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Should I build an Air or a Mechanical hammer


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I have built a kinyon style air hammer I used it a few times and sold it recently. I beefed it up it was about 100lbs and had a 2.5 inch ram and about 18inches of stroke. The hammer worked well. I have watched my friend Harold run his Saymak and there is no comparison to a kinyon style hammer, his hammer hits hard and gets the work done fast. I have been thinking of building a 200lbs mech hammer based on the little giant design, simply because I think it will hit harder than any air hammer that I can build. I do have a complete machine shop so making either one is very doable just want to hear some opinions. Or should I just figure out how to get some cash together and buy a Saymak.

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I wasnt expecting to get it cheaper, I like to build stuff. I know that by the time I get all the steel cut I will be into it for a couple thousand. On that note though how much does he want for the 250lbs little giant. I am in AZ so not that far away. I have tried to find shop built self contained hammers to look at but there are only a couple of pics on the net and very little info about how to build one. I might see if my friend harold will let me pull some covers off of his saymak, it looks pretty simple. I was planing on having the frame cut on a cnc plasma out of 2 inch plate with the same profile as a little giant and then building from that.

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Air will give you better control, mechanical is somewhat easier to build. Having had a guided helve "Rusty"-style hammer built and having used it for about a year and getting the various bugs tweaked out, I like 'em more than the Little Giant style power hammers. If nothing else, there is more adjustability for different die heights, making tooling much more do-able, and the 50 lb. Little Giant I have worked on would tend to keep rolling after you let off the treadle and either hit the metal more or hit the dies together, neither of which are good things to do.

I think it would be fairly easy to adapt the guided helve to being an air hammer as well. The New Kinyon design is a variation of that, but exchanging the clutch and linkage on a Rusty-style hammer with an air cylinder and adding the appropriate valving should work pretty well.

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I agree with Stormcrow. The control is amazing form light hits to heavy hits. I have a Nazel 1B and although it's the smallest one they made it does the job for me. Nice that it's all self contained even though it's noisier that way.

Do you have a press? I'm constantly impressed on what it can do in forging.

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I have 2 presses up and running right now one is a 100 ton h frame and the other is a 100 ton 4 post I use the 4 post for die forging and the h frame is used for stamping and bending. I am building a 50 ton 2 cylinder press right now I started it before I got the 100 ton 4 post. I have had a kinyon style hammer that I built, it worked fine but I need more power. I would like something in the 200lbs range give or take. I make tools, I machine them right now but I want to forge them to shape it is faster and you get a better tool.

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If you want a 200+# hammer you may want to check out the big one about half way down on this page http://chriscoleman.com/stuff/hammertime/ I know the guy that built it and it will handle anything the Say-Mak will. I have seen it running. It has the Coleman control system on it as well and it will clamp, single hit for useing die's and it's a monster at full song. Makes my 100# look like a toy. :D It's not a 3B Nazel but it will keep up with a freind of mine 250 Beaudry #8. Just a thought.
CH
Chama Forge

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If you're going to be doing manufacturing with it, I'd vote air. The extra control will be handy. I like what this guy's hammer does:



I'd make the anvil height tall enough to work at while standing, personally, and I have a different way of holding dies in place that I am fond of, but otherwise I really like his hammer.
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I sit up at night alone watching nazel power hammer videos, I cant hardly stand it I want one so bad. I have been looking all over the place but I see all these guys having trouble fixing them and it worries me. I could probably make any of the parts that might be needed and if stuff needs welding, I have gods welder {harold} to give me a hand. The only other problem would be the money.

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Kevin I also make silversmiths tools as you know. But our products are a bit different. I have the 60 KG say-mak it is a good hammer and it makes me money. If you start forging stakes you will use less metal and do a whole lot more grinding and polishing. Also becoming precise with open dies takes lots of practice. But you can switch to cheaper hot rolled steel. I would recommend buying a new machine or a very good used machine. Pay for it any way you can credit card, raid the child's college fund or old gold teeth you found in a jar at a yard sale. Then put your time into marketing or developing a new product. If you want to talk about it drop me a line.

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