Hey everyone,

Im looking for people who make dies for my 50lb little giant. I'm also wondering if it is cheaper to have them made than buy them. Any thoughts, suggestions? I know of the littlegianthammer.com site, but also just browsing around. 

Good Morning,

I have made Dies from pieces of scrap plate, 2 1/2" T-1 plate. T-1 is used by the people who make Loader Buckets. I haven't heat treated them, been using them for more than 15 years, no problems.

Neil

 

Same here, except the dies are for my Star 30 pounder. It takes a while to forge them to general shape and finish with an angle grinder but can be done.

I have forged dovetails top and bottom with threaded receiver holes for quick change dies. Make whatever die necessary or desired and weld it to a drilled plate.

The big trick was getting the dovetails right so they wouldn't loosen up in use, just like any dovetail  hammer die. I only had to do it once though.

Frosty The Lucky.

I've had custom  dies made by the folks at Little Giant and some big flat dies for my 200# hammer made by Bob Bergman at Postville Blacksmith Shop.

These were all machined from 4140 and heat treated by them and have stood up well.

I thought that the cost was reasonable and all it took was the time for a phone call and email and they showed up by UPS a week or so later.

Whether it's more cost/time effective to make them yourself  or to buy them from someone else depends on the capacity of your shop to forge  or machine and heat treat a big chunk  of  tough and relatively expensive material .

In either case you will have to spend some time accurately measuring the dovetails on your hammer and some time fitting the dies and die keys so that they stay tight.

I helped make my upper (See thread down below in this section).

And then I had Roger at LG make my bottom because it wasnt worth my time making another.

Try contacting Roger Rice at little giant power hammers. com

He has several types in stock including the quick change type.

I had him make me a custom quick change for my Murray. Then once you get it, you will need to take measurements so he can make you proper keys, that you will then have to custom fit with prussian blue/magic marker/dykem.

 

Its a little tedious but worth it in the end. I had him make me like 6 or 7 custom keys for various dies.

Sorry, I have nothing...

But... I wanted to say that every time I read the title to this thread I want to reply:

"So sorry to hear about the Little Giant's demise.. How did he die?"

And ask if it was weight related...

On 3/2/2018 at 7:22 PM, skyforgemetalworks said:

Price ?

Welcome to IFI edgar. Did you want to post something beside the quote? You might want to read these. READ THIS FIRST   The quote feature

Good Morning, Sky

Looking for the 'Cheapest Option' often times turns out to be the MOST EXPENSIVE. You have to make a decision that "Proven" Manufacture is or isn't better than someones creation. Your call !!!

Neil