MILO74 Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Hello all, I am a new member on this board and am in a little over my head. I only do a little diddling with blacksmithing using my anvil 115# anvil and makeshift forge but I came across a deal I couldnt pass up and purchased a power hammer. (I love antique/vintage machinery and over the years have aquired woodworking, metal working, sheet metal equipment which I have restored and use for my various hobby and DIY projects). Anyway, the PO who was moving and couldnt take it with him. He picked it up from a machine surplus store (a few years ago) who told him that it came out of a steel mill/shop in Pittsburgh PA. The PO was happy to sell it for cheap as he was on a tight time line and didnt want the scrap man to take it. I have been doing much reading ( old books and at the many blacksmithing sites including this one) about power hammer and it is becomming somewhat more familiar to me. I hope to get it up in running in a year a two but right now it is in storage . The hammer has no obvious identification. It seems to be shop made while using someone elses OEM castings (for the actual hammer and mechanism linkages). What is cool is that an entire set of spare castings and shims came with the machine for rebuiding of the "hammer guide". It seems to be a Dupont Fairbanks linkage which uses a slip/slack belt (leather on mine) clutch (as opposed to the mechanincal clutches found hammers such as the Little Giant). . I am not sure exactly how the motor was used to drive this hammer (it may have been a direct drive from the motor pulley to the the larger hammer drive pulley...there are holes on the side of the machine that may match with mounting holes on the motor...haven't checked if they matched yet) or it may have had a back shaft with another reduction. (I haven't measured the pulley to get the final drive. From what I have researched so far is that you want a final drive to get you to a BPM (blows per minute) of 150-230 for a hammer this size (I'm guessing mine is somewhere between 100#-150# size). I also have read that many owners of these types of hammers with the slip belt perfer a back shaft set up rather than a direct motor drive as it allows for more percise control of the hammer. I will be doing much more research and asking more questions. Also, the PO included some "extra??" parts with the hammer which no one is sure if the went with the hammer. These include various brakets (motor mounting???), parts for a line shaft (again, was this originally used to drive this hammer???), another linkgage (maybe another part for "trip pedal"...or for a brake which my machine does not possess at this time). Some parts that did come with the hammer and do go with it include anvils/hammers and a very large set of tongs. Below are some pics.(sorry for so many...I wanted to provide as much info as possible). Any further suggestions, ideas, or information is always welcomed and appreciated. Thanks, MILO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILO74 Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Stuart, Thanks for the suggestions and info! You are right that in the bunch of extras that came with the hammer there were not any pulleys for the line/back shaft. It did come with the leather belt which i did not show in the pics. I have been saving all the examples I have come across on back shaft setup for these hammers so I can fabricate one myself. I would also like to set up a brake for this hammer if possible and am trying to compile as much info/pics/etc. before dwelving into a resoration of this machine. Depending on how I set up my shop Im not sure if I want the line shaft over head from the ceiling or set up like in the pic below. Thank you, MILO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hammer Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 If you have the height in your shop to set up the line shaft, I'd do it that way. It will give you flexibility for adding machinery driven by it in the future (only needing one motor to drive multiple machines). Powering your machines from above will aslo save you floor space and give you more manuvering room around your machines. It would be a little more work on the front end, but will pay big dividends in the future. Exciting times ahead... Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOblacksmith0530 Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I am with Stewart on the linelshaft, overhead for sure. I ran acroll a little shop in Rice MN that is run on a lineshaft (5hp I think) and they had power hammer, mill, drill press, lathe and grinder all on the same shaft. Stewart, you need to work faster some of those tongs are rusty, you are not forging fast enough to keep them clean :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Welcome aboard Milo, glad to have you. I love the part about rescuing the hammer even though you don't really have a use for it. That is SUCH a blacksmith way of thinking, there's no such thing as too many tools OR too much room for tools. Smithing is addictive but it's such a GOOD addiction. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILO74 Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Thanks all for the welcomes and advice. I have a few reprint publication of setting up line shafts and will most likely go with an overhead setup...now I'll have to give a headsup to my "iron fix" picker to keep an eye out for line shaft pulleys, shafts, etc as well as other machinery. He is only interested in the machine stands for his "industrial furniture" buisness and often lets me take a look at the machines before scapping them to see if i want them at scrap prices. I have passed up several flat belt driven grinders but might have to grab them if they come up again. MILO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILO74 Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Stuart, Thanks for the additional pics. of your setup. Ill be keeping a look out for a pair of 15" wheels per your suggestion. I live in Amish country so these do come up at the local auctions on occasion. MILO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brucegodlesky Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 Milo, I have my Fairbanks A set up to run over head. I'm not far away so if you want to come take a look, you're welcome to. I'm in southern Armstrong Co. bruce godlesky BirdogForge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 When I start people out on a powerhammer I generally have them make tent stakes from RR spikes to allow them to gain control and learn to do a nice smooth taper (and it's hard to mess up a tent stake so badly it doesn't work...) Some people jump right in working on a fancy project and get hurt or frustrated when they mess it up because they don't have the skills yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MILO74 Posted November 13, 2012 Author Share Posted November 13, 2012 Thanks for all the info Bruce, Stuart, and Thomas. I imagine you guys shudder when you see a novice like me acquire a power hammer with little previous knowledge/practice with such a tool. As I mentioned earlier I have very little experience with blacksmithing, let alone using a power hammer. I do plan on putting many hrs into working on my hand hammer control and learning the craft and materials over the next year or years before even attempting to use the hammer. I bought it at this time as in my heart I knew that I would kick myself someday for not grabbing it. I love machinery, especially vintage/antique items, and have many woodworking, sheetmetal, metalworking machinery that I have/am/will restore and use for my own enjoment and for the restoration of my own residence which will most likely be a lifelong endeavor. I could not bear to see this machine fall to the scrap man to become a "Tiwaneese" toaster sitting on a Walmart shelf (as many other pieces of the "machinery that built America" have). I plan to restore this hammer in the future to hopefully use, and am researching all that I can find in order to do so correctly . From all that I gathered so far, I have come to the conclusion that this is not a machine to be taken lightly and will definitely seek out direct instruction/teaching before engaging in the actual use of mine. Many of you have been gracious with offers to visit your shops to see these machines in their proper environment and used correctly (and all has been bookmarked because I'm sure I will take you up on these offers in the future). Over the years I have sought out advice and teaching from the people who still perform these dying "arts" as a hobby or as a means of making a living (including coppersmithing, slate roofing,hand print making, etc) and have never counted one minute of it wasted time as it not only allowed me to learn some great skills but also meet and befriend some wonderful people. Once again, thank you all. Although I probably wont be posting often (besides for some...or perhaps many questions) as I have little to offer in the way of blacksmithing advice, I will definitely will be observing from the sidelines and taking it all in. MILO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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