zadvorney Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I've been toying with the idea for some time and finally pulled the trigger on the build. I thought of going the scrap rout but the scrap yard I use charges prices for scrap at nearly the same cost as new. So I'm going all new stock and parts. I have to say the plans I purchased are most helpful. It's like a giant erector set. I've made a cut sheet so I could figure out how much stock to buy. Then got back to my shop and cut and numbered each piece. I do recommend this step as I just go to my bin and select the next pats to assemble. I'm going to keep track of my time and cost so It will give anyone who wants to tackle this project some perspective. I've posted the build so far on YouTube. I'll link it here. Thanks to everyone on here who has given me the inspiration to take this build on. It took two hours to cut up the stock I've purchased so far. 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 bar stock in various widths and lengths. I used a porta-band saw for some and a plasma cutter for others. The saw gives me better control. The plasma gives me fits! It works like a hot knife...when it works. Ahh the learning curve. Three hours the first night and four hours tonight has rendered me a few components and a healthy perspective on the time it will take to complete this. It isn't overly complicated really. The plans are written and laid out for the average guy like me to understand. I'll keep plugging away and I'll be done before long. Good fun. Here is the next video. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blou Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Great topic... This is one of my project for the next fall time. Be sure I'll follow you all along the build. I will buy the plan's soon and make all the planification for finally get my own tire hammer. I'm a beginner in blacksmith , but at 62, I'll give me all the chances to go without hurt myself. Thanks Michel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeaverNZ Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Looking good Just a comment to try and help,When using your Mig dont try to do runs that are too big in one pass. You are better to do several runs to get the sized fillet you need, Runs that are too big for the amps/volts are a very common welding fault and results in a lack of fussion and I would recommend using a Stick welder to weld the heavyer section of plates if your Mig is only a small one. Keep up the good work Cheers Beaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 Thanks Beav. I back cut the weld area and have cleaned the areas of all mill scale before starting. The mig is large enough machine but the operator is not well versed in it's use... I tend to go over board on the covering passes. The main frame for the hammer will get tacked together with the mig and finished with the stick if I think the penetration is an issue. I ran some test billets on beam sections and the mig is as good as the stick. I learned with stick and now have a machine that can do both. Either way I want to do quality work that reflects how I feel about the project. Thank you for the input. I can use all that is available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 I have to get a bunch of black pipe before I start making the armatures for the hammer. As most of the black pipe pieces are only a few inches or less in length I figure I'll cut them with the band saw and file to parallel. I'm getting a quote for some W1 3/4" rod and 4104 1 1/2 x 2" x 3 1/2" at my local Metal Supermarket. The bushings, pillow block and clevis pins I'm ordering from MSC Direct. So with that I'm on hold with the assemblies. Tonight and tomorrow I will prep the plate 1" x 8" x 36" pieces for welding. The 6 of those will combine to make the anvil. I've groved them lengthwise about 3/8" back all along the 36" length. I don't know if I should do three at a time and put them together as a pair. They are heavy as heck! Pre heat them or tack and weld. I'm thinking some sort of pre heat but how and how hot. Three hours tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 Got the last piece of the anvil prepped for welding. I'll do that tomorrow. Holy Cow is it heavy! If I have time I'll start on the armatures of the hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 11, 2017 Author Share Posted February 11, 2017 Got the treadle done. Now that I have the pipe I can fit up the pivot arm and hinge. MVI_3717.MOV Three hours last night The movie is me being an idiot for not marking my bends properly. I punched a dot at each area but a soap stone mark over the punch hole shows up better. I'll remember this for the next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 Tonight I was itching to get the mast and anvil in place. I got things prepped and welded the mast up. I put some struts in to keep it plumb. Next was the anvil. A quick calculation puts the anvil at 480#. WAY too heavy to lift by hand so I set up a come along and some tow straps and ratcheted it in place. Funny thing is I never trued up the bottom! IDIOT!!! I called a friend and we safely put it back on the ground. Thirty minutes of grinding later it was raised back into place and was nice and plumb. Tack- tack-weld-weld. I ran out of gas for the mig and the rod I have is too small so as it is safely in place I'll take a break until I can get more supplies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 18, 2017 Author Share Posted February 18, 2017 I put in three hours the other night and five last night. I can't believe how fast time goes when I'm working on this. Either that or I'm really slow. LOL. I have some real dumb moves so far. Don't back into the heater and light yourself on fire. Don't tack things together on the drill table as the bit fused to the work and threw the chuck off the quill when I started up the drill press. Measure EVERY BLESSED THING TWICE... I don't have a mill or lathe so some of the squaring of the work is done old school. A square and a file to parallel ends of parts is time consuming but it works well and saves me on farming out the work. A portable bandsaw is a great tool on this project. I have a HF model that is ready to give up the ghost but it will limp through this project. It is easier to cut the parts out using the saw than it is a plasma cutter. A metal shear would pinch and bend the ends of the thin stock. I had a few sheared off for me at the Metal Supermarket and it kind of ruined the piece. A metal chopsaw would be ideal but not in my budget. A chopsaw with a grinding cut off wheel might work but is not precise enough. Have a good welder. Mig is great for tacking things in place and laying down the beads with ease. As long as you can push the amps great. If not a stick is awesome as well. Have a big enough machine to do the job. These are large pieces of metal that are going together and you don't want them flying off at the wrong time. I'm glad I waited to do this project until I was confident in welding. Get some good lighting in the shop. Mine is still lacking and it isn't fun squinting at the most inopportune time. I'm enjoying this project a bunch. There isn't a time limit on the end date but it should be done by