March 24, 201313 yr hey guys here is a picture of my 12th hammer. it weighs 2.79 lbs the heat treat appears to be really good. I hope the new owner is happy with it! he's making me some tongs in return ;) happy forging!
March 25, 201313 yr Author thanks! practice makes perfect for sure. i want to start making them from 4140. i think it is superior to what i have now though. but i'm not going to run out of this stuff for a long while!
March 25, 201313 yr What are you using now? 1045 seems like the perfect steel to me, easy to forge, HT, and holds up perfectly if the HT is right. I don't really see any reason to use 4140 personally.
March 25, 201313 yr I do like 4140 as well but it is too soft, even with a water quench. I've case hardened it with better results for hammer faces
March 25, 201313 yr Author I am using some 2" stuff i bought from a golf cart place about 5 years ago, still have 10 feet of it , I got 20 or so feet of it in 2.5" it sparks like 1045 but you never know. anyhow haven't had any complaints about them so far just my personal feelings and observation.
March 25, 201313 yr Nice job, Charles! When you run out of material, 1045 is less expensive to buy and easier to work especially in those larger sizes.
March 25, 201313 yr Author I can handle them but I don't like to;) I he only sold 2 the others were for trading) I'm living proof you can .make these by yourself lol. Punches the hole is the hardest part. After that it practically makes it's self!
March 27, 201313 yr I want to see a video on hole punching...by hand...not a machine operation. Having a striker would make all the difference in the whole adventure. Not having a sriker means ..do something else! Carry on
March 27, 201313 yr You need to do a tutorial on solo hammer making...... Yep I agree! Real nice looking hammer!
March 27, 201313 yr Author LOL, I needed an excuse to make another one i guess. :P i just got a video camera last week, I will try to set it up when i make another one and film it. if the wife lets me i might try this weekend LOL. I use the same punch as brian does and a 3 lbs rounding hammer to do the eye. it's the same as with a striker, the progress is just slower, and you drop it a lot more since the billet is just lying on the anvil. as for cheeking and the fullering, that's for the power hammer.
April 26, 201313 yr Just echo'ing that I would love to see a solo hammer video... I made mine with Ed and Brian at his place with my striking and it still took a lot of beating, I cant imagine doing that solo without a powerhammer. (of course, my striking left a lot to be desired, I think Ed may still be scarred!) :) I agree drifting the hole would suck - I seem stuck with that lately, made my son a nice tomahawk out of a RR spike, tried to drift the hole for the handle last, needless to say was a mistake, scrapped the whole thing.
April 26, 201313 yr Do you think a chain hold down would assist in punching and drifting the eye? Although you might require a double chain hold down, so you can hold each side down leaving a free spot in the middle to punch? I made this set up a while ago, just have not tested how it goes yet, seemed like a good idea for one manned operations lol
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