Zachary Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Okay I need some insight from you guys that have used both or understand both. I make a lot of hammers and so far I'm doing it by hand and it's getting to the point that I think I need some different tools. I was looking at getting a power hammer either a 25 or 50 lb little giant. But I was looking into the specs and it looks like the max opening on them is 6 inches. I do a lot of 2" stock and would like to go up to 3". The problem is with only a 6" opening it's gonna be hard to get an eye punch in there to punch the eye it seems to me. Plus I'd have to put in a foundation for one. I've been looking at riverside machines' hydraulic forging press the last while and it has an 8" opening between the dies which would make it a lot easier to get my tooling in there. Also I wouldn't have to pour a special heavy foundation for it and I could make my own dies for it fairly easy. I guess what I'm wondering is what are the advantages and disadvantages of one over the other. Thanks Zachary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Sounds like you just answered your own question. Get a press. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ric Furrer Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 Be aware that you will want shorter tooling for punching in a press or you may end up eating the taller tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJS Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 To elaborate further on what Ric said, you need to redesign your tooling for both a power hammer, and for a press. If your tooling is too tall it will bottom out and possibly damage the dies, the tooling, and you. There is a thread on another forum where they were talking about "Why you shouldn't slot punch hammers, under a power hammer!" or something like that. The thread opened with a picture of a longer slot punch/ slitting chisel? smooshed permanently into a hammer head, that they were trying to do under a Nazel B5;-) You can slot punch hammer heads all day long under a power hammer if the tooling is designed for it and the hammer driver knows what they are doing. The process wasn't inherently bad, it was operator error... ;-) Just because you can fit a particular tool under the dies, doesn't mean you can safely, or effectively use it under that hammer. If the punch had been made so the cutter was 7/8 the thickness of the stock being punched, and had a broader end to strike. Like you would get if you forged the slot punch out of H13, and cut it to length, and then welded it to a paddle out of mild steel with a thin handle. Then you could safely do the punching. Much as it grieves me to say it, (I LOVE hammers;-) but you are probably better served by a press, doing the type of work you are focused on, and with the other limitations. You could get a small mechanical hammer to do what you want, if it had a brake, and was well tuned, and you learned how to make it do all those things... Mechanicals have a steeper learning curve, than a air hammer, or a press. John Larson who makes the Iron Kiss hammers, will build his hammers with more clear space between the dies, and even the 50 has 9" to start with, and the larger sizes come with 11" standard, and you can jump that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Larson Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 In addition to considering the maximum distance between hammer dies, it pays to know the inherent stroke length; most hammers short stroke. My air compressor driven utility hammers tends to have a 3 to 4 inch inherent stroke and a lever is used to position that range of reciprocating motion to account for tooling and stock thickness. So with my 11" maximum air space machines, a 4" inherent reciprocation at full throttle still allows for up to 7" of stock. For doing hammer heads I'd recommend a 125 to 150 pound hammer, large flat dies, and tooling that keeps the stock under control. If you use a press to shape the billet, you can get by with a lighter hammer for finishing work and probably eye punching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zachary Posted February 1, 2015 Author Share Posted February 1, 2015 I appreciate the replies guys that helps me understand a little more what I'm dealing with. Right now I use a eye punch with a wooden handle. I was planning on making a shorter one to fit in the opening of a press or power hammer better would those be safe? I usually make the whole thing out of a piece of 1 1/2" H13 with a hammer handle on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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