Anybody built Clay Spencer's inline treadle hammer?

[will52100]

So far not crazy about the way the plans are drawn out and written.  Not too bad, but lack detail and have had to back up a little a couple times and re think how to do something to get it to come out rite.  Not a big deal, but irritating at times.

Anyway, I've got the main construction done, about to start on the turnbuckle and leaf spring linkage.  I have a couple of questions, mainly the springs.  The coil springs Clay list, the plans say "Bend spring into a "U" and heat a spot on the center coil with a torch until it separates.  Bend out a 2 turn loop, cold on each end"  Am I overthinking things, or just bend in a "U" and heat the middle and grab a couple loops with some pliers and pull them out?  The other question I have is about the flat spring.  Clay calls for butt welding a pipe with a 1/2" ID to the flat spring.  I have a longer than needed piece of 5160 and plan on forging it over with a 1/2" drift to make the eye.  Why would a welded pipe be better pivot for a flexible piece like this, and there's no mention of what temper the flat spring should be.  I'm assuming a spring temper is what I should heat treat it too, I've got a Paragon oven that it will fit in so that's no issue.

Any other issues I should watch out for that ain't in the book?

Thanks

[clinton]

I have built a treadle hammer but not the same one. I used plans from Valley Forge and Welding. And yes there are some areas that are hard to understand in plans of this nature.

On the flat spring I would reccomend doing what the plan calls for. It needs to move freely on this connection. If you forge it around a drift you may have a problem with it being out of round and alingment could be an issue. I used my spring as is no heat treatment.

My plans did not use coil spring

[will52100]

Thanks, but I'll forge it round then true up with a 1/2" drill after forging.  As a welder I shudder at the thought of a butt weld on a spring.

I will give the leaf spring a try with no heat treat and see how it works.  Worst case I can always take it off and heat treat it.

Thanks

[will52100]

Well, got it done.  No need to heat treat the flat spring, and judging from what little I've used it, there doesn't seem to be a lot of flex.  A butt weld would most likely hold up fine, provided the 5160 was pre heated and it was a multi pass weld with something like 7018.  In fact, I'm wondering if mild steel wouldn't work as the leaf spring, it doesn't flex that much.

Anyway, I used it while forging out a hawk and it worked great.  If nothing else it let me use a hand held flatter without a juggling act.  Surprised at how hard it hits, and very precise and controllable. 

Here's a couple of pics, normally my smithy floor is a bit cleaner, but I'd just finished painting and hadn't cleaned up yet.

 

[clinton]

Nice build looks good. You do want to use spring it gives the hammer some pop. And yes 7018 is a good rod for dissimilar metals

[HotAhrn]

Hi, Id like tobget a set of these plans. Where would I get them?

Thanks and kind regards,

Tom

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Welcome aboard Tom... I always suggest reading this to get the best out of the forum.  READ THIS FIRST   It is full of tips like editing your profile to show your location, because so many answers depend upon where in the world you are located. It also has other tips, some of which will help in staying off the moderators radar. It also tells how to do the most effective search.

 

[John McPherson]

ABANA sells copies of this and other plans for $15 each.

https://abana.org/marketplace/abana_shop/#!form/Shop