Power Hammer in the Garage? Suggestions for the floor?

[kraythe]

So I picked up a copy of Clay Spencer's tire hammer plans and I have been debating a build. However, the concern is the vibration and its effect on my house. My shop is in my two car garage in a suburban neighborhood. In reality I get to use 1 car area of the garage for most of my projects. I am concerned that if I use the hammer in the garage, the vibration will echo right through the floor and into my foundation with bad results. I had thought of a couple of ideas to help that and i am seeking input on whether I am nuts or not in your opinion.

I had thought to get a concrete saw and cut through the floor where the hammer is to go and a bit bigger than the base. Then I would pull that concrete out and dispose of it. Next I would dig down 24 inches I am thinking. Then I would line the entire bottom and sides of the hole with rubber mat and then put in fiberboard to isolate the garage floor from the power hammer pad. Then I would put rebar in the hole to reinforce the concrete and fill the hole with concrete. Next I would put in some female threaded 1" diameter fittings for bolts into the concrete. The idea of the female threaded fittings is that if I ever sold the house, the garage could still be used for cars without having to saw anything off or risk tire puncture. Then I would place some more rubber mat on top of the concrete, cut out for the female fittings. Finally I would mount the hammer by threading bolts into the floor.

Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[Francis Trez Cole]

I do not how it would work but a wooden skid of 6"x6" boards right on the concrete floor may be enough. if you need to anchor that just use 4"x4"x1/4" angle iron with tapcons to the floor and the wood my friend has his little giant mounted that way seems to work fine. no cutting into the concert at all.

the way you are talking about you could always pull the block out with an engine hoist fill and pour a patch then you would have your foundation for your next shop. I would use wood on its end grain instead of a rubber mat with a gravel base.

[dablacksmith]

generally the size of hammer isnt going to cause much problem.. before i went thru all the work i would try putting it on boards or maybee a hard rubber mat under it ... ive seen many hammers set up on slabs with little vibration problems but... where do you live ? that can be a problem also i remember a person that house was on a granite rock that connected the neiborhood ! you could use a jackhammer in his basement and feel it 5 houses away...good luck!

[Ten Hammers]

Maybe a shop built helve hammer would be the ticket for you if it would fit your needs. I know Irnsrgn did a blueprint BP0063 on that subject once upon a time. Merry Christmas.

[petere76]

Krayth,

Some quick observations and a few suggestions before you start cutting into your garage floor.

The flywheel design hammers have a movement vector when they operate, they rock back and forth. The CS hammers need to be secured to either the deck, blocking or a steel plate. Make sure that you have it well secured because they do move. The secondary issue involves mass. Anything you can do to increase the structural mass will be in your best interest.

I have a CS built hammer (# 343) and installed it in an existing building on a slab. I mounted the hammer on a # 700 piece of plate and placed a stall matt under the plate to protect the floor. The stall matts (1 in thick HD rubber) are available at tractor supply for about $50.00. The steel plate (1 in) improves the mass factor and stablizes the hammer. The matt dampens the impact on the concrete floor and reduces the noise factor.

I use the hammer on relatively heavy stock and have not had an issues with unintended movement, nor has the floor cracked. I am generally pleased with hammers design and the overall cost was reasonable.

Good luck with your project and Merry Christmas,
Peter