Andre Of Astora Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Hi guys, been absent from the forums for awhile, but now I need your advice! I live in a rather rural part of South Australia, and I've semi-recently come into looking after a historic blacksmith shop. LOVING IT as I've always had a love of smithing, only...Now that I'm (slightly) more experienced, I'm noticing that the hammers there just aren't up to par..I have a light claw hammer like thing that is good for light work but is terrible at squishing a piece of metal, and a really heavy cross peen hammer, that is great for squishing metal, but not so great for my arm. Now, onto my problem...There is a SEVERE lack of blacksmithing tools in australia, I've scoured the internet and I've seen that almost all the tools come from america, which would be fine, only postage is about 50 dollars, on top of a 30-50 dollar hammer, since I'm only starting out and I make literally no money from the work I do, I don't see a point in spending this much. So, any aussies that can point me in the right direction, or anyone for that matter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Plenty of smiths in Australia, (been there and met about 50 of them) you should be able to hook up with 1 and actually make yourself a hammer to your liking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Russell Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Andre , check out this mob , you should be able to buy hammers from them http://www.artistblacksmithsa.org.au/Welcome.html also look in '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>> you never know , mite be a smith just around the cnr from you Dale Russell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Why buy hammers? Are there any trucks in the Truck Breakers? Every big truck has at least 2 - 2" diameter axles. If you aren't near the breakers, who does heavy truck repair? It is amazing what a box of beer will buy!!! If you are hard pressed to buy hammers, then make them. Make all your tools!!!! No snivelling allowed, put your big boy pants on and get to work!! Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thingmaker3 Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Sure looks like a dandy business opportunity for some enterprising Australian smith! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Small steps. If you're just starting in smithing, don't get caught up in "smithing" equipment, because there isn't such a thing. Your local hardware store sells a selection of ball-peen hammers that will be more than suitable for 80% of the forging you want to do. They probably have cross-peen or straight-peen hammers, too. And because they're mass-produced and shipped down under by the ton, they'll be as cheap as anything else you can guy on the island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Andre, last time I checked, Oz had both an active blacksmithing organization (1*) and horses (2*). Before the internet, I never would have guessed how many blacksmithing, bladesmithing, metal related folks were all around me. 1* A noted local smith, Tal Harris, went there to teach a course some time back. 2* Horses means farriers, which means farrier supply companies that will ship, and probably a farriers organization as well. At least a loose networks of guys and gals with access to anvils, etc. in your area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmweld Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Hi Andre, which part of rural SA are you in and do you want to give us an idea which historic forge you are looking after? I'm based in Birdwood and am a member of ABASA as posted by Dale a couple of posts ago. We look after forges at Mannum, Angaston, Roseworthy, and are hoping to start at Balaklava soon. The forges at Moonta, Riverton, Tailem Bend and Tumby Bay have all been scaled back to static displays due to OH&S issues. Not sure but I think the Koppio Museum is still up and running. ABASA is also holding workshops at our new homebase in Penfield on First and Third Saturdays and the last Sunday of each month and at my workshop on the Fourth Saturday. There are also "Doris Days" for the ladies on the (I think) second Tuesday of each month. One of our more experienced members wants to hold power hammer clinics at my place as well which we are in the process of organising. Other than that, email or ring me and I'll see what I can do to help. Regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Hi guys, been absent from the forums for awhile, but now I need your advice! I live in a rather rural part of South Australia, and I've semi-recently come into looking after a historic blacksmith shop. LOVING IT as I've always had a love of smithing, only...Now that I'm (slightly) more experienced, I'm noticing that the hammers there just aren't up to par..I have a light claw hammer like thing that is good for light work but is terrible at squishing a piece of metal, and a really heavy cross peen hammer, that is great for squishing metal, but not so great for my arm. Now, onto my problem...There is a SEVERE lack of blacksmithing tools in australia, I've scoured the internet and I've seen that almost all the tools come from america, which would be fine, only postage is about 50 dollars, on top of a 30-50 dollar hammer, since I'm only starting out and I make literally no money from the work I do, I don't see a point in spending this much. So, any aussies that can point me in the right direction, or anyone for that matter? If you are just starting out, it may be easier to modify existing hammers. As Vaghn (I think) pointed out, ball peins ARE blacksmiths hammers. Also an easy way to make a straight or cross pein (if you cant buy one) is to shape a pein in one end of a single jack or engineers' hammer with a cut off wheel in an angle grinder. Take your time, don't get it too hot as to soften it and radius the edges nicely so you don't nick your work. I personally like to work with a straight pein and a cross pein. One kilo is a pretty good weight for most beginers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratel10mm Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Hammers of most sizes are available at Bunnings, Total Tools, Masters, Trade Tools Direct, Blackwoods, garage sales & car boot sales. Or, as has been said, make your own. Not too hard to do if you have either a striker, fly press or power hammer available. Something in the 1 - 1.5Kg range is probably best to start with. Then, technique plays a large part in avoiding damage to your body. Do your research here & on other