[TheForge] Air hammer return stroke

[Steve Smith]

So I'm still working on a self contained air hammer, although my 
question applies to other hammers as well.

When the ram is on the return, headed upward, it reaches a hard stop so 
that the air cylinder doesn't bung itself up. I'm trying to figure how 
to cushion the hard stop.

A spring seems like a good idea. Unfortunately, there is quite a bit of 
energy to absorb. If I did it right, I could do it with a stack of 
Belleville spring discs. This would run about $50 buying them from MSC. 
I sized them based on stopping the hammer in less than 1" travel (which 
makes for a lot of spring washers). The rod on the cylinder that the 
discs would go around is 1 1/8" diameter. A large coil spring would also 
work, but I don't have a source for one.

Any other suggestions out there?

Thanks,
Steve Smith