A look at my power hammers
Power hammers are a common piece of equipment in toidays blacvksmith shop. Today I will take a brief look at the two hammers I use in my small shop. One ios a 25 pound little giant and the second is a 90 pound Bull hammer. I am a firm believer that one should develope skills with a hand hammer before adding a power hammer to the shop.
Thank you for watching. Black Bear Forge is a small one person shop located in Southern Colorado.
If you would like to provide financial support to my KZhead channel visit
www.paypal.me/BlackBearForge
Find my shop on line at:
www.blackbearforge.com
www.blackbearforge.etsy.com
/ blackbearforge
/ black-bear-forge-20986...
The following list provides just a few resources to help you find supplies and equipment for blacksmithing.
www.piehtoolco.com/
www.centaurforge.com/
www.blacksmithsdepot.com/
www.blacksmithbolt.com/
www.oldworldanvils.com/
www.abana.org/
www.mcmaster.com
Blacksmithing and related activities can be hazardous. These videos are not a substitute for competent professional instruction. Your safety is your sole responsibility. Always use appropriate safety equipment including eye and ear protection when working in the shop. Follow manufactures safety guidelines for the use of all equipment. In the event something shown in one of these videos seems unsafe, it is up to you to make the appropriate changes to protect yourself.
I have a home built hammer air drive. Running 60 lbs. Great for drawing out. Made for under $75. And a lot of good scrap materials
Thank you Sir!
Enjoyed your presentation. All good , much needed information.
Love that bull! Thanks as always John.
Thanks for the info.
Super Video, fine Power Hammers!! I love Power Hammers!!
Thank you For the safety concerns I have are like that. It was nice to see you around your shop. I’ll stay tuned.
Real nice video,Thank you
Very well said about learning to use the hammer first on the anvil before getting a powerhammer
I have PLENTY of work to do but I do indeed look forward to a smashing machine someday. Little giant 25lb what a marvelous invention for the home Smith.
Looks like my shop . 150 Phoenix,same guy that built the bull. A 1916 25 lbs little giant and #6 fly press like yours as well.
Very helpful thanks for sharing. Ill dream about those 200+ pound hammers as well hahaha.
I was so curious about this hammer as I saw it during the "Treadle Hammer" video. I am so intrigued on this machine when I saw it. I am glad you made a video on the machine "Little Giant"! Thanks so much! I have to confess, that the oldest on a family farm, we did travel 100+ miles roughly to what is called "Thrashing Bee's." Guys, Gals or groups took weeks in advance to somehow move these gigantic 20 ton steam powered machines, some stationary and some mobile under their own power. But it ran the entire gamitt of a hundred machine's with 6 tom flywheels, leather drive belts to operate other machines. These where just engines adapted from the "Gold Industry" to lift hammers to break rocks into dust and then chemical bathes. But these machines stuck in my brain and will stay with me the rest of my life. I would look online to find these to attend again as I know they are from West of Des Moines, IA., to Tonginoxy KS. west of Fort Leavenworth. Thanks for stirring that memory! I love it... Bless you and best of health to you & yours. Omaha!
At 70 years old and only starting to learn blacksmithing I may never fully develop hammer and anvil skills. I now have a 96 lb Peter Wright anvil but there may be a small power or treadle hammer in my near future. Real nice job your doing on this channel.
Thanks Jim. Both the treadle hammer and the power hammer can really save some wear and tear on your body.
Great advice and you're correct you can only get so much from KZhead. You have to get out and swing a hammer as I am learning
The "Little Giant" at the museum that I've mentioned to you went into service in July of 1915, according to Roger at the Little Giant shop. It is still a very serviceable unit, and I've used it quite a bit, mostly this fall to pound on RR spikes for knives at our museum's gift shop. It definitely cuts down the time necessary to draw out the blades. The old hammer has developed a sticky clutch, which I'll have to address soon. The DVD set available from the Little Giant shop is quite well done and very informative. It is a bit expensive though, at a little over $100. I believe that the DVDs will help me keep the old hammer in good working order. Thanks again for the heads-up about the existence of the Little Giant shop.
