[TheForge] steam hammers

[Bob Cook]

Dave and Ralph, 

     I work at the Stelco plant in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. We used to be called "Hilton Works" but the way corporate restructuring is these days I think they rename us every 6 months or so;) In its heyday there were upwards of 13,000 people employed in the plant, but it is now downsized to approx. 4500. We are the unionized work force in town, Local 1005 USWA since 1946, and the other steel company in town is Dofasco which also employs about 5000 people. 
     Stelco has lost approx.168 million dollars in the past year and there are rumours that they may file for bankruptcy and shed there "legacy costs" ie: pensions and benefits, just like they did at Bethlehem Steel, and then reinvent themselves under yet another name. I can only hope that there is a pension for me when my time comes.
     To answer your question about the gear blanks, which were made of 1045 mat'l, sometimes 4140, I must tell you upfront that all sizes are approximations.
     Take 6" rd. stock cut 14"lg and upset to 6" high by 12" dia. Punch a 4" hole in the centre and then reheat. Set up a saddle and mandrel under the hammer and "ring out" the mat'l with blows all around the outside,constantlly turning it on the mandrel and also turning front to back to keep it square. It would go out of round and become conical if adjustments weren't made at each step. This process could take up to 5 or 6 heats and we would finish it to a stopper that would keep the walls a certain thickness. Ringing it out when very hot would really stretch the material and doing it when it was cold would really true it up. Occasionally we would have to put it on a cone mandrel to get it back round but most times we just did it by eye. We always tried to finish it cold so there was a minimum of scale left on the piece.
    All hooks and lifting devices ie: shackles, clevises,and eyebolts were made from 1020 FKFG steel. That is "fully killed fine grain" steel. That concludes tonights lesson;)
 Bob Cook anvilhead58@hotmail.com

 




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