Bmt1234 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Me and my dad decided to scrap our old riding mower but ot before taking out the engine and all of the wiring. The engine is 18 hp. My question is is there any way to use the engine in my smithy to aid in blacksmithing. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Line-shaft equipment. With the right gearing and pulleys, you could get it moving a power hammer and some fans to keep cool in the summer time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmt1234 Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 I'm confused as to what you mean by line shaft equipment. As far as the powerhammer/fans I looked into the powerhammer but I'm not sure if I have the means to make one and it seems like alt of power to just run fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Greetings BMT, What seems to you a use of a power source for a fan or small job in a smithy is not cost efficient. The cost of gasoline and the energy conversion would cost more than 50 times that of electricity.. I suggest you sell the engine outright and use the money for some blacksmith tools.. If you want to know what line shaft equipment is look up my line shaft shop in the forum ... I hope this does not pop your bubble but that's the way it is... Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmt1234 Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Well at the moment I have no way of running electricity to where I blacksmith so I was hoping that a could use this to run some sort of machinery that might be useful. I figured I would see if I can find a use for it and if I can't I can always just turn around and sell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Could make one heckava screw press! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Yes, you can use it to run machinery in the shop, especially if you don't have electricity available. thing is 18 hp is a lot for any single piece of equipment a single man shop is likely to need. For instance my 50lb. Little Giant power hammer runs fine on a 1/2 hp electric motor. It'd probably like 1hp better but even then 1 hp gas motors aren't so common. Back when I was designing my own self contained power hammer I was thinking a 5hp gas engine would be just the right amount of too much power. 18 hp is enough power to drive a shaft down the center of your shop and power a number of machines simultaneously from belts dropping from the line shaft. I think 3-5hp. would power most anything I'd need, from the power hammer to a hydraulic forging press and forge rolls, the lathe a mill and various other shop equipment. I'm not going to be running more than one at a time after all, well except a cutoff band saw. The power cutoff saw is the ONLY power tool I'll set, start and walk away from. Even if there's a catastrophic failure the worst that can happen is break the band, that's a $18.00 failure and nobody can get hurt. Nothing else that will move or work steel gets to run on it's own. Even if I had a Nazel 3B or the equivalent self contained power hammer, a 5hp gas engine would be plenty of power. However, I do sometimes run my shop tools on a 13 hp Onan gas engine but that's my welder generator and it's a true multi-tasker. It's a multi process welder and will provide 100 amps of 120v or 220v single phase ac. It's really the only practical way I can think of to run my shop off a gas engine. We built the house with it and it's back up power if MEA power's going to be down long. I suggest getting a generator to run your shop till you get power run. You can get welder generators for not too unreasonable and you probably don't need something like the one I have it's more at home on a welder's truck than a home shop. Some years ago I gave a friend a hand welding the foundation girders to the piles and the frame for his hangar. We used a 5k Honda welder generator, it was a SWEET piece of equipment and probably plenty for what you want to do. That's my two bits worth. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caladin Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 lawnmower motor + car alternator +(plus blacksmith fu) + batteries (slowly aquired?) = lights and fan and radio at shop.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmt1234 Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thank you guys for all of the responses I was thinking of using it to run multiple machines ie a drill press, belt sander, grinder, band saw, fans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Greetings again BMT, The drive systems necessary to drive what you have indicated in you wish list would be very complicated and expensive to make work... It would require a main drive shaft and several clutches . I have a complete line shaft shop and it took 30 years to acquire the necessary equipment and building.. You must also consider resale of you equipment after you modify for flat belt operation.. I think it would be best if you sold or traded you engine for a generator and stick with electrical driven equipment... Good Luck. Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Budd Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 my workshop is off grid (not by choice) and people always come up with the 'brilliant' suggestion of a line shaft, but Like Jim says, it is not really a viable option unless you happen to have access to the machines and metal work already. I have to run my place with a genny and solar panels. Always a mighty pain and I would dearly love to have mains power again, at least then the machines would run properly and it would cost me less to power the place! You lawn mower is best traded in for a genny or used to run an alternator as suggested. You'll be able to find a large alternator from a van or truck, and if you look to the electrics you should be able to use it as a generator for powering your single phase tools easily enough. Then plug in some batteries to a charger and use the excess to charge them, they can then be used to power light loads when you don't want to run the genny. Having the engine will save you money, but again it is a lot of work and buying a factory made generator will likely be cheaper in the long run as well as work better. I do have an engine driven compressor that I can then use air tools with. The compressor has a 200l tank and I think the engine is about 6hp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmt1234 Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Jim that is my dream shop. Unfortunetly I understand what you are sayin and I don't have the time or equipment to really set it up safely/effectively so I think if am going to use it to build a lawn tractor or something similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trinculo Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Beautiful shop Mr Coke. It must be a joy to spend time there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 That line shaft shop is one of my dreams. I actually have all the components and tools. I just need the building to put them in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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