Hi guys - could use some speedy input here. I'm half way through a job & have encountered a problem with my Massey spring hammer, but I suspect the issue relates to all spring hammers.

Yesterday I used it virtually all day without a hitch, but today the top tool seems to behave differently. The ram / tup doesn't oscillated down far enough for the dies to meet (or even get close) - instead the frequency of oscillation seems a bit quick and the ram starts its upward motion too early - doing lots of small oscillations rather than fewer large ones.

Hope the description makes sense. I can't work it out as everything is exactly the same as yesterday - same tools, stock, temps everything. Could it be a lube issue?

Help! Cheers, Al.

I have never seen a Massey spring hammer but if it were one of my mechiancal hammers I would look for some thing binding up trhe ram. Could be lube but a squirt of an oil can should tell yo that real quick. I have had scale get in the guides, linkage pins work out bolts break or loosen up. If you can do it easily un hook the linkagage from the ram and see if the ram will move thru it's entire range without binding

Or could be the bang tap hula

Ok, ta, will check.

Thomas - care to expand on that? I have read about spring hammers hitting effectively every other stroke - is that what you're talking about? What normally causes that?

Cheers, Al.

Ok, bit of an update, I re-lubed the ram sideways and the problem has stopped, so that was definitely the problem I think. There don't seem to be any oiling or grease points specifically for these slides, even though the previous owner added some extra grease points on the hammer. How do people lube their sideways, just a spray of oil now and then?

Oil or grease?

Cheers, very relieved, but a bit of a stupid oversight! Al

Dave Manzer did a whole video on how to tune your hammer to avoid the problem

"The Powerhammer Cycle:
How to Cure the Bang-Tap-Miss Blues
Video, DVD 60 minutes."

As for lubing, oil in a big pump container and "as needed"

Cool, where can I find that?

Al

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll get those DVDs ordered.

What oil do people generally use on their slideways - lighter so it runs slick / heavier so it hangs around?

Al.

I've found some 'vertical slideway oil' , it has additives fr tackiness, presumably to help it hang around, is that going to be too thick?

The slicker slide ways have boosted performance significantly, the parts I'm making in inch square bar stock have gone from a three-heat job to a two-heat or sometimes single-heat job. That's a massive time saving for a big pile of parts!

Al

I have used slideway oil (for lathes) and found it to be quite good , it does not evaporate and get sticky like WD40 and isnt quite as thick as engine oil.
I keep the slideways quite wet and oil excessivly with an ocasional oil and wipe down and then re oil as these parts are open to workshop grime.
new engine oil works fine too though.....

Ok. I found a thing on LG hammers which suggested chainsaw bar oil, so I'll give that a whirl, screwfix have some which is handy for me.

Cheers, Al

SAE 30 works real good on my champion

I read that grease turns into a sort of abrasive paste with all the workshop particles that get stuck in it.

Not a fan of grease on forging hammers. Scale gets in the grease & turns it in to lapping compound.

Dave Huffman

Any oil is better than no oil. I have even used vegetable in a bind. I am not a fan of grease, but some guys like it. If you have a hammer that is real loose grease is better than oil, but you really need to tighten up the clearance. Sometimes you just can't do that, then use grease.

I've never tried it. Maybe some STP remember the srewdriver commerial on TV? :)

Hi guys thanks for the input. I got myself a litre of chainsaw oil and it is working well so far. Also got a grease gun to fill up the fittings that were added by the previous owner. It really hits a lot harder now it's all nicely lubed! Probably 15% more oomph actually!

Got lots to do with the hammer this week and next, so it'll be a good test.

Cheers, Al

"Too much oil is just barely enough" is the general rule for powerhammers. I remember some of the old and sloppy LGs at the Stone County Ironworks had Stalagmatites (well they were growing sideways from the wall of the shop from oil being slung off the LGs...)