Simple but heavy treadle hammer

[BartW]

Hello Everybody;

 

 

Just wanted to showcase a reasonably heavy treadle hammer. It started life as a guided helve hammer; but the central column isn't strong enough for that.

So after some pondering; I turned it into a treadle hammer. And I specifically didn't choose the guided hammer type; but this type; because I had the option to make the arms really long; so the arc is from the user perspective almost a straight line. the anvil is a train axle; the hammer is a solid bar mild steel (3cm x 8cm x 100cm). I machines the hinges, the axles (30mm), the bearings (machined teflon) all myself on my lathe as practice, I plan to start on a real tire hammer next summer. One picture shows the hammer; the other shows it in use. The pictures are deceiving; the hammer and the anvil really do line up straight vertically, and the arms are perfectly parallel.

It hit a LOT harder then you would expect; especially in the second and the third hit when you are building up momentum.

Now if anyone sees room for improvement, please tell me. 

 

P.S. yes, there's also a log-splitter press conversion; I'm waiting for longer hoses to mount it vertically.

 

[lyuv]

I"m fantasizing about such a hammer for some time, and this looks like a design I can actualy make. Thanks for sharing.

A little suggestion: seems the top horizonal beam is there "only" to keep the hammer vertical. If so, this is a light duty job, that can be done by a light weight beam (aluminum or wood).

A heavy beam "steals" momentum and energy.