[TheForge] Blacksmith sledge hammer

Mon Mar 3 22:59:19 EST 2008

OK, the Tommy-Hammer drawing I am working from is at the PhotoAccess site.

The most significant modification I am making to it is to make it a free- 
standing unit. ather than bolt the two uprights permanently to the anvil 
block.  It will still bolt through my anvil block at the base, to maintain 
striking position, but the two uprights will be mounted on two feet with 
diagonal bracing of the same dimension (about 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 oak stock).  the 
treadle and lever will remain about as drawn, but the hammer mount will 
slide laterally, and the hammer itself will slide longitudinally so that the 
strike may be positioned anywhere on the anvil.  Finally, the return spring 
mechanism will be a series of one to four garage door extension springs, 
which may be added and subtracted to change hammer weights.  They will clip 
to the bottom bolt directly under the hammer mount just above floor level, 
and to the end of the treadle lever about 6" from the axle.  I will shape a 
number of hammer heads from nearly flat to a pretty sharp fuller or cross 
peen, and make bottom tools to match out of hammer heads cut in two.  These 
bottom tools will be welded to and offset on 1 1/4 inch square stock to fit 
the hardie in my 285 lb Fisher anvil, so that the strike point will be 
directly over the center of the anvil.

I have obtained the wood stock, and cut and threaded the horizontal bolts 
out of 5/8" 1018.  Cutting the threads was quite a workout.  I also 
fashioned four eye-bolts out of 1/2" 1018.  The axle will be 3/4" square 
stock, and the lever will be 3/4" round.  Note that the bearing of the axle 
on the side plate is simply a matched taper in a depression, duly 
lubricated.

Now, I am told that the main function of any treadle hammer is to substitute 
for a striker, and not to expect any gain in hammering power as such.  But I 
can't help but think that a 20 lb hammer driven at the speed that a foot 
treadle is capable of has to have a significant power factor in additin to 
the convenience.  In films I have seen of a tommy-hammer in use, the smith 
finishes the weld and swages  the final shape on 1" thick chain stok. 
That's gotta involve some power.

ANyway, i'll let you know in a few weeks when this comes together.

Keziah

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ben Barrett" <stircrazyben at gmail.com>
To: "Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 9:00 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Blacksmith sledge hammer

> Yes, please!  Is this the one?
> http://www.google.com/patents?id=Kpg_AAAAEBAJ&pg=PA43&dq=forster+hammer&source=gbs_selected_pages&cad=0_1
> Patent number: 644589
> Filing date: Jul 13, 1899
> Issue date: Mar 6, 1900
> Inventor: FRIEDRICH WILHELH FORSTER
>
> Got anything else on it?  What was the Tommy of your preference, BTW?
> Very curious about your adaptions, if you're willing to share.
>
> ~ben
>
>
>
> On Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 5:40 PM, Peter Hirst <saltydog335 at aol.com> wrote:
>> Actually, I think 6 pounds would make a pretty good striker's hammer for
>> bigger work.  WHen my daughter strikes for me, that's about what she 
>> uses.
>> Also, I am in the process of building a couple of contraptions that would
>> use anything from 6 to about 20 lbs.  One is  chainmaker's tommy hammer 
>> that
>> I am adapting to more general work, and the other is a 1900 design by a 
>> guy
>> named Forster that I have