Subject: HAMMER DIES AGAIN

From: "D. M. Dickie" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 96 08:48 PST

Thanks again to everyone out there who responded to my earlier posting
regarding flat dies for a 25# Little Giant.  The general consensus seems to
be (and I agree) that the hammer is too small to make much use of flat dies
and special tooling.  I had thought this from the beginning, but wanted the
opinions of those with more experience.  However, there have been a couple
of suggestions that I might investigate further; one being having a local
machine shop make some dies. 

This brings up another question - what would be a suitable steel for the
manufacture of power hammer dies?  Clifton Ralph doesn't mention (that I
recall) what steel he uses for forging hammer dies.  For a small hammer
perhaps something like a truck axle or a chunk from a fork-lift would have
enough mass to do the job.  What about heat treating?
If they were just macnined to shape rather than heated and forged, I would
assume they would not need any heat treatment?

Any of your thoughts on this would be of interest.

Thanks again, in advance!

D. M. (Mike) Dickie
Flatlander Forge

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From: [email-masked] (Raymond Coon)
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 10:56:08 -0800

>manufacture of power hammer dies?  
>
>D. M. (Mike) Dickie
>Flatlander Forge
>
I'm sure no expert but it seems that one of the S series steels might be
appropriate.  These are high shock resistance type steels such as those used
for jack-hammer bits, etc.  Just my guess.

Raymond Coon
Portland, OR

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From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 1996 16:36:12 -0500

Hammer dies: Try D-2, that's what that steel was designed for...In fact the
"D" in D-2 means Die Steel..

DrH

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From: [email-masked] (MR WILLIAM A HOCHELLA)
Date: Sat, 27 Jan 1996 09:04:46 EST

To All,
WARNING! D-2 is a die steel BUT it is a cold work die steel that is 
designed to punch or shear relative thin strip. Yes, it is extemely 
wear resistent but not very hard, all things considered. It is high 
chrome and high carbon. It is also very hard to machine, grind, etc. 
It is very fussy about heat treatment and it is EXPENSIVE! D-2 is not 
known for its impact resistance. The S-series may be overkill. The 
4340 / 4150 class of low alloy steels are a lot more forgiving, less 
expensive, easier to heat treat and are a lot tougher if tempered 
properly. "Tool" when added to steel does not make it better for all 
applications.

Reagrds,

Bill Hochella