spring. The costs are a bit staggering. I'm at $1300 so far and I need the motor and a few more nuts and bolts. If the cost stays south of $1700 I'll be happy. This is with all new parts and steel purchased at a retail outlet. Your mileage may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy k Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Keep up progress - even at $1700.00 - if you use it for work, it will pay for itself many times over. As with most tools, one has to look at it long term and the price is trivial at that point. Say you have it for 17 years - that's less than $2.75 a day for a money maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 19, 2017 Author Share Posted February 19, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 Five hours last night. I spent most of it making big bar clamps. I did attach the treadle to the base. Not much to see there but it looks good. Just waiting on parts. I'm venturing out today and looking for a spare tire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 Put in 4 hours today. The upper armatures were the correct length but would not fit into the pillow block assembly. A quick mod and all was good. Then I found the ends of the arms that hold the bushings are all too big by at least 3/32. UGG! good thing I LOVE filing these...again....No idea on that one. Followed the plans but some how it doesn't fit up. I did have some fun and cut the big circle out of the 1/4" sheet. A friend gave me a tire of proper size so I finished up that part. The home built circle scribe worked better than I expected. Following the success of that I fired up the forge and got to melting some lead. Mask on and exhaust fan cranked, 50# got distributed into the hammer tube and the counter weight on the tire crank assembly. The plans say to make a jig to cast the metal. I used a piece of plywood and sheet metal for the sides. DUMB! molten lead acts like mercury and flies out the first hole it finds. Some more tin and high temp caulk fixed that. I sunk the mold in water(dangerous) and it worked out fine. three hours later the hammer tube was still hot. This week I should get the remainder of the need parts to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstucker Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Very nice. Enjoy watching the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 A somewhat confusing explanation of how to lay out the arm nut. I did just as I explained in the video and as the nut is just slightly smaller than the space between I drilled a hole on the side that had a gap and did a plug weld. All was good but one of the nuts distorted just a tad so I re tapped the hole. All is good. I can't believe how well everything lined up. I'm not patting myself on the back but the directions say to square everything up and that helped a ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 ALMOST DONE!!! A switch and a spring. I would have been done today if I remembered to order these things a week ago. Oops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted February 27, 2017 Author Share Posted February 27, 2017 6 hours 10 hours 8 hours The last few posts I forgot to put these in. How in the world do I paint this thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 I DID IT!!! Got the spring tonight and installed it on the arms. I made a few adjustments and bing bam boom away we went. Works like a charm. I'll post a video, to close this out, about the ins and out of the build at a later time. My power is out due to a wind storm so I'm on generator power so I'm done for the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 So far I figure 55 hours and am close to the $1700 mark. I have some stock left over as I bought more on purpose but not much. I used everything on the list with the exception of a few nuts and washers. I can't say enough of how I enjoyed doing this build. An absolute blast. A great project to do with a kid or a friend. Spending some time in the shop playing with drills and fire and grinders is good for the mind and body. I used a Lincoln Electric Power Mig 210 for the welding. It performed flawlessly. I could have done the project with the old Tombstone AC stick welder from the 50's that I learned on, but the power from the mig and it's precision made it easier. I purchased a used Victor 42 plasma cutter for the project. I didn't use it as much as I figured. I used it when speed was priority over precision. An expensive piece of gear for sure. As I got used to using it, it got easier. I made a stand off jig so the tip couldn't touch the work. It also helped when I used a guide to rip along. The first time I used it was with damp and dirty air. I went through three tips and electrodes before I figured that out. $$$$$$$$$ So I installed a home built air cooler and water/oil separator. Better but it needs a micron particulate filter just before the machine to be perfect. A portable band saw was the BOMB for this job. My harbor Freight cheapo model had it's work cut out for it. A heavier duty one would have made my life loads better. Better still, a stand up band saw. Or a metal chop saw. Some high end bits and a metal hole saw set could be helpful. I got away with a low end set of bits and lubed the crap out of them as I cut. Never dulled a one. Broke a few when the work slipped off the drill table but that was my fault. A good drill table clamping system is on my list of things to get. The drill press I used is a 50's vintage as well. I rebuilt that a few years ago. So worth it on the build. You can't drill through thick metal with a hand drill. The more precise the holes, the easier the pieces go together. Definitely cut things as close to perfect the first time. Square things up. Be patient. Enjoy the ride. A very big thank you to Ray Clontz for the design and Clay Spencer for the excellent plans. My hats off to both of you. Spend the $30 on the plans if you are serious. Well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Nice set of videos on your tire hammer project! After watching them, I'm thinking "Oh boy! Another tool to build!" Forge press, belt grinder, heat treat oven, future tire hammer, salt baths, vise pedestal, press dies, vacuum chamber, 3D printer. I may never get back to forging. Interesting guard plate shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Thanks John. One can never have enough tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in Oly, WA Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 1 hour ago, zadvorney said: One can never have enough tools. I heartily agree! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianstucker Posted March 4, 2017 Share Posted March 4, 2017 Enjoyed the build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blou Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 Always watching you, very interesting... It will be helpfull for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zadvorney Posted March 7, 2017 Author Share Posted March 7, 2017 Thanks Crappie. It's was a fun build. Blou, get started on yours soon. The weather is going to change and you won't want to be in a barn welding and grinding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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