200lb Bradley Hammer

[Falconer]

Can anyone tell me anything about this 200lb Bradley Hammer? I have an opportunity to buy it but would like to know more. How much does it weigh? Is there a manual for it? Are parts available for it? What would be a good price for it? How do I have to mount it? Any information would be helpful!! Thanks Guys!

[781]

Postville blacksmith shop might now located in WI.

[Will. K.]

Check out www.newenglandblacksmiths.org/power_hammer_info.htm for some info

[njanvilman]

That hammer looks to be in great shape.  Painted, and obviously maintained by someone.  I would be proud to own something like that.

[Falconer]

Will. K. ...Thanks! that link is a great resource!

[patrick]

Bradley hammers are supported to a limited degree by Cortland Machine out of Cortland New York. They have all the drawings, some wood patterns for castings and they can make almost any thing you'd need, but it is not cheap. I just ordered a new pair of sow block keys from them.  Ask to speak with Stan Pierce if you call them. Bradley hammers are not complicated so if you do need parts you can often make them yourself if you have access to fabrication and machining facilities.Manuals have been posted in a few places on the internet or you can contact me directly and I can email you a copy.

 

The biggest issues with Bradleys are their size and weight. This one probably weighs around 7800#, maybe more depending on when it was made. The other issue they have, which is true of all mechanical hammers, is that the stroke is limited and you will reach a point where the size of the work or the height of the tooling will not permit the hammer to complete its rotation. That is not an issue with air hammers. However, you'd be hard pressed to find a more robust machine. Within its design limits they are fantastic forging tools. I'm in the process of setting up a 500 lb Guided helve, which is very similar to the strap hammer you're interested in and I've been running a 300 lb Guided Helve for the last 10 years. The strap hammer style will actually have a bit more flexibility in its stroke than the Guided Helve type and the blow will be a bit snappier. I've sometimes thought of converting one of my machines to that design. Bradley did make a few big strap hammers, but found that in production environments the leather belting supporting the ram just didn't hold up on those big machines. I think we could overcome that limitation with modern materials.

 

As far as  pricing is concerned, that's a very flexible issue. I would say that in really great shape $4000-5000 would be fair. However, Bradleys don't seem to command the prices that Little Giant style machines bring. There just doesn't seem to be the demand for them. That being said, I'd probably offer something more like $2500-3000. I paid $2000 for my 500, including the 15 HP 880 RPM motor and the electrical connections for it. The hammer is in great shape. I was able to test drive it before purchase. I felt like I got a steal, but the owner was content because he'd been trying to sell it for a couple of years with no interest. He was happy to get scrap prices just to make sure it didn't get scrapped. The trade off for me is that the machine weighs 18000 lbs, has 15 cubic yards of concrete under it and about 700 lbs of 3/4" rebar embedded in the concrete. I had to get it out of the shop it was in and move it about 300 miles to my shop. My set up cost, including running 3-phase to my shop to power the machine, is going to be roughly 3 times the purchase price. Because of the higher costs of transportation and set up, there seems to be much less demand for the really big hammers, consequently they often sell at much lower prices than the small and mid sized machines like the one you're interested in.

 

In the case of this hammer you'll still need a foundation and power, but nothing like what I have set up. A foundation 4 feet wide, 4 feet deep and 9 feet long would be more than enough. You could probably even get away with 3 feet thick. A 7.5 horse single phase motor will run this machine just fine. These machines were designed to run directly from a motor running at 900 RPM. If you don't have such a motor, you can jackshaft a fast one. That is how my 300 has been set up and it works just fine.

 

Before you jump on this, think carefully about the type of work you want to do. Because of the limitations I noted, there are some things an air hammer will do better. Also, if you already have a large shop air compressor that will support a utility style hammer, you will save a great deal of floor space going that route. If you anticipate doing production type repetitive jobs, then a Bradley is the machine to use. The large guides, dies and die orientation allow you to create dies with multiple stations. This way you can run several steps of a job without have to change tools. Air hammers tend to have fairly short dies in comparison and they don't usually have guides as robust so they don't handle off center blows as well. Also, Bradley dies are held in with two keys instead of one. This means that neither the die dove tail nor the matching dovetail tapers along its length. The results is that it is very easy to machine, fabricate or even forge dies for Bradleys.

 

If you still have questions, PM me and I send you my phone #.

 

Patrick

[jason0012]

I passed on a hammer just like this one back around 92 based on advice from other smiths. I have regretted it ever since. The miniature steam hammers folks are building do not compare in the least. A little giant and most tiny self contained hammers wont measure up to the work that Bradley can do. I would pass on it only if you have a good lead on a Chambersburg or Nazel.

[Falconer]

I just paid a visit to Robb Gunter outside Albuquerque. He has a restored 300lb Chambersburg that he just completed (He bought it in good, working condition but it was in an accident while being shipped to him that tore up one side.) It is one of only six like it in the country...having a one-piece body. It is a beautiful monster!!

 

Incidentally if anyone ever gets a chance to visit Robbs shop...DO IT! He is an absolute Master Smith and his shop is incredible! It's just down the road from G3, the blacksmithing school he and his sons Brad and Chad run. The school has a Nazel.

 

I've never run across either hammer...when I could afford one!

 

BTW...one of Robbs sons has a 200lb Bradley Compact for sale in the Albuquerque area! (4000.00)

[patrick]

So, are you still considering these Bradleys or, after seeing the Chambursburg are you planning to head in that direction? They are great machines too if you have the means to run them effectively.

 

Patrick

[Falconer]

Hi Patrick,

 

The Chambursburg isn't for sale...Robb just finished rebuilding it for his use. I am leaning heavily in the Helve hammer direction. The Bradley compact needs a little more work but would also be a great shop tool. My issue is that I just bought a big new shop and now I have to cut a part of the foundation out to pour a reinforced pad for the Bradley. That's the big expense. I also have to line up transportation and a heavy duty fork lift to set in place. They aren't cheap but I'll be able to do things I've never been able to do before.

[patrick]

The expense of a foundation is one you'll have with any big hammer but some hammers do have a smaller foot print than others. However, I really think you be glad you invested in it if you go that way. By the way, a local heavy tow truck company may be cheaper to move and install the hammer than renting a fork lift or using a rigger. In my area they run about $200 an hour but if you plan and prep well you can keep their time on site short.