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Power hammer build


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In an effort to get some more control of the hammer, I decided to try something a little different. A V belt is not made to slip, and makes a lousy clutch. A flat belt would work better, but it's still a clutch. 

I figured that varying the distance of the drive linkage to the fulcrum might be an option since that will change the distance that the hammer travels. I tried a number of configurations that didn't work well, but finally got something to work pretty good. It aint perfect, but it does vary the amount of impact on the work. 

I built a sliding roller which pulls the linkage in towards the fulcrum to increase the travel of the hammer. This works against a spring which returns the linkage (upon the release of the foot lever) to a spot out on the lever where the hammer oscillates without making contact with the anvil.

This is the "neutral" position

jR0B05k.jpg

This is the engaged position

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The roller is screwed into a piece of 1 X 1 solid bar stock, which slides through the 1 1/4" tubing. Steel cable is attached to the end of it and run down to the foot pedal. 

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I got rid of the spring rocker and used a solid piece of 1/2" X 2.5" steel instead. I built a spring into the hammer to take any excessive shock load off the drive train.

oKTri4N.jpg

And because I know someone would want to see a video, I made one of those too...

 

 

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"So it only has one speed?" No, it has two speeds: on and off. If I wanted to vary the speed I'd have to get a VFD or a pneumatic drive system. It's simply a proof of concept for a possible alternative to a clutch. 

"I'm not see much snap to it either." If you watch the drive rollers in the video, you'll notice that they only extend about half way up the lever. I wasn't running it full tilt. I was running it at the amount of impact I wanted at that time, which is the whole point of the mechanism. 

I can now feather the drive so I get a nice point on a taper instead of a squished mess, or I can run it hard to move a lot of metal. I have a whole lot more control than with that lousy clutch I had.

I consider it an improvement.

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Thanks Mr. Ewert for sharing this!  I have zero experience with power hammers, but I like it!  I see you mentioned a VFD to control the speed, I was wondering if that would benefit the hammer as I watched the video.  Regardless, I think it's great as is.  Thanks again for posting the videos!

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Thanks KS, glad you like it. I didn't know anything about power hammers before I built it either. My method of learning is to build one, and by the end I know exactly how they work. 

I have a pneumatic build just starting. Mechanical hammers move plenty of metal, but air hammers have so much more control. 

I think a VFD is a waste of money. A decent clutch will do the same job, for a lot less money. 

 

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22 hours ago, KS Guy said:

Did you start, or are you planning on starting a thread for your pneumatic hammer build?  I'd love to follow along, if you are willing to post up your progress!  

I thought about it, maybe if a few people are interested I will. I just get tired of the negative comments here when I don't build things the conventional way. 

5 hours ago, Judson Yaggy said:

If you are ever in Vermont, I would like to invite you to my shop to run both air and antique mechanical hammers side by side.  

I'd love to if I ever get up your way. Thanks 

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1 minute ago, Ted Ewert said:

I thought about it, maybe if a few people are interested I will. I just get tired of the negative comments here when I don't build things the conventional way. 

That's understandable.  I'm unconventional in most things I do, so I get what you mean.  At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding, and you proved your way worked with this build.  There's multiple ways to do things, and some (people in general) seem to forget that.  Well I for one, would love to see what you come up with.  

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16 hours ago, Judson Yaggy said:

If you are ever in Vermont, I would like to invite you to my shop to run both air and antique mechanical hammers side by side.  

What Judson isn't telling you is that he's an absolute master on the power hammer. I've seen him use the mechanical hammer to take a piece of 5/8" round down to 1/4" x 3/8" and then taper that to about 3/16" square at the narrow end, chamfered on all sides, perfectly smooth, and with no dents or bulges, all in one heat. (Then he turned to me, the guy who'd never used a power hammer in his life, and said, "Okay, your turn!")

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Looking forward to it!

(Oh, and I still use those tongs we made A LOT.)

Just now, ThomasPowers said:

I assume you stepped up and declaimed a praise ode in ancient Greek  to his prowess and then said "your turn"?

No, I was there to learn, not to show off. (And there's a lesson I wish I'd learned earlier in life: good teachers are a lot more impressed by how well you learn than by what you already know.)

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On 2/25/2020 at 8:46 PM, KS Guy said:

That's understandable.  I'm unconventional in most things I do, so I get what you mean.  At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding, and you proved your way worked with this build.  There's multiple ways to do things, and some (people in general) seem to forget that.  Well I for one, would love to see what you come up with.  

I'm actually building a design by Joshua De Lisle. It's a very simple hammer, but just what I want. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfJFDZTZTqc

I'm in the process of collecting materials. There is a construction site close to my work with a large dumpster marked "metal only". I talked to the foreman and he told me to take all I want. Golden words! It may take a while, but as soon as I get all the pieces I'll stat a new build thread.

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  • 4 months later...

Hey Ted, I just wanted to say good luck with the build(altho' u've probs finished it now) and also that ive really enjoyed reading this thread. Im guessing your a bit like me in the fact that u like to experiment with your own idea's before copying somebody else's. What do u do for a living Ted?

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