Old style/manual power hammer

[Bully]

I recently saw a small segment of video footage showing a blacksmith operating a large hammer with his foot (possibly a demo at a museum) does anyone know what this is called/era used and any advice/plans as to the possiblity of building one. I can only assume it is spring loaded or similiar. I have an idea as to how I can build one but if the wheel has already been invented I may only need to modify and or adapt. Thanks Bully

After a little bit more research I think of found it a Treadle Hammer??

After further research on Treadle Hammers perhaps I jumped into the idea of building one a little to soon, never mind I like to set high goals that way I can always reduce them and yet still have a win...

[matt87]

Try looking for oliver hammers. They are a traditional replacement mainly for a helper/striker when using set tools, not a viable power hammer replacement.

[RBrown]

There not hard to build. I built mine from pictures and scrap does it work perfect no but it works. you could look at the ollie hammer - Blacksmith Photo Gallery doesnt get much simpler than that. i intend to build one simmilar to that one at some point.

[ThomasPowers]

please see below

Edited January 30, 2009 by ThomasPowers
double clutched

[ThomasPowers]

Treadle hammers can be a handy thing in the modern shop depending on what you are making but thay are much more common nowdays than "back then" as we no longer have strikers in our shops. As far as my research goes the power hammer predates the treadle hammer by 900 years or so. So not too old as far as smithing tools go.

Certain crafts like chain making did use olivers these last couple of centuries but the earliest powerhammer, a tilt hammer, I have seen a report on was around 900 AD.

The great thing about treadle hammers is that you can home build them pretty easily.

First thing you need to decide is if you want a swing arm or in-line version---based on what you want to use it for.