Subject: Blacksmith's Power Hammer

From: [email-masked] (Daryl Bender)
Date: 11 May 1995 21:16:09 GMT

I was surfing the tube a couple nights ago and saw (on Harrowsmith
Countrylife) a blacksmith on the east coast of Canada. One of the things he
had was a flat belt driven power hammer (first time I've seen a power
hammer work). It would free-wheel then suddenly start to hammer.
I'm curious as to how the hammer free-wheels and how power is engaged. The
best I could think of is a foot pedal controlling the squeezing of bands on
a planetary transmission. Is this how its done?  
What would one of these things cost?

Daryl
-- 
Working but not speaking for BNR

---

From: [email-masked] (Ed Schutz)
Date: 12 May 1995 00:06:22 GMT

Daryl Bender ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I was surfing the tube a couple nights ago and saw (on Harrowsmith
: Countrylife) a blacksmith on the east coast of Canada. One of the things he
: had was a flat belt driven power hammer (first time I've seen a power
: hammer work). It would free-wheel then suddenly start to hammer.
: I'm curious as to how the hammer free-wheels and how power is engaged. The
: best I could think of is a foot pedal controlling the squeezing of bands on
: a planetary transmission. Is this how its done?  
: What would one of these things costs?

: Daryl

Usually, a flat belt is tightened by a foot pedal connected to a lever
which pushes an idler pulley against the belt, thus tightening it between
the drive pulley and the pulley mounted on the hammer.  It's surprising
how much contol you have with this method.  Step down hard and the hammer
hit hard and fast, let up on the pedal and the hammer slows down and
strikes lightly. 

The cost of a used hammer is whatever the seller wants for it.  I've seen 
them go for just over $100 and as much as a couple grand.  New ones are 
out of sight.

Ed schutz
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (william thomas powers)
Date: 11 May 1995 21:17:55 -0400

>: What would one of these things costs?

Daryl; I have owned 3 different powerhammers each one of which
had a different method of transferring power from the belt to the
ram.

1) Little Giant; had maple "brake shoes" inside of the large rear
wheel.  Stepping on the bail brought the maple pieces against the 
inside of the  large rear wheel transferring force from it to the main shaft.
Note this is a slipping system; the ammount of slip is inversly
proportional to the speed/force of the ram.

2) Brand X; never found a maker's mark on this hammer.... This hammer
had a "clutch plate".  It had what looked like a circle of brake shoe
material mounted on a plate that the bail would push the large rear wheel's
back face against and so transfer power, (both were concentricly mounted)
Again slip in the system controls speed/force.

3) Champion,  This hammer, unlike the others, had the large rear wheel
firmly fixed to the main shaft.  The belt is mounted loosely on
it and the motor and slips until the bail is depressed. Then an idler
pully takes up the slack and the now tightened belt transfers power.
Slip is between the belt and the large rear wheel.

I'm sure that other methods existed too;  pesky smiths always ready
and willing to tinker up anything....could you hand me that spanner;
the arc welder and a 9 pound sledge--my keyboard just doesn't seem
to be mounted right...

Thomas Powers
(in awe of the friend with a 250# little giant until he met another
with a 600# steam hammer!)
Columbus Ohio