FIT BMX Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 My brother whent to this lady's house to buy a tractor she had for sell, and well he was there she asked if he wanted to buy the triphammer. So he said that I might be interested. So I whent and looked at it, she said she know nothing about it, it was her husbands (so was the tractor), he left her with the kids and she is selling his stuff!LOL :lol: She was going to send it to the crusher if I didn't want it! So I payed her a lttle more than scrap price for it $400. But it has a bad break on it. :( What I need to know is, is the break be fixed? and who made this hammer? Is it missing anything? If it is it may still be in her shed somewere, and I could ask her if she has it. I really don't have the room for it, and I don't really need something this big, so I will most likely sell it. I just really really hated to see it go for scrap! :rolleyes: Thanks for any help! P.S. any idea what it is worth? Or did I mess up and it is scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kehler Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I'm sorry but that isn't a trip hammer, it is a punch press. It would still be useful when repaired although its more of a production kind of machine than making one or two of something kind of machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Greetings Fit. Looks like a punch press to me... What makes you think its a trip hammer? Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 It's not a hammer it's a punch press and imo it's useless for all but very specialized forging......scrap it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 That indeed is a bad break and probably due to the same reason that's not a triphammer. Punch presses *must* complete the cycle if they can't make it all the way around due to the workpiece being a bit thicker than it's set up for then they tend to "explode" and break like that. A triphammer is designed to have some springiness in it's operation so it doesn't matter so much if your piece is a bit oversized, the die can just bounce a bit higher off it and go on. Make it into a mailbox or scrap it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIT BMX Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 I have never been around triphammers at all, but I kinda wondered if it was because it has no sping or give. I figured that was how it broke, that he was using it wrong, bing they thought it was a triphammer. :( Would the best bet for repairing it be brazing? Should it have some diys too? Well in that case, do any of you know some one in the market for a really really good walnut cracker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgemaster Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Hey Fit Where in the world are you? Yes it can be brazed, it can also be electric or oxy fusion welded, but either repair needs someone who knows what they are doing. If repaired they can be a usefull tool to someone how has the use for it, we have one and use it for bending rail waggon brake shoe keys after they are forged. I see lots of them set up in spring makers shops where they use them to scarf the ends of spring leaves before they roll an eye in the end of the leaf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron woodrow Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 i have always wanted one, and i have used them in two separate trade applications, blacksmithing and silver smithing. perfect for production runs, and lets face it, we all can do with some help when it comes to production runs.... fix it and use it, or let someone who will fix it have it. DO NOT SCRAP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 However, it may be cheaper to buy one unbroken than to have a good welder fix it. And I would not consider it a good tool to learn on your own with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Old punch presses in decent shape are a dime a dozen. Don't waste your time on a severly damaged tool that has very little value for smithing anyway, if it's still on the trailer I'd keep on going to the scrapper..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Before it goes to the scrap yard I would remove the large fly wheel on top and unbolt the feet/base underneath. Machine people always want good fly wheels, and the feet are ready to bolt on to a nice thick wood top and make a great shop table. scrap the rest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will. K. Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 If you end up scrapping it I might be interested in the V guides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIT BMX Posted May 30, 2013 Author Share Posted May 30, 2013 I live in Burns Kansas. If I do fix it, I will weld it myself. I have always wanted to learn to braze, and it not like I'm going to mess it up!LOL If I scrap it I will definitely set the flywheel and stand to the side. I know some times you can sell stands like for tables, slap a nice piece of oak on it and you have table for your living room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 It is useless without a die set in it. It will make the same part all day. Blacksmiths don't do that kind of thing normally. Most of that kind of work was shipped overseas long ago. You could sister the frame with steel plate and bolts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Welcome aboard FIT, glad to have you. If you put your general location in your header we won't keep bugging you about it. It's a punch press and unless you already know what you're doing a braze or weld is setting it up for a disastrous failure. Making dies for it is an art in itself and requires not only the correct machines but the machinist skills to go with. Safe repair will cost in the neighborhood of a couple,few grand. Properly welding these parts will require a pre-heat and post-heat oven. A catastrophic failure with a couple few tons (I guesstimate that one in the 2-5 ton range) of impact force behind it is enough to juice someone in the way. I have seen, as in 13yr old.eye witness, what a 12 ton punch press can do to a person. I was working less than 10' from Johnny when he lost all the fingers of his right hand just inside the metacarpals. He tried grabbing a jammed part and the platens literally sprayed flesh, bone, nails, everything in a horizontal line around that corner of the shop. Parting it out before scrapping is probably the best way to recup your money and not lose parts you'd like to keep attached. