[TheForge] Power Hammer Dies... revisited

[Cameron Stoker]

I'd use one of the chrome-molly steels 4140/4130 for the dies - it=20
should be lots cheaper than the h13. You shouldn't need an air=20
hardening hot work steel for you hammer dies, unless you get them up to=20=

1000 degrees while working them (that must make for a really long day=20
forging big stock). The 4140 should get plenty hard for hammer dies. =20
It may even have a bit of a built in saftey factor in that it would be=20=

more difficult to over harder the dies made from it.

You can get the 4140 from carpenterdirect.com for about $0.70/lb.  I=20
don't know if your $110 /die for the h13 included machining to size,=20
dovetails, etc. If so, that's not bad.

I reecently ordered a 3' bar of 3" 4130 round for about $20 to make=20
some roller dies.
I was planning on trying to forge the scraps into rectangular blocks to=20=

make hammer dies out of.
We'll see how it goes.

				Cameron Stoker
				cameron@stoker.net
				"May you run like a vicu=F1a!"
				pgp key @ http://keys.stoker.net