I have a chance of buying a Star 50lb for $1500.  It looks great (sorry, no pics) and runs well.  Except it doesn't have the correct dies.  The top and bottom dies look to be 6" x 3". But they are not aligned directly with each other and only about 3" of each die hit.  The top die is towards the center, but the bottom die is somehow shifted to the left.

 

if I cannot get the correct dies, I don't see how the hammer will be worth the money.  Anyone have spare dies for this hammer?

Yes, I am still working on my Mayer 25lb, but this kind of dropped into my lap yesterday.

Hey Larry, its funny you mention this as I'm about to make a post on my 25lber because the dies do not match up and I want to use it for knifemaking and would like more precision. I'm thinking of regrinding mine until I can get some steel and make my own. I've asked on here about making them and I know a lot of guys do. It was recommended I look at some scrap forklift tines. As far as actually making them or star hammers I'm afraid I can't be much help but I'm sure they folks here will chime in.

Your Mayer Bros hammer is coming along nicely btw.

-Clint

If it had no dies, it would still be worth it if it is all in working order.

Dies are easy to modify or adjust to fit. Take them out and see what the problem is. Normally there is no indexing pin to keep them aligned perfectly.

Use your eyes on the Machine, not your fingers on the keyboard.

Neil

The dies can shift in the dovetail. Drive the slip out, align them and drive the slip back in. The process is laid out in detail in "The Little Giant Powerhammer," book.

You DO have that book don't you?

There are a number of methods for modernizing dies in old mechanical hammers by forging dovetails you then drill and tap to receive bolt on die plates.

Of course if you need hands on help please feel free to ship it to me, I'll let you know when I'm finished with it.

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks, guys!

i do have that book, Frosty.

i will look at it some more.

Thanks, Augus7us!

 

Larry

Frosty, I just got your joke

I just got the phone call and go pick up the Star hammer tomorrow!

Woohoo!

Frosty, I just got your joke

I just got the phone call and go pick up the Star hammer tomorrow!

Woohoo!

Joke?

Frosty The Lucky.

The one where you said to ship the hammer to you :)

The one where you said to ship the hammer to you

<sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

Got it home.  Took a while to get it off the truck and upright in my garage.  All I had was a 1-ton motor winch and a helper.  Oh, and my wife to tell me how to do things.  Actually, she did a great job.

So, the 50 lb Star is sitting by my 25 lb Meyer. The Star is a larger frame. 

I will get a pic tomorrow. 

Finally got time to take a couple pictures.

This hammer is pretty clean.  They never oiled it, so I went ahead and lubed anything that moves

 

It came with a 110/220v 1hp motor that feels like it weighs 100 lbs!

Not finished painting it yet.

 

Somehow, during painting this hammer, I tinted my hair cranberry red :)

If you look up article on Welded Hammer Dies  they are amazingly simple to make... That's coming from a blacksmith not a machinest.....Can anybody help me with My 50# Star? I can't seem to get it timed right without "loping".. I've rebuilt lots of Little giants but this has a different feel.. I read one article that said the clutch blocks were wood,but mine are metal...

Eric, this thread is 4 1/2  years old.  I'd be willing to bet he's got dies by now.

The clutch blocks on my 30 pound Star are lined with wood. I took this picture for another member.

 

Chris: Thanks. I was looking for info for a Star I'm rebuilding and and responded before seeing the date. However- I sure saved some bucks when I learned to make my own dies instead of paying to have them machined.  I'm still stumped as to why my Star has metal blocks and all pictures I see have wooden ones...

Can't answer that question, eric.  My "power hammer" is my right arm.

Wonder if someone retro fitted steel not knowing they were wood. If your blocks have a lining like brake shoes they will be sturdier and last longer than wood blocks. To me metal on metal is not good. Do you have a picture of them? I made one set of dies out of RR rail. Used an angle grinder to put in the dovetail, not hard at all.

I don't have a picture. The blocks are perfectly fitted but, like you, I wonder about wisdom of metal on metal. I started using a Little Giant in 1967 (yup I'm an old fart) so when I first started the Star up I did what you do with Little Giants and squirted the heck out of it with oil .Oops-wrong thing with this hammer. Wouldn't work worth a tinker's dam.. So I cleaned off pulleys and belt with carb cleaner and it runs like a champ... Wouldn't have known about metal blocks if I hadn't squirted oil on them....Anyway- I am going to take them out and either have metal shaved down to where I can put some asbestos on them or make some nice oak blocks... I'll put it on here when I'm done. Thanks for your reply.... Eric

I have to use carb cleaner once in a while due to the oil getting on the clutch blocks & pulley from regular oiling. Not a large problem for me though.

Not a problem at all once I figured out that you don't treat a Star like a Little giant. Have it going fine now with clean clutch and some nice synthetic blocks.. It is a metal smacker...