winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 So I have joined the club! I am the proud new owner of a old power hammer. Saturday morning the adventure started before 4am and hitting the road before 4:30 for the 3 plus hour trip to NE Oregon for a shop sale advertised online. Mostly hit and miss engine stuff and a bit of blacksmithing equiptment. Got there early waited till opening at 8am headed straight for the hammer. Asked a ton of questions looked close at just about every part ran it a bit smashing a oak 2x4 easily. I made a offer and I got to mark it sold. So it should be a 50lb head weight , 3hp single phase motor , all mounted a a 1" piece of plate steel. Runs good clutch and break are great, dies are good for now, one old break welded long ago and looks to be holding fine. Interesting feature that changes the pivot to allow light the heavy blows while running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 So next steps are to get it unloaded and tucked into the shop on some oak timbers and run it a bit before I decide exactly where it will sit, and decide if it will need a larger foundation or not. If anyone has any info or insight on this hammer or general recommendations I would be all ears. Needless to say I am super excited. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Here is the original ad Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Neat hammer Chris, I've never seen one. CONGRATS! The LEVER that is such a feature in the ad shifts the pivot on the helve. Yes? Is it two position, high/low or does it slide the pivot back and forth for fine adjustment? I'd really like to give one a test drive.I'm sure looking forward to a video of it running and adjusting.Frosty the Lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Thanks Frosty, yes the lever adjusts the pivot point. There are maybe 6 notches for adjustment and when I test drove it it was surprising the difference between settings. I will post some more detail pics over the next few days as I get it unloaded and in its temporary spot in the shop and some video running. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 New one on me! I've never heard of a hammer designed like that, and I'll definitely look forward to more photos of it. Maybe you can shoot some video of it running so we can see this switching mechanism in action.I've been considering a guided-helve hammer build and really like the small footprint this thing has. I've never seen such a short helve on a full-size hammer. How much room do you have between the dies? It looks like you're able to adjust the height of the hammer guide by loosening the bolts where it clamps to the upright. Not something you'd want to do often, but a neat feature if it meant you could set the hammer up to do a specific task. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 vaughn I'll have to check the distance between the dies. That is one question I had if it was set up correctly. I think you could adjust the height of the guide but not sure it would do much except maybe get some additional clearance. That is of course with standard dies maybe more being it like you said for specific jobs. I am betting most of the design around the central upright was 2fold ,smaller castings and it could be shipped easier and assembled on site. Here are some loading pics for fun , and you can see some details on the sliding pivot. I'm the one with a beard and in the black hat. And one of my daughters in the last shot inspecting the hammer after it was on the trailer. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 That's a cool hammer! Looks like they went through a few design changes. This ad is from 1913:And this one is from 1902, has some different linkages up top, as well as inverted spring positions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Awesome black frog. I hadn't found those ads yet. I wonder if the second ad you posed isn't the heavier #2 model referenced in the ad I posted. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 13, 2015 Author Share Posted April 13, 2015 Or it could be a earlier version as mine has 1904 cast in the base. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Frog Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Made in 35#, 50#, and 75# models. cool stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I'm really curious to see how you can adjust the machine without stopping it. To go from a 2" throw to a 10" throw is a pretty substantial difference, and to be able to do it on the fly.... well, I'll have to see it before I believe it. Sounds like you'll be able to make anything from cooking trivets to sledge hammers on this old girl.How soon til she's up and running? We're going to need lots and lots of video! