[TheForge] treadle hammer design (was: treadle hammer anvils)

Thu Jan 9 14:16:00 2003

Bob,

I wish I could demo the Grasshopper for you.  I have not been able to =
conduct a comparison of it to any but the Kirkpatrick hammer (over which =
it has a number of advantages) but I'm personally convinced it hits harder =
than other hammers, NOT because of the linear motion, etc., BUT because =
the head is weightless.  There's no question that using a standard (e.g., =
Spencer swing-arm type) TH is tiring because you have to fight those =
springs the whole time.  It makes a big difference NOT to have the springs =
fighting you, adding to the work.

Anyway, I suspect that THAT is the reason tube-type anvils are acceptable =
on some TH's.  The hammers are simply not living up to their potential as =
tools.  I think the performance of the Grasshopper WOULD suffer if it had =
a hollow anvil.

I do agree that any treadle hammer makes an excellent striker.  The =
pairing of a TH with a smithing magician is a truly excellent tool for the =
shop.  The Grasshopper can take top and bottom tools and strike with =
sufficient precision that in principal a smithing magician shouldn't be =
needed.  The problem with this set-up is that the stock tend to bounce.  =
It proved quite difficult to keep a piece in place on the lower die, =
though if I were feeling clever I might rig some apparatus to reduce the =
bounce of the stock.  A smithing magician obviates this.

 I've seen Clay's presentation, detailing the advantages of short tools, =
all of the same size.  He makes an excellent point.  Short tools are =
safer, too, as Clay points out, since they are less likely to be kicked =
out sideways.

Still, there's no question that the swing-arm limits you.  I really like a =
TH that has a long stroke with lots of clearance over and around the =
anvil.

I've seen devices to raise the effective height of the anvil on a =
swing-arm TH.  Simple.  But I wonder whether anyone has ever tried =
LOWERING the striking surface of the hammer instead.  I would envision a =
2"dia Acme bolt, 1/4" threads, screwing into a series of nuts which are =
welded firmly onto the hammer carriage.  Rotate the hammer head 4 =
revolutions and it strikes 1" higher or lower.

Bruce
Nj

>> [email protected] 01/09/03 12:01PM >>>
bruce,

i tend to agree with you but there do seem to be a lot of tube anvil t =
hammers out there doing good work. i have a solid anvil t hammer in my =
shop and in spite of the 240lb anvil it seems to be a really inefficient =
way of moving metal (with a 70+lb head). i think the t hammer really shows =
it's stuff in use as a striker for hand held tooling. in that app a solid =
240lb anvil is less important i think.

also someone else mentioned that the kirkpatric t hammer doesn't adjust =
for different height work/tooling. i used to think this was a big problem =
but i have changed my opinion on that.

my t hammer is a spencer style swing arm. at first i did adjust the head =
but over a period of time i made all my tools about 4" long. now i can =
work in the range of material i usually work without raising lowering the =
head. the shmirler book with the picture of a treadle hammer has provisions=
 for swing away anvils to accomodate a variety of work/tooling lengths.

thanks for all the response.

bob s.
__________

>Bob,
>
>Have you ever seen a Peter Wrong anvil?  There's one hanging overhead in =
Gichner's store that's very convincing.  You'd think it's solid to look at =
it.  It's actually fabbed out of sheet metal, maybe 16-ga.
>
>How'd  you like to do all your work work on that anvil instead of, say, a =
Peter Wright anvil.
>
>Nuff said?
>
>Bruce
>NJ
>
>>>> [email protected] 01/09/03 09:14AM >>>
>i am building a treadle hammer for a friend. he is not sure whether to go =
with a solid anvil or a tube type. it seems that most commercially =
available t hammers have tube anvils with a plate on top, centaur, =
kirkpatric (the same?) and the one advertised in the hammers blow.
>
>are there others that can be bought?
>
>any opinions on the functional difference between solid or tube anvils? =
the guy i am making it for is concerned about moving it (weight). he lives =
in a flood plain and his shop has 7' of water in it some springs. he =
usaully loads thing up and moves it to high ground till the water goes =
down.
>
>bob s.
>
>
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