Beaudry foundation

[Ed Thomas]

Recently, there has been some off-line discussion about Beaudry-specific foundation requirements. The experience of Beaudry-owners in preparing a hammer for use is probably worth posting here, so please chime in with your own experience (not hearsay, please).

The original Beaudry foundation description and blueprints are rather impressive, including concrete, end-grain white oak posts, and substantial excavation. I no longer have those plans, but decided to use a simple reinforced concrete block about 3 feet deep and squared larger than the hammer footprint... a 200 pound #7.

For my hammer in progress, a 300 pound #40, I intend to go about the same depth... or until I run out of dirt.

My #7 seems to be fine on a sheet of plywood, but the #3 seemed better on some 2" yellow pine. The height of the anvil/bottom die on the #7 seems a decent working height... maybe could add up to 2" for my taste. The #40 will be fine without any elevation.

[patrick]

Ed,

While I don't own a Beudry, I do have a big Bradley as you know. The one similarity between the two machines is that the anvil is not integral to the frame of the hammer. In my experiece, a foundation 4' wide x 5' thick x 10' long is sufficient to support my hammer, but we can still feel the hammer run in the house. My house is is quite close to the shop and our neighbors, who are several hundred feet away do not feel it. I would think that the size and design of the foundation would be a function not only of the size of your hammer, but also of your particular situation e.g. proximity to neighbors, soil condition, etc.

Patrick

[HWooldridge]

I have a 100 lb Beaudry and it is on a slab that measures 6" larger than the footprint on all sides and 3 feet deep. I have 4x4's on top of the concrete and a 1" thick rubber pad on top of that. Our house is about 150 feet from the shop and my wife can hear the hammer but can't feel anything nor do the dishes rattle. I have also been in the shop while other people are running it and the impact can only be felt for about 20 feet around the hammer. Even then, it is not objectionable - but of course, it's only a 100 lb hammer. I had an opportunity to run a 500 LG and it would knock the dirt out of your fingernails.

I agree that soil conditions make a difference - wet weather seems a shade worse, probably from the moisture helping to conduct vibrations through the earth.

Edited July 3, 2008 by HWooldridge

[Lamey Knives]

Ed as you and Hollis know im in the process of buying a #7. Ive got 12" of concrete in the area that I want to install the hammer in my shop. Ive still not decided if im going to put the hammer in my current shop, or if it would actually be easier just to add on to my shop and start fresh with a proper and isolated slab under the hammer. IF in fact I add on to the shop and pour a hammer specific slab, im going 4' deep and at least 6" around the base of the hammer in all directions. Have some very thick/sturdy conveyer belting between the hammer and concrete. This is at least 1" thick and true Industrial belting, much "stiffer" than the horse matt stuff (that stuffs a bit soft in my view).

[SGropp]

My 200# Beaudry sits on a block of concrete 6' square by 2' deep. The hole was dug down to solid undisturbed hardpan,and lined with plastic sheet. I welded up an armature of about 150' of 3/4'' rebar with a square framework of 2x2 angle as screed strips. This frame was about 6'' bigger all around than the footprint of the hammer. I set the rebar armature in the hole with the screed strips about 2'' below finish grade of the dirt floor of the forge shop . Two 1'' nuts in pipe sleeves were also welded into the armature at the back corners of the footing as anchor points to drag the assembled hammer onto the foundation.
The hole was poured with 2 1/8 yards of 6 sack concrete with chopped nylon added. After screeding and troweling the surface smooth, the concrete was covered with wet cardboard and plastic and allowed th cure for 1 full month.
A piece of 1'' plate about 6'' bigger all around than the hammer footprint was prepared by boring and tapping 1'' threaded rods @ the bolt pattern of the hammer. These were also welded in place from the bottom and ground smooth. A series of about 20 3/4'' holes were bored around the edge of the plate with a mag drill.
A wood riser block 6'' thick about 2'' bigger all around than the hammer base was laminated up from pressure treated Doug Fir gluelams and reinforced with 5/8'' through bolts. This was banded with a piece of 3/16 '' steel flat. The bolt pattern of the hammer was laid out on the riser block and 2'' holes were bored for the 1'' threaded rods to pass through with some wiggle room. The riser block was attached to the steel base plate with several 5/8 bolts welded to the plate.
The base plate and riser assembly were set up level on a sturdy plank skidway outside the shop.
A large boom truck set the anvil block onto the riser and then set the hammer frame over that. Everything was lined up.The hammer was fastened down with big 2 flat washers , a lock washer and nut. A couple of comealongs attached to the cast in place anchor points were used to drag the hammer into position on the concrete pad.
The base plate was anchored down with about 20 5/8'' bolts set 6'' into drilled holes in the concrete block with Hilti epoxy. When the epoxy was fully cured, nuts and washers were set and torqued down. The base plate and bolt heads were backfilled with dirt to the finish grade of the floor, giving a finish die height of 36''
The foundation block is centered under the anvil of the hammer. Nothing moves, shakes or vibrates when the hammer is going full out.

[BAbsher]

I have a pit, 3.5' deep concrete, and a double stack of solid oak beams 8"x8"x2 at 5' long, gives me a 16" oak base, this comes roughly 1" above the finish floor level. This is for a #7

Recently, there has been some off-line discussion about Beaudry-specific foundation requirements. The experience of Beaudry-owners in preparing a hammer for use is probably worth posting here, so please chime in with your own experience (not hearsay, please).

The original Beaudry foundation description and blueprints are rather impressive, including concrete, end-grain white oak posts, and substantial excavation. I no longer have those plans, but decided to use a simple reinforced concrete block about 3 feet deep and squared larger than the hammer footprint... a 200 pound #7.

For my hammer in progress, a 300 pound #40, I intend to go about the same depth... or until I run out of dirt.

My #7 seems to be fine on a sheet of plywood, but the #3 seemed better on some 2" yellow pine. The height of the anvil/bottom die on the #7 seems a decent working height... maybe could add up to 2" for my taste. The #40 will be fine without any elevation.

[Dave Hammer]

Hwooldridge... Would you post a picture of your 100# Beaudry, and provide details about how you have anchored the anvil and frame?

Thanks....

[HWooldridge]

OK, DJ - it's in my gallery. Not a great pic but all I can give you until my wife gets home with the camera. I'll post some closeups later in the week.

[Dave Hammer]

Thanks HWooldridge... From the looks of it, your anvil base is at the same level at the base of the rest of the frame. Is that correct?

[HWooldridge]

Here are three more pics.

DJhammerd,

Yes, the anvil rests on the pad, same as the hammer frame. You reach through the holes in the frame to get to the nuts that secure the anvil on their respective pieces of all-thread.

[Dave Hammer]

Thanks for the additional photos...