Jose Gomez Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I am considering purchacing a Big Blu max 155 and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with them (good or bad). I have more than enough air compressor to run it, but I am wondering what kind of problems they have, if any, and what kind of control can be expected. I'm planning on buying soon, and i think it would be foolish not to ask for I forge irons' opinion, so any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBrown Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I used one once at john c campbell to be honest i was not impressed with it but there could be any number of reasons it did not run at what i felt it should have. It is possible it was trund down because students use it or it was geting out of shape and worn out. I would contact them and see if they could recomend some one close to you that might let you try theres out and see if you like it. Thats what i would do if im gona shell out that kind of money on something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J W Bennett Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I used one at John C Campbell and really liked it. But thats just my opinion. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBrown Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I used one at John C Campbell and really liked it. But thats just my opinion. John I used the one that was closest to the front door of the shop think they had 2 other i didnt use those i actualy liked the lg 25 i think it was over on the left side of the shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Murch Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 The ones at the folk school aren't given enough air to run at their capacity. If the big blu is the type of hammer you want, it's a very good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Waugh Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I've used BIg Blu's and their very decent hammers built by really good guys. That said, I still think the best value in an air hammer is currently the Iron Kiss built by John Larson. That is the nicest ten thousand dollar air hammer you can buy for about six grand. Heavy, powerful, great control and super support from the maker. Oneof the best things about the Iron Kiss is the vast headroom available. It was 9" between the dies, but I think John said he's upping that to 11" for the new ones. That means you can use a vast array of tooling without needing special or weird dies. You can see some of what he offers at Blacksmith Power Hammers - Iron Kiss Hammers, or give John a call. He'll be at Gichner's Hammer-In this weekend, but I don't think he's bringing a hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Stegmeier Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 The Big Blue's are nice hammers, not as much clear space between the dies as some of the other makers, but still a nicely built hammer, with good control. What kind of air supply will you have??? and what do you really plan on doing with it??? You will want all the air you can get especially if you want to draw a lot of material... I have a 75# newstyle Bull hammer and if I am drawing a lot of material I can bury my 7.5hp Quincy air master light industrial two stage compressor and I have 22.4 CFM @175PSI I run the hammer at 135PSI and have an 80gal reciever. I have flat dies and use a fair amount of hand tooling and never run out of air doing that, its just drawing long tapers, or streching billets that gets deep into the compressor. Tom Berenger has his B3 power hammer school and has people teach different methods of using your power hammer. If you get the chance take the FLAT DIE power hammer class with Steve Parker, he is a very good teacher and he is an industrial smith who makes tongs for the highspeed hydaulic forging industry on a Nazel B4 all day long. And makes it look easy, but he is really good;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dief Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I've had a BigBlu 110 for three years and I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Gomez Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 Thanks for the info. I plan on using the hammer to suppliment my 25#lg and a KA 75 that I currently employ in my shop. most of what I do is artistic architectural ironwork, sculpture, and pattern welded steel. To me the most attractive features of the big blu are the number and type of available dies, the quick change die setup, 18" throat depth, 9" stroke (enough to allow the use of the hand tooling of which I am so fond of), no special foundation requirements, and small foot print (shop space is always at a premium). With the addition of the 7.5 hp 24 CFM @ 175 psi Ingersoll rand aircompressor, coupled to the system that is already in place to support the KA 75, I will be able to supply the shop with about 50 CFM at 140 psi. The Big Blue will be used for a little bit of everything from knocking down 4" damascus billets to drawing 4 foot tapers. You never know what you might have to forge tomorow so I wanted to try to get the best hammer possible, and unfortunately the only air hammer of any kind that I know of around here is a 110# Say-mak that I recently made a 350 mile round trip to try out. It was a great hammer. A hard hitter with excelent control, but just a wee bit too large to fit into the shop without pushing something else out of the front door.... which is what brought me to where we are now. Back to Big Blu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonjic Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Ive only heard good things about John L's Iron Kiss hammers - He seems to really care about his product being the best he can possibly offer for the $ The chinese hammers (anyang and striker) have a much smaller footprint (and are more compact & rigid) than the turkish fabricated frame hammers, a 40 kg (88lb) will out hit, and be at least as controlable as a 110lb sahindler (I think the say mak is a very similar design, if not the same as a Sahindler, basically 'kuhn' clones). With the Anyangs & strikers (minature beche clones you can mount the motor underneath the hammer - motor pully facing out the back if you use a heavy (20mm + fabricated 'box' base) - you can get the footprint of an 88lber down to about 40" x 20" ! Peih tool sell them your side of the pond. (I sell the anyangs in the UK, but I am pretty impartial, and the numbers of units sold, and numbers of happy customers ive got speak for themselves) I know quite a bit about hammers of all sizes, And I think the chinese ones are good, and good value. hope this helps a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Gomez Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 Thanks for everyones input. I went ahead and made the leap and put the check in the mail today, so I guess that only time will tell. I'll be sure to post pics, and give a thourough report as soon as I get to pounding with it. If all goes well I should have it up and running in under two weeks, so we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarm Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Jose you won't be dissapointed. The guys as BB are great and if you have any questions they help you very fast. I have had the 110 for a little over a year now and I love it. I plan on purchasing another in the future perhaps the 155. Let us know when you get it running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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