I just picked up this new trip hammer.  This thing was a bear to move.  Though with some effort and some smarts we were able to load it, drive it the hour and a half home and get it loaded and placed.

 

In the pictures I do not have to top die in place, I decided to remove them for the trip because it looked like it might have been a bit loose.  It looks to me like it is in pretty good shape.  It was running great when it was put away about five years ago.  The dies appear to be the right height and in pretty good shape.  Babbits looked good.  I could see no cracks in the cast iron parts either.

 

 

Congratulations! Bear to  move, that describes it alright.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Congrats
Not that hard lay it over on bed of truck/van stick pipe in hollow base and with a few guys roll it on on fly wheel. Put spare tire under so the ARM doesn't get damaged. Used a lift for my 250 Murray.

May I ask what you paid and has it been rebuilt. One direct from a shop sold for $1500 this month.

I paid $1750, located in central WI, put away five years ago running. I feel really good about that price after finding nothing under $3k for the past couple months.

I think people search ebay and find completely restored hammers and assume theirs can sell for that too.

You got a great deal.  I also had a LG 50# hammer that sat for eight years.  I did notice that your crosshead sits on the pitman a little low.  You can reverse it so it sits in the middle.  I love working with my LG and try to use it as much as I can.  Good luck with it and good hammering.  

The guy explained its position by saying that it was used mostly for thinner flat stock that his wife worked with.

Is the middle the recommended sweet spot for general purpose?

I think so.  When mine was in the lower position, as yours, I got a few comments from others on this web site about it.  I talked with Sid at little giant and he recommended the middle position.  

I'm also having some issues deciding what motor to put on this thing. The guy I bought it from said to use 1hp, Sid's site says 2hp, and multiple other sources recommend a 3hp. I'm fairly sure I'll go with the recommendation from Little Giant, but what do you guys use?

Also, I can't find the serial number anywhere. Where would it be on this style?

I purchased a 2 hp single phase motor, 1750 rpm.  Works great.  If you're looking at the front of your LG the numbers should be on the right side.  Mine are easy to see so I wonder what's up with yours not being there.  Is there an area that has been ground off?    

A 2 hp 1725 rpm motor is what you need.   3 will work fine also but why pay more for something you don't need.  You have a very early hammer maybe even made before 1900.   Go to the back of the hammer and look a few inches below the main shaft babbit.  You are looking for a small flat spot filed in the edge of the frame, clean that up and you should be able to find the serial number stamped if the flat. Will most likely be unde r# 700  I can't tell from the picture if the dies are in line with the hole in the frame or they have been rotated.  The first design had them straight with the pass thru hole in the frame later they angled the dies to miss the frame then after about 1904 redid the pattern to remove the pass thru hole.   Be careful with this hammer as some of the casting are of very poor quality, and many of the parts are not available for this model. If it is what I think it is the flywheel will measure 15 inches across.

Yes, mine is a 1904 model(#1104) and it does not have the pass through hole..

KYBOY  1906 hammers were #905 thru #1106 by my records.   1904 stopped with #790

How far down the spine will the serial number be? I'm still not seeing it. Does anyone have a picture?

Is it deep or shallow? Looks like my hammer was painted at some point, I'm assuming it will show up through paint?

It could  be down a few inches, no set distance It most likely will not show till you get down to bare cast iron. the flat was filed in by hand maybe 1/2 inch tall and an inch wide, just deep enough to get a flat spot to hand stamp the  number

Nothing on the spine, however I believe I've found it on the guide block. It is all part of the main piece so I'm fairly sure this is it. From what I can see it is No 283.

That's the same place the No.144 is stamped on my 50lb LG.

I know where one of these hammers is being used as a mailbox.

 

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KYBOY  1906 hammers were #905 thru #1106 by my records.   1904 stopped with #790

Peacock Im sure your right. I was going on former owner info..Knock on wood it has been a wonderful machine...It was used 15 years full time by a industrial smith before I got it but he had pretty much rebuilt it and he took wonderful care of it.

Not sure if that would work up here. Snowplows usually hit the mailbox once every couple years. Wouldn't want to damage the plows.

That is it. Made in 1901.

I just bought a 25# on Oct. 24th.  It's still laying in the woods, but I only paid $300 for it.  She looks like an oldie.  This guy was in his 70's, a machinist and it had passed down from his father.  I'll pick it up this week and see what it needs to run.

 

 

I ordered The L G Power Hammer book by Kern.  After reading some of these posts it may not be very helpfull but the history stuff will be good.  Smartflix has Sid's DVD's so I'll rent those when I get to that point.

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Sleeping Giant............Do you mind if I share this pic on FB? I think It's cool.....Doesn't look to far gone, The clutch will be the toughie. Good Luck with the restoration.......... B)

Oh yea, Wake that sleeping Giant!

I just bought a 25# on Oct. 24th.  It's still laying in the woods, but I only paid $300 for it.  She looks like an oldie.  This guy was in his 70's, a machinist and it had passed down from his father.  I'll pick it up this week and see what it needs to run.
 

Nice find! Hopefully the buried parts haven't rotted, not sure how long it has been down.

An update on mine is that I've finally made a deal on a motor and should have it this week, hopefully.

It is running! A new 30 amp circuit for the 2hp motor, multiple tries to get the upper die reinstalled after removing it foolishly.

Forgive the shakey video, I'll probably get some decent video after doing a little more work securing it, etc.