I have had a few clutch issues. One of the problems was actually the linkage at the picot was binding. It is also important to oil the clutch so that it slips as needed.
Along the way, the hammer at the museum has had some work done to it. One of the modifications is the addition of a spring adjustment and a turnbuckle adjustment on the linkage. I'm going to experiment with that before I tear into the clutch assembly. You are correct; the lubrication of the clutch is very important. I find that getting oil to the clutch surface is not easiest thing to do. I have oil all over the thing.
I am about to build a Clay Spencer Tire Hammer and also a Treadle Hammer. Not sure where I am going to fit them in my workshop :)
You will surely find room. They are both very useful tools
..Good introduction into the world of Power Hammers Mr. John!! I about reckon you could sit there at the table and say " yadda, yadda, yadda" for 20 minutes and i would still like the video. How hard is it to work with Stainless Steel?? I have a project to do and haven't tried it yet. It's a BBQ set, Spatula, Meat Hook, Fork and Tongs...
I have done very little with stainless.
That little giant is scary!
Here is a question, would a treadle hammer count as time at the anvil or working by hand, or would you consider the treadle hammer to be more like a power hammer?
I see no reason to segregate the tools into categories. But since the treadle hammer is human powered, I don't think of it as a power hammer
@@BlackBearForge following that train of thought could a tredle hammer becoming a crutch like a power hammer could?
I gotta say, I’m surprised you have no spring guard or brake on your LG. Ever have a spring chase you around the shop? I made a neat round guard with vintage heavy woven rod filler. Rides with the ram. The brake is so helpful and a real safety measure as well. I used the strap and hardware from LG to fab mine. Wouldn’t think of using a mechanical hammer without either. I’m a big bold 60 year old tuff guy but a bare hammer scares hell out of me!
You are right that it is something I need to add. Although I have been around lots of people with old mechanical hammers and no one has ever had that severe failure. Everyone I know that has had a spring break reports it just stayed in place. But one of these days I'll make a guard as a video topic.
Black Bear Forge I’m confused by spring brake. Is that what we did when college let out in springtime? My brake is a belt that wraps over the counterweight. When you press the treadle the brake releases. Super easy to make the ram stop with the dies fully open. It has never stayed applied. I’ll try and find a way to send you photos. Indeed a great video project! Thanks!
Your previous comment was regarding a guard to provide safety in the event of spring breakage, when a spring breaks it comes apart into two or more pieces. I am familiar with the band brake you are referring to, I just don't have one. If the LG was the only hammer I used then I would have a the brake, not as a safety feature but to improve control. I have the control I need under the air hammer or treadle hammer and am quite satisfied with the LG not having that level of control. Its all in what you are doing with a particular piece of equipment. Some day, when I have the time, I will probably add the brake.
Got ya! Yes the control is a real plus. And a safer hammer as well. If it “lets go” then stepping off the treadle stops the thing instead of broken arms spinning in front of you. All good and great videos. I do want to go farther with sucker rod some day. We have miles of it here in Texas and build many things from it. I just bought a load of 1” new rod for corrals that is 3130 chromoly. Very durable, etc. I make my tongs from 3/4 4342. Sucker rod is a Gift from the Gods!
I have to admit, power hammers scare me, no guards, lots of force, one mistake and you wont be able to count to 10 anymore.......happy to keep to the hand hammers for the moment.
Hand hammers and if you're lucky a striker, will get you through most projects.
it's no different than any other power tool. if you don't respect what it is capable of doing and understand how to harness the forces than it can hurt you. of course of you have a inexperienced striker a simple sledge can make for a bad day to. lots of carpenters around me missing fingers. If you use common sense and exercise good judgement you will be ok.
thats why I am inclined to go with a fly press, slower, but more precise and quieter.
I have a chinese hammer uses a lot of oil
do you have a treadle hammer
Yes, you see it in many of my videos. Here is a video link on that hammer kzhead.info/sun/jLGMnMujkJ18fJ8/bejne.html