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob S Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 I wouldn't waste much effort on saving this broken press. Scrap it and save your energy for something worthwhile. jmo Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 May I suggest you not choose something that can kill you or other people for a "learning" piece? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIT BMX Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 If (and that is a big "IF") I fix it, I will grind a large V into the crack, heat then weld it. Then grind it smooth, and sister a thick piece of plate to it. I want to make it clear! That I will make no repairs if I don't know for sure that it is completely safe!!! I may joke around but I never take any chances on dangerous machinery! I really really appreciate all the help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forgemaster Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 If you do decide to have a go at repairing it, I would look at "studding" the weld faces before you weld?braze it, (google it, and weldingBrazing cast iron) You will need stacks of preheat, and at least a somewhat controlled post heat cool down, at least. I have welded mechanical punch and shear side plates successfully but I pulled the whole thing apart, and stuck the whole plate into a tempering furnace to preheat the whole thing, then welded it using arc welding then stuck it back into the furnace, to cool down which took about 24 hours till the job was able to be touched with a bare hand. Those shears are still going 10 years later, but I have had a fair bit of experience in this sort of weld. This is by no means a go ahead and weld it post, but a if you do decide to go down this path take all precautions and try to learn as much as you can about it from all sources you have available before you jump in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichudov Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 It is an old punch press, looks like OBI, broken beyond repair. Even the good ones sell for barely above scrap, if they have OSHA compliant controls (two button). I only buy those explicitly to scrap for money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIGHSIDER Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Quite a nasty fracture that....even with a good weld/repair, its going to struggle to preserve itself given the nature of the loading that press generates. Can you justify spending time & money repairing that?? It's a tough call... I'd be hanging flowers from it and finding space for it in my garden, what a lovely feature.... B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carpinteyropns Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 · Hidden by jeremy k, August 27, 2013 - no content for first post Hidden by jeremy k, August 27, 2013 - no content for first post Hello. And Bye. Link to comment
jason0012 Posted November 7, 2013 Share Posted November 7, 2013 Weld it with nickel rods, a whole lot easier that brazing, though a bit more expensive. And I would definitely want to pin those pieces before welding. As far as uses for the thing, you will need to fabricate some punch and shear dies. This would make a good alternative to an ironworker and its always usefull to be able to put holes in parts. Ernest Weimman built scroll jigs that fit the flywheels on these puppies and could crank out scrolls in a single stroke! Once you start tooling these presses they can do a lot of different things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Don't weld it at all. Nickel rods alone would cost more than that press is worth even if it had never been broken. It doesn't even have a die stock, which again, would cost more than you spent on it, never mind a single die (custom made, single pupose and in the nature of $10, 000 EACH these days. In a big enough shop it could find utility as a pipe nocther or some other single operation, but in order for that machine to pay for it's floor space, you would need to be doing thousands a feet of pipe rail a month, never mind per year. Furthermore, the proper repair of that machine is a task for a welder with 30-40 years experience. Simply not even in the realm of a beginer or a learning project. Improperly repaired, that 20 ton O.B.I. (open back inclinable) would explode like a crate of hand grenades and could result in the violent death of a multitude of people the first time it is over loaded. Junk it and take the hit. Next time you are going to shell out a few hundred bucks do some research and a closer inspection. Welcome to the school of hard knocks. By the way, I know what I am talking about. I learned cast iron welding at United Welding Processes in Boston Mass, where factory authorised repairs are made to engines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notownkid Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 It is in deed a punch press. My brother in law had a shop with 40 of these in different sizes 2 ton to 70 ton. Last June we scrapped the last 6 that were in perfect shape as they were not wanted by anyone. I wouldn't trust it if was welded or repaired you can get hurt big time with this thing. it could snap the top section off if the ram bottoms out by being unadjusted in length. A good one can be used as a hammer if adjusted correctly but not as effective as a real hammer, I've seen a number of them used in Blacksmith shops in our area. I may be blind but I don't see a motor on it nor any safety equipment. We sold some in the 20-30 ton range for $300-400 complete with motors plus bolster plates ready to produce parts. All it needed was a die. All of his were 220V 3 phase that wouldn't have worked in my area or I would have a 5 ton working in my shop. Be real Careful with this thing, think anchor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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