[TheForge] Responses to "Possible new TH design"

[Cameron Stoker]

Thought I should respond to this thread -

I bought a set of plans from Bruce several years ago for the=20
grasshopper hammer, and they sat quietly for some time, but about a=20
month ago I ended up needing to clean out my scrap pile, and realized=20
there were many shapes of stock appropriate for the GH. Spent about two=20=

and a half weeks of more off than on working at building the=20
grasshopper hammer, and finished it about the beginning of this month.=20=

I took some photos of the building at several stages, and one or two of=20=

the finished hammer. I'll see about posting them to the photo site.

I have since been very busy and haven't been working on projects where=20=

a treadle hammer was the appropriate tool so I have probably only used=20=

the hammer for about an hour.  The bearings are just starting to=20
break-in and get really smooth - I sometimes just bounce the head a bit=20=

while waiting between heats because it's fascinating to watch the=20
mechanism work.

I think this hammer will really come into its prime when I've had time=20=

to make a few die sets. I mainly just used it with some top tools over=20=

a lead block to clean up lines in some bronze repouse. Very nice to=20
have the all the adjustments available.  The action is very smooth.

Thanks Bruce




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