sites. Find a time served smith to learn from as well. It's dead easy to stuff up your body in this trade - care & attention is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Of Astora Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 I contacted you a long while ago about blacksmithing workshops, but it never came to fruition (Other commitments unfortunately) but I wouldn't mind a bit of guidance...I've gotten the Prospect Hill Museum's forge more or less up and running (still lots of kinks to work out though) Hi Andre, which part of rural SA are you in and do you want to give us an idea which historic forge you are looking after? I'm based in Birdwood and am a member of ABASA as posted by Dale a couple of posts ago. We look after forges at Mannum, Angaston, Roseworthy, and are hoping to start at Balaklava soon. The forges at Moonta, Riverton, Tailem Bend and Tumby Bay have all been scaled back to static displays due to OH&S issues. Not sure but I think the Koppio Museum is still up and running. ABASA is also holding workshops at our new homebase in Penfield on First and Third Saturdays and the last Sunday of each month and at my workshop on the Fourth Saturday. There are also "Doris Days" for the ladies on the (I think) second Tuesday of each month. One of our more experienced members wants to hold power hammer clinics at my place as well which we are in the process of organising. Other than that, email or ring me and I'll see what I can do to help. Regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Of Astora Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 I'm hugely inexperienced still, so making tools is sadly out of the question for awhile. Contacting farriers was going to be my next plan though..That and farm sales. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I have been thinking about this for a few days. What hammers would be a good starting point for trimming into hammers suitable for blacksmithing? I would cross off the list all the one piece steel handle and head versions for a start. The largest ball pein hammer is 1.15 Kg with a 410 mm handle, a good quality one would do at a pinch. (handy to have one in the shop anyway) A 1.35 kg club hammer could be cleaned up and shaped with a grinder without removing much material and would be right in the zone for weight for a nice light hammer. However almost all of the ones I see have a 250 - 300 mm handle, in my opinion that is a little short, so there is a few extra bucks and a bit of mucking around to re-handle it. The next step up weight wise is the 4 pounder, club or sledge hammer. Quite a few of these come with the 400 mm+ handle, but at 1.8 kg maybe a little heavy. I am thinking some material could be sliced from the faces with a bandsaw and then dressed to shape to leave around 1.3 - 1.6 Kg. This would also shorten the head making it a lot easier to strike an off blow without the hammer twisting in the hand. It could have one end shaped as a flattening face and the other curved as a rounding hammer. I dont think there is any benefit in finding an alloy steel hammer as it will mark the anvil with a wayward hit, not something you want when you are just getting your eye in, something that is a high carbon steel that has been hardened and tempered ( called normalized in some of the catalogs) should be fine. $18 - $35 at the shops or $1 - $10 at a garage sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJergensen Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 You will have trouble slicing material from the faces with a bandsaw unless you anneal the head first. But, then you'll have to re-handle and redo the heat treating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Of Astora Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 Yahoo2, I'm not sure if I'm skilled enough to be altering heads, plus I lack a bandsaw :P I'm curious about ball-peins though, all the ball-peins I've seen have an annoying angle on the head that'd dent my work...Do I overcome this by dressing the hammer first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caladin Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 I've reshaped hammer heads with a 4" grinder from HF, grinding wheel and a flap wheel... I then clean it on on a cheap 1x30 beltsander but i could do it with the grinder just take more patience. Add a few cutting wheels and a vice to hold the hammer (a huge help) and don't see why you couldn't make whatever peen you wanted.... I just thred a 2lbflat faces HF 'sledge' into a short handled rounding hammer for my 7rd old to play with... took about an hour two tops. E- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yahoo2 Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 from left 4LB club hammer, shaped 4LB sledge (not shortened) ballpien hammer, homemade blacksmith (rounding hammer) style These are all hammers I have purchased from sales and had in a box on the shelf. the club hammer is a nice shape, it would clean up well with a flap disc, the handle is far to long and skinny for smithing, sp tools do a 2,3 and 4 pound version with a good hickory handle, every now and again they are discounted and on sale for $24 - $29. One of these and a 3LB crosspien hammer would do most things. the sledge has been worked over with a flap disc just to try a few curves and shapes for a test run for a rounding hammer shape, my opinion is it has not got enough diameter to use the edge easily, the curve changes too quickly. It is not hard to see why a ballpien hammer leaves marks, that is a seriously flat face and square edge. If you need a hammer as a flatter, then a square club hammer would work. Lastly the homemade one, it is a bit lightweight and both faces are shaped the same, I will probably tack weld some steel plates over the cheeks of the hammer, put a new handle on it and give it a test run with the extra weight on it. PS seeing as you are looking for a hammer, it may be worth keeping the eyes peeled for a few other things if you see them marked down. the gloves are heavy duty, double stitched very comfy and $7 from a welding supplies shop (I think) 5 inch grinder with a flap disc, thin (1mm) abrasive cutting disc and a 45o bevel twisted knot wire wheel. there is a topic somewhere on the correct lenses to stop your eyeballs getting sunburned from excessive forge radiation. the phone camera seems to be an essential item these days, even just for troubleshooting problems with technique on the 4m. Pic = 1000 words and all that! cheers Yahoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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