I have two of the best friends a guy can have. They are driving over a thousand miles to come here, and help me assemble and raise my Power hammer.

Keep in mind, that Power Hammer is key to me keeping the lights on while I complete all of the Airguns stored in parts. Double Yay!!!! Knives involve less time. You know I can't spend 3-6 weeks making an extra Airgun here and there, for income. And many would be mad it I did. Heck, many are mad that I decided to live in chronic pain Daily. So I think a flow of knives will help. Wish us luck. That hammer has been laying there in parts for five years. It takes a couple of special friends to come help me with it. And, they are skilled friends. They understand machinery. That's what is needed.



There is going to be some New Damascus Steel coming out of these shops. Perhaps some weekend seminars too! Let's go!!!

Gary

Btw .... I made this hammer, when I was 26, in 1980. From odds and ends, salvaged steel from Frederick County Bridge replacement at that time. That means those I beams had been thru a lifetime of Bridge usage, before I got them. I bought a new motor and bearings. I bought salvage - probably 125+ year old flat belt pulleys and flywheels. From Frederick City factories or Mills that were torn down to make way. It was sold by the pound for scrap. I bought it for 10 cents a pound at "Reliable Junk Co." in Frederick City. Back when they'd let you climb their piles of steel and root out pieces. "Just don't start an avalanche of scrap steel and kill yourself or others doing the same thing."

I looked at a couple of old commercial power hammers, and then designed a machine that I felt I could build with my tools. It started by settingbthe three steel I beams in 3 1/2 feet of rock and concrete. Then fabricating parts to my design and modified by what I could find.

In February of 1980, I'd had the house I was renting - burn. While I was at a Pennsylvania Knife Show, the upper stories of the rental house, burned; and collapsed into the lower story and into my basement shop. I'd made 99 knives at Braddock Heights, Maryland. They are marked ....



..... like this! I've gathered/kept a few thru the years. They are rare.

I never had a Forge at the Westminster, Westminster 2, Winfield, or Braddock Heights shops. But as soon as I got my recovered tools off the flat bed trailer, and into the one car 100 year old garage at New Windsor .... it was "Game On!"

Now .... finally .... in my Nineth Pro. Shop .... my Hammer and Anvil will ring again!



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2017 07:52PM by barnespneumatic.

That is one killer looking machine. I'll bet she'll really make blood squirt out from under your fingernail ifin your not careful. Do you ever cold forge with it or does metal have to be red hot all the time ? I'm sure there's a BIG learning curve when running that and getting used to it .

Thanks
Kurt

Can't wait to use it again.

No cold work.

Yellow heat down to yellow orange heat. Red is too cold to move well without high risk of fracture.

That hammer became sooo natural. I'd look at the steel, and the hammer did what I was thinking.

Gary

It sounds like a fun time getting the hammer going again. I wish I could come help.
I look forward to seeing the final products.

Scott

Thanks Scott,

Yes Sir! I am really looking forward to using my hammer! For many years, in Maryland; I couldn't use it. The town changed around me. It just seemed too raw and loud to use it. Now, my shop is isolated in the woods. It is spray foam insulated top to bottom. And the hammer will have a thick rubber mat between base plate and concrete. I hope that lets less noise outside the shop. I'm not inside the City limits anyway.

Can't wait to wind it up. I really appreciate the help. What a job it was taking it down. Disassembling it. Dolling it into a trailer and transporting it down here 1,100 miles. Then offloading it and having it lay on the shop floor for years. It's "Hammer Time!"

Gary

Very nice that you have assistance with getting the power hammer going! Like to see it in action.

Hope it all went well!

Pedro

Hi Pedro

Yeah .... it's like waiting for Christmas. I'm very excited to have help and know I'm going to have one of the two biggest keys to clearing the log jam in the lower shop. That is a wonderful building. And, for all these years I've been using such a small part of its potential.

Our plan here was sooooo much better than I've been able to demonstrate. But, our plan might just start up and run!!!! Prayers

Gary