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 14, 2015 Author Share Posted April 14, 2015 (edited) Vaughn should be running in a temp spot in the shop as soon as I can get it unloaded. It's got a 12ft pigtail to wire it up so I have a spot close enough to my panel to direct wire it into the breaker for now and I'll figure out a more elegant switch when it gets a permanent location. I don't think this model would get 10" of clearance there is no adjustment on the rear connecting arm like the larger model looks to have so the sliding pivot may be the only adjustment point. Now if my buddy with the crane truck 3 miles from my house would just get back to me. Chris Edited April 14, 2015 by winterbear Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McCarthy Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Your hammer looks to be all original. My modern has had a rough life and is far from it's original condition. Search the power hammer section for "Modern Power Hammer". and you'll see pictures of mine. The book Pounding Out the Profits has some information on them. Mine has a round base. The round base was first and they changed to square sometime in 1906. I don't remember what the last year of production was. Nice hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McCarthy Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) I just looked at the thread I mentioned, and all the pics are gone. So here is a couple of mine. Edited April 15, 2015 by Steve McCarthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Steve, thanks for posting. I had actually seen your thread when this hammer came up for sale and I was planning on PMing you about pictures. I see you have yours on timber over gravel, does it move or walk on you at all? Does anyone know if pounding out the profits book has any serial # info? I'll have to see if I can find a copy or see if someone can share what is in there related to the Modern hammer. Still waiting to unload its driving me nuts that I can't use it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Steve: Your hammer doesn't appear to have the adjustment lever. Is it there and I'm just not seeing it?Chris: When you get the chance would you take some close ups of the adjustment lever please?Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 (edited) one click double post. Edited April 15, 2015 by Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Frosty, it's all tarped up on the trailer waiting to be unloaded. As soon as it is unwrapped I'll get more pictures up. And video of it running. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 I hate that kind of waiting. I don't have a friend with a crane so I occupied the time my hammer was laid on my trailer buy cobbling together enough stuff to get it off and stood up. I bolted my 4"x12" base to it while it was on it's side and that gave it a little cushion when I tipped it up. engine hoist, comealongs jacks, rollers and some serious caution did it for me. I probably should've built an A frame and lifted it off but I didn't want to wait on another project when I had a power hammer just laying there waiting to be put to work.Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 If my buddy with the crane truck doesn't get back to me I'll start working my way thru my local farmer friends to see who may have a tractor with a loader bigger than my little 9n ford (it's max is under 1k) I have been clearing a spot and switching some wiring around in my panel so trying to not think about it just sitting there. If none of that works I am building a A frame this weekend even if it is just a timber frame I can lift the hammer and drive out from under it. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterbear Posted April 15, 2015 Author Share Posted April 15, 2015 Crane truck inbound at 5pm !!! If all goes smoothly it will be running tonight. For temp on the concrete floor I was planning some 5/4 x10 oak planks under it I also have dense horse stall mat any thoughts on which one or both for a temp setup. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 Frosty: I pulled this out of one of his pics. You can see the lever with the latching grip and the indexing that lets it set at different spots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forger Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 Can't wait to see it operational. I had one back in the 90's but never got it working. The layout was all wrong for my shop when I was in NM.Sold it to a gent in Ohio and picked up a 50 lb little giant on the way back home to NM. Always wished to see it running. When I I got it it was all disasembledbut it was easy to reassemble with the picture in the ad I had. For me the orientation just didn't work in my shop. Now a days I would have changed the shoplayout. It sure looked to be a hammer that would beat all others. I live in WA now, in Olympia, and would love to see it working someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve McCarthy Posted April 16, 2015 Share Posted April 16, 2015 My hammer is missing the pivot adjustment on top. It was replaced with a solid shaft and bearings. It has a tire drive and is missing the gib adjustment on the left side of the ram guide. I used this hammer some, then found a good deal on a 25lb L.G. so the Modern has set idle for a couple years. I really need to get it back to running. It sets on 4" of Oak an a gravel floor. The tire drive is not mounted square, so it would move around quite a bit if you worked it hard. I finally drilled some 1/2" holes in the Oak and drove 3' pieces of re bar through it and into the ground. I don't have a copy of pounding out the Profits. I checked it out from our group library. I am sure either Blue Moon Press, or Astrigal Press will have it in stock. If there if a serial number on mine, I haven't found it. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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