metalmangeler Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Get someone to help you learn to remove and replace dies, this should not be a big deal and having and using different dies is very helpfull if you are doing a variety of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 Once I figured out the keys for the die it made more sense. These dies are pretty worn according to the specs from Little Giant's website and I want to get a new set of combination flat/drawing ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I have combination flat / drawing dies. I do not like them and would much prefer flat dies only. I will probably replace with flat dies then grind the combination dies to full drawing dies. With the combination dies I never seem to be hitting the metal in the center of the die. It feels like it helps to cause the hammer head to tilt side to side. Just my opinion I am glad to see another slappy mechanical hammer saved from the scrap pile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted January 6, 2014 Author Share Posted January 6, 2014 I have combination flat / drawing dies. I do not like them and would much prefer flat dies only. I will probably replace with flat dies then grind the combination dies to full drawing dies. With the combination dies I never seem to be hitting the metal in the center of the die. It feels like it helps to cause the hammer head to tilt side to side. Just my opinion I am glad to see another slappy mechanical hammer saved from the scrap pile Is that a fairly common opinion of the combination dies? I thought I had read that they are pretty slick. Do the flat dies still do a good job of drawing out the materials? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 There are many strong opinions for and against combination dies. In my observation more professional forge shops use flat dies. And some of the best power hammer operators prefer flat dies. It seems like the combination dies are aimed at hobbyist. Just my opinion Personally I think it would be best to have two hammers one with flat dies and one with drawing. The flat dies can be used to draw material very fast. The most important part of the power hammer is the person using it. I would highly recommend some form of training on running this tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metalmangeler Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 like MLMartin said the person is the big deal. If I could only have 1 set of dies I would have the largest flat dies I could get. spring tools, hand held, and clamp on tooling will do for the other stuff. Now I know some will want to take a shot at me, but I will use combo dies, if it get more done quicker. They are likely hard on your machine, but if you are producing you can buy a new tool. I will also grind on my anvil I have seen posts here that are condeming some past blacksmith for doing such things, but if I own a tool then I want it to give me maximum production. A hobby guy is not likely to do that much damage using combo dies a couple hours a week, but using them all day, day after day has got to be hard on things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 After a bit of tuning and remaking the motor mount I have this hammer running great, so I ordered a set of new dies from Roger at Little Giant. I've got the top die out, but I am having trouble getting out the bottom die. I've tried a bit of heat and penetrating oil, but I haven't got the key to budge. I thought I remember seeing a puller or something similar that someone made, but I can't find it by searching. Any other ideas on getting getting the key to budge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Make sure not to mushroom the key. I have seen many were people boogered up the narrow end and it would no longer come out. Also take some time and measure the two ends. The key should be tapered in one direction. I have also watched people hammer on the wrong side of the key and just wedge it tighter. Just because the key went in one direction on one hammer does not mean it goes in that same direction on every hammer. You can drill and tap a bolt into the wide end of the key and then use a slide hammer to yank out the key. I have pulled some jammed things this way. I just used the longest bolt I had, maybe 8" and placed a 3 or 4 pound chunk of round bar with a hole in the middle over it. Threaded bolt into place then repeatedly slid the heavy bar into the head of the bolt. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iron quake Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Getting stuck keys out can suck. You might try driving the keys in, like you were trying to tighten them. If your lucky the bulged end might come through enough to cut them off with a cut off wheel in a right angle grinder. Then drive them out in the correct direction. Get some new keys from LG and hot fit them when you reinstall. Ask Peacock if you need any help, he know all the tricks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 WOOOooO! After many hours of work, breaking a 3lb mini sledge, lots of Liquid Wrench, and almost breaking my hand I have finally got the keys and dies out. Now I am left trying to best fit the new dies. I assume the most important thing is that they are parallel to each other and hit flat against each other. There seems to be a lot of play behind the dies when I put them to the front. I have read the instructions from LG, but this seems to be more room than the document suggests. The old dies had two keys each, should I do that or use larger keys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Actually those hammers are quite easy to move ....They loaded my 50 with a back hoe..when i got it home I fouind a company that had one of the old style car and light truck wreckers..has the boom on the back..can lift 10,000 lbs fully extended. And then after putting it in place he wanted to charge me twenty bucks!...we renegotiated it to double that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danguite Posted May 31, 2014 Author Share Posted May 31, 2014 New dies finally installed. The guidelines from Little Giant didn't specify what the gap between the dies should be at rest, so I put them at about 1/2" and it seems to work okay. I'll have to adjust the foot lever, my feet aren't long enough apparentlly. Any other advice before setting to using it as much as possible? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kehler Posted May 31, 2014 Share Posted May 31, 2014 I like to have the dies on my 50 at least an inch apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Hanson Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Yep, dies need to be 1" + apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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