michiganhammer Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Anyone have knowledge of supplier for material to replace the strap on my Bradley? I've looked at McMaster Carr but, the material didn't seem heavy enough. I was thinking 1/8-3/16. I looked at hit and miss, but the width I need is 3&3/4" wide so most material would have to be cut to size. The Bradley was used in a factory and rigged for lineshaft use. The idler pulley is missing. Any idea of the diameter? I can fabricate one if I know the measurements. Thanks for any ideas you relate to me. Dave Randolph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 For the strap you can use the same type of belting that would be used to drive the hammer. The idler pulley diameter is not critical since all it is doing is taking up slack. The drive pulley and motor or jack shaft pulleys are the ones you need to get right. That being said, I think the idler pulley on my 300 lb hammer is around 6". Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Patrick-Thanks for the info. I had seen so many different sized idler pulleys I just needed some type of verification. The belting for the head has been hard to get information on. I've seen leather, canvas, car tow straps etc. used all with pretty good results. Old timers have told me about straps getting so hot that they almost burned from heavy rapid hammering. I have used a hammer like mine and a 600lb steam to air converted. I really appreciate the good information that is available here on Iforgeiron. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted June 19, 2013 Share Posted June 19, 2013 I replaced the strap on my 125 with 2 layers of 12 oz saddle skirting. After the initial stretch been working great for 6 years. 1 oz.= 1/64 inch thick, its hard to find leather thicker than 16 oz. Think I still have some of the hide left if you can't find something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 19, 2013 Author Share Posted June 19, 2013 Peacock-would be interested in some of the leather from you. The belting that was on the hammer, though in bad shape, was about 17' long and 3.75 wide. I don't know if that was standard or not, or even if it was done because of the composition of the belting. What is you're thoughts on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 the 17 inches makes me wonder if you have a upright guided helve or a upright strap hammer. There are 2 styles of the strap hammer older or later the older has a steel bracket bolted to the top of the helve. The later style the steel brackets are bolted to the side of the helve. they both do the same job just tension the strap differently. The upright guided helve also uses a leather strap to raise the ram. On this hammer the strap is 90 degrees to the ram and there is a rubber cushion between the ram and helve. The Strap hammer has the strap running the length of the ram. Need to know which you have before I can answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 The strap when I took it off was 17 feet in length. I have pictures of the helve assembly but, do not know how to get them here. The manual calls it an upright strap hammer. There is a helve that looks like an odd can opener. There are two spools one at each end of the helve to hold the wrapped strap that is finally slid under a bracket and the end is tightened down. the serial # on the machine is 1498 and the number 81 is also on many of the parts(could be 61). There is a rubber cushion on the back of the belt tightening bracket. The manual identifies the helve as steel and is noted as being on the strap hammer. I wish I could tell you more that would help. Let me know if this clarifies things. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Buchanan Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 sure sounds like a guided helve to me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 If I could get the pictures over here all questions would be answered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Guided helves have a wood beam. What is described above is a strap hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Here is a picture of the 150# Bradley helve and assemblyDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 Thank You to whoever put the picture in the right place!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacock Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Sorry if I had read your post more carefully I would have seen 17 feet wiich I read as 17 inches. Yes it is a strap. the longest hide I can get is about 8 feet long so this would need to be spliced. I can do that but it is going to cost about $150. Baler belt will work, narrowest I can get is 4 inch. !7 feet around here wil be $100 range then would need to be trimed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiganhammer Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 First: Thank you for your patience during all of these exchanges! Next: Which procedure do you recommend? I've used helve hammers, steam converted to air, Little Giants and a 10lb sledge. What is the best material to get the best results from the Bradley? I will be making Damascus and knives in general, flattening a lot of 1/2 inchby2"down to sizeable stock and so on. I would prefer the leather. Purchased from you, is this something you would be willing to undertake? There is money involved, is it sufficient for the job done? I don't have the skill (or the leather) to undertake this, so it would be you. Is it possible to get canvas strap from you for the pulley assemblies? Lastly, the installation of the belt on the machine. I am assuming that on one end of the belt there is a loop that the spool will be fitted through so that the belt can be fed through the ram over the other spool and back again finally the end threaded into the bracket and bolted down. That is how it was when I removed the broken belt. Was it correct? Thanks again Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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