[TheForge] Little Giant frame repair

[Andrew Vida]

Dragons Watch Forge wrote:
> 
> Hi Larry,
>     I was speaking with Bill Bastas about a simular problem one day and
> he told me about someone making "sow blocks" for the turkish air hammers
> that could be bolted down to the LG if you sawed off the old dove tail
> and drilled and tapped the base.  He also said something about the new
> sow block is make so it can be leveled to the ram before locking down.
> I won't see him again for a while but I think he can be reached at the
> art dept of Austin Community College.

	Well, as I recall, the new style LGs have a separate sow
	block for the bottom die, yes?  I would imagine that since
	the base is solid you could have it remachined square, a
	new dovetail cut, a sow block cut for it and voila.  I also
	suspect it would be pretty expensive, given you would have
	to find a shop with machines large enough to deal with
	work that large and heavy.  Not that many job shops would
	be able to do it.

	As for drilling and tapping, could you elaborate?  I'm not
	sure I'm understanding, but if you're suggesting that the
	block be bolted to the base of the hammer, I would not be
	in favor of that solution, the impacts and vibrations being
	what they are.  I'd hate to have that stuff come apart 
	during use.  Perhaps it is not likely, but with things like
	power hammers I don't like taking anything for granted.  I
	have had the upper dies come flying out of a small 25# hammer 
	on two occasions very suddenly.	It's not what I'd call a 
	great thrill.  YMMV