Finally found my "grail" hammer after 20+ years of keeping my radar out. Ive owned alot of hammers, but could never seem to find a Bradley Compact 100, or when I did find one for sale it was 2000+ miles away.   

A good friend notified me of this one last monday morning about 6:30 am.  I immediately sent the seller a message, not asking any questions or for more pictures or to look at it,... I simply started "I will buy this hammer", as the price was beyond good and I could see from the photo that it was all there and other than a coating of heavy dust look to be in good condition.

Several hours go by with no response, so I'm already convinced the hammer has sold. Finally around 9 a.m. he sent a message back, I could tell it was one of those blanket messages he sent multiple people simply stating "the items will be available today for viewing".  My reply was, "I don't want to look at the hammer I want to buy it and have cash in hand". I also sent him my phone number and asked for his, caledl him as soon as I received it. To make a very long story short I convinced him to hold the hammer for an hour so I could get there, in this time my xxxx phone battery died and I didn't have a charger in my truck and I was using Google Maps for directions so I had to haul ass into AutoZone frantically buy a charger to get back up and running... so I'm basically in panic mode knowing that he's only holding this hammer for about an hour and he has several other people wanting to see it.  

Finally get to the old shop where it's located, and see junk everywhere, it's part of an old estate that is being liquidated. I immediately greet the executor of the estate, walk over look at the hammer and immediately pay him to get that load off of my shoulders.  

The hammer was behind about 50 years worth of junk and other heavy tools and machines around it, took about three days of work to get it where we could actually get a forklift in there enough to load it.  And this time I made pretty good friends with the people going through the estate, help them a bit, as I felt more than fortunate and lucky to be the one that purchase this Bradley. Found out it had been in that shop since 1968, I don't think it was ever used not only judging by the condition but by the fact that there was a little giant 25 right next to it that he actually did all of his work with.

Unfortunately before I could get there they scrapped the treadle and dies, but that's an easy fix.  I also noticed hanging from the side there look to be a factory wrench that I've never seen before on a Bradley. The reason I think it's factory is it had the same exact original paint and the same style of numbers in the casting that Bradley uses on all its parts.

Some of you will understand this, but further 3 or 4 days it took me to get that hammer out of there I barely slept, I just kept thinking in my head one of the family members was going to decide not to sell it even though I had already given cash and had a bill of sale. Strange things happen all the time and of course my head kept thinking about the worst case scenario.

I'm going to try to attach some photos, the first being as the hammer set when I found it, then once I got it loaded, and now finally in its temporary spot where I can go through it. It looks to be in excellent condition and I really don't think it was used after 68 when it was put in the shop I found it in. If anyone knows how to date a Bradley, I will also attach a photo of the serial number.

If anyone has any input or even any questions,  would like to hear either. 

 

 

That's quite a hunk o' machine you got there. Looking forward to seeing the restoration!

May I ask what you paid?

Nice looking compact.  It looks like it was in a time capsule. Even the cushions don't look bad. 

I'd rather not say what I paid for it, but it was a very good deal.  The cushions look to be in excellent shape other than some very light crazing, I'm getting all of the grime and dust out of the oil ports and debating on whether to paint it or keep it as is and just clean it a bit... I think that's the direction I'm headed.  I will post photos of the serial number and wrench later   

I guess compact is a relative term.  

Looks great.  can't wait to see it pounding. are there still cushions available if they fail?  I wonder if some spring replacements are ever done.  

 

You pretty much have to make your own cushions, but people make that much harder than it is.  That said, these cushions are in pretty good shape other than some like surface cracking but nothing deep

Congrats on procuring a beautiful hammer! Doesn’t look so compact to me!

If I win the lottery I want a Bradley and a Beudry, I always thought they were built very robust and there linkages are unique compared to most mechanicals. They scratch my engineers itch.

How were the prices on the Little Giant and other machinery there?

The Allen Bradley control box looks newer than 1968, did it have the date stamped inside like some do?

I haven't looked inside the switch, that's smart,  I will do that in a few minutes.  One of the family members took the Little Giant and the little bit of blacksmithing stuff that was around, I know there were a couple forges that he took as well.

did a ckean up,inspection and quickiepaint job 

Looks good both before and after the new paint... it sucks that they scrapped the dies and treadle.  That's so random, why the heck do folks do stuff like that?
I know that feeling of having "hammer fever" for sure.  The absolute knowledge that the machine you've been hunting for and now have found, is gonna be sniped out from under you by some %$&#head before you can get there to pay and pick it up... happened to me more than once.

Says the man with the Beaudry #9....

Have you finished restoring it and have running

I have A Bradley  100 as well, working unit,

Any idea what its worth.. .. I believe it came off a Navy ship....1920 ?

Very powerful unit....

Without knowing the location who could say?  45 quatloos perhaps?

Hello and welcome to the forum; if you have not already then you might want to read the (read this first thread) it’s full of useful information that can answer questions and help you navigate through the forum! 
 

on a side note we like pictures here!

It’s easier to help price a tool if we can look at it and know where it’s located, 

 

I have wondered what was the factory color on Bradley’s? Were they originally green? Mine had the vestiges of by black over. A stubborn red lead primer, but it was an 1897 model and colors might have changed.

Very nice hammer.  I've only seen one. So far. Now that I'm retired I get to spend some extra time searching for my grail hammer.. looks great. Keep us updated