[TheForge] Re: More air hammer pics up

[Mike Spencer]

Andy> The hammer appears to be in rather good condition, especially
Andy> considering it sat out and full of water for years.

Yes. Amazingly so.  Worst things so far are the guide plate (easily
fixable) and the small end bush (hope it will be okay).

Andy> As for lube, would a positive pressure affair be desirable?

I think so.

Andy> I was thinking if you would gun drill the crank with a small oil
Andy> gallery and feed oil through the crank to the bearing, you would
Andy> have a great oiling system.

I hope not to take the crank out, at least not until I know it's going
to work at all.  Together with that big gear, it would be very
awkward.  The main crank bearings are lubed from oil tanks on either
side.  But I'm trying to figure out how to fix up an oil pump for the
conrod bearings.  The conrod is already bored in such a way as to make
that doable.  Still at the munbling & muttering stage.

Frosty> I don't see a machined flat and the square section on the tup
Frosty> isn't long enough. How is the tup guided?

The flat(s) on the tup are down and out of sight in the photos.  A
heavy tapered bar with a bronze bearing plate runs crossways through
the hammer body and slides against a matching wedge in the main
casting.  By adjusting nuts on either end of the bar, it presses the
bronze plate more or less firmly against the tup.  The bearing plate
is fubar'd but I have some new bearing bronze, new 1/2 flathead allen
screws, helicoiled buggered attachment holes.  The flats on the tup
are fine despite having rubbed on the old screw heads.

Frosty> I just had a thought! (I'll continue once the laughter dies down,
Frosty> thank you.  <grin>)

I had one them thangs once.  Got me in deep trouble. ;-)

Frosty> How about audio recording the A&O's first blows in too many
Frosty> years for posterity and putting it on your page?

I like that.  I could also have an "adult" audio section for some of
the language that will likely be used while getting the lower die
refitted. :-)

All Real Soon Now.  This week the gardens have pre-empted my time.

- Mike