In the factories i have worked at we ahve had to use trackhoes with hammers to break an accumulation up after a few years outside.

Thanks for the input on filling in weight, I ran a volume to weight calculation for steel and concrete, if I manage 80% steel and 20% concrete, the post and block should make 400lbs theres another 100lbs of railroad tie just under the front of the hammer, Im getting in a few hours fabrication here and there Ill post some more pics soon
Thanks Woodsmith

I realize you're putting a bunch of steel in your mix, but I just wanted to mention as a little "Strange, but true". Did you know that normal concrete weighs just about exactly the same as aluminum? Strange.............but true.

I realize you're putting a bunch of steel in your mix, but I just wanted to mention as a little "Strange, but true". Did you know that normal concrete weighs just about exactly the same as aluminum? Strange.............but true.

Used to work at a place making polishing and lapping machinery. Granite tables had aluminum subtables due to the same rate of thermal expansion. Trivia for those inquiring minds
Rob

Granite tables had aluminum subtables due to the same rate of thermal expansion. Trivia for those inquiring minds Rob

The thermal expansion coefficient for aluminum is more than twice that of granite.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/linear-expansion-coefficients-d_95.html

The thermal expansion coefficient for aluminum is more than twice that of granite.
http://www.engineeri...ients-d_95.html

OOOPS, Sorry the granite-aluminum relationship I was trying to remember was weight. I don't know why I typed in expansion, I was reading Grants post on concrete... Granite and aluminum weigh basically the same per cubic foot. 165-168 lbs. Must be the same as concrete.
Rob

so if we built a car body in .050" concrete it would weight the same as the aluminum ones....that is interesting though, concrete always seems heavy because your trying to lift a big chunk, but aluminum must seem light cause your mentally comparing it to steel
Woodsmith

I have fabricated an adjustable connecting rod and eccentric point and mounted tire and bearing for the hammer project but am unable to post pics no matter what I try got a little side tracked hammering out some aluminum armour for my kids costumes, if you know what Im doing wrong please let me know, ive tried both uploaders and looked about the site for solutions with no success
Thanks
Woodsmith