Pictures of the Build! What a job.

THANK YOU Kurt and Jake. I sincerely appreciate your friendship.

Enjoy the progress pics. Some final adjusts, wiring, clutch rigging. It will be HAMMER TIME!!!

No ..... that's not the Bangles. But we "Egyptian...ed" that hammer into place, slick as a wooden roller. Towards a ton of steel there with the motor, spring arms, counter weights, flywheel, shafts and bearings. And placed deep inside the building and "on top of" a 3/4" thick rubber "Stall Mat" ..... some say with the precision only achieved by Alien Engineers!!!

"Walk like an Egypti..."

Gary

Gary
It was most enjoyable getting you hammered ! Hehe
There was almost 140 years of experience involved ( not counting miss Kelly ) in erecting that hammer . We all had great input and worked like a team and a well oiled machine . I also got some good quality time with friends and family .
Why is it that the tractors( mine included )never have enough to lift the task at hand ? The old pry bar and fulcrum and some ingenuity borrowed from days of old ALWAYS WORKS . Jake and myself will always remember the great weekend we helped a master bladesmith & friend get his tools back where they deserve to be .

Thanks
Kurt

I am extremely honored.

You guys have infused that cold steel with many warm memories.

Gary

Wow, that sure does look like a lot of effort. I am very curious to see how it works as I have seen a few videos on YouTube. The principles seem easy but what engages the hammer to strike? Idler wheel?

Nice of Kurt & Jake to lend a hand. The power hammer will really benefit Barnes to be able to make Damascus blades once again.

Hope it's running this week, forge is next?

Glad everything went smooth and no injuries!

Pedro

Hi Pedro,

The hammer is "thrown" with a "snap". If you think about it, it doesn't have just a "fixed stroke". That would be a Punch Press if it had a fixed travel each time. Also - then it would have to squeeze everything to one fixed dimension to complete its stroke.

Now ... if you look at this, note the "A" arm assembly with the big coil spring across the A bar. Then note that the vertical "hammer" is slung from the ends of that A frame.

Now, the big eccentric counterbalance swings the A frame. The speed and timing of the engagement determines the force of the SNAP! The hammer is thrown, it compresses the A arm linkage. The momentum of the hammer weight determines how much compression is generated in the coil spring. The hammer strikes and is jerked back by the spring compression, thru the linkage, and the eccentric top shaft Crank pitman.

To activate, there is a 100 pound flywheel that is in motion at all times, driven by a 5 hp electric motor. Then there is a flat belt up to the crankshaft. An idlier on that belt between flywheel and top crank wheel, activates each stroke. A foot petal operates the idlier. The flywheel belt to crank shaft is critical. It must slip most of the time. Grab when wanted. Immediately release afterwards.

There are so many things that must be tuned and timed perfectly. It's a complex machine. Hah. Built it when I was 26. Neat.

So glad to have it back.

Gary

Gary,

I think I get how it works. I am aware that hammers aren't a fixed stroke. Thanks for explaining in detail.

Built at age 26! Wow, I wasted my 20's to an extent and here you are building that!

Enjoy the week,

Pedro

Btw ..... there is some shielding that goes on the hammer yet. It's not safe to run as shown here. Those tie rods could kill you when it's in motion.

Gary

Guys,

I've seen a few videos of heavy machinery being moved with steel round stock and pry bars. Great job.

I can't wait to see a video of that thing in action.

Lon