Self contained hammers and VFD's

[Benona blacksmith]

So I was curious if it would/could possibly cause issues with my hammer running it at a lower RPM than recommended? Issues like not oiling enough or not being able to "pull" enough oil from the oiling system? I'm just curious because I experimented with slowing it down for a brief moment to drive a drift really slow....kinda like "pushing" the drift vs. driving it in. I have enough control as is. I was just curious if I felt the need to slow it down in the future I don't wanna damage anything.

 

Thank you

My hammer is a TZ runfa 88lb/40kg 

[Frosty]

I sure wouldn't. If you don't have enough control with the treadle you need more practice. A really good way to practice hammer control is to forge strap stock, say 1/4" x 1" on edge into square, then round. 1/8" is of course touchier but I've done it playing with a Nazel 3b. I'd never used one and I wasn't going to be there long so I was seeing what I could do on it. First I gave a piece of medium red, 1 1/4" square "Pure Iron" bar one seriously hard smack that reduced to a round spatula, cut the thin off and forged more down to about 1/8" thick I don't recall how wide, I didn't measure but somewhere between 3/4" and 1" wide and then forged it back down to square.

The control was so exquisite I get shivers remembering it now, 15 years later. 

I can't see a good reason to slow the motor and take any possible chance of oil problems, the gears and cylinder of that Nazel were fed from a crank shaft and the oil pump was supplied from splash off the main drive gear. I have no idea why they did it that way but . . . 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Benona blacksmith]

I have plenty of control....I just took one heat with it slowed down and I was absolutely amazed at the added control slowing it down a bit did. I can close a matchbox with it at it's full rated speed.  But if there is a possibility of it damaging my machine it's not worth it!!!

[marcusb]

I do not see how it would cause it any damage from a mechanic point of view. 

[basher]

I have run a few of my hammers at different speeds through a VFD , and you can most certainly get much finer control from a little slowing down of the hammer or indeed sometimes a little more power from very little speeding it up! I found that on the hammers I tried there was a sweet spot for power and a different slower one for best control.

I don't know how your oiler works (vacuum?) but I would monitor the oil consumption and check you are getting a film of oil to the front ram.

I have just purchases a VFD for my sahinler  110lb hammer to do just the same thing.

[Benona blacksmith]

Thank you for your input. I believe it runs on vaccum it is the "C41" just like the anyang but cheaper. I'm not sure if the oiler works the same but I did make sure it was dripping at one drop every 5-8 seconds like it is recommended.  I'm going to play with it and make sure the front ram (tup?) Is getting oil. I know when it was running faster than recommended it was an absolute animal but got quite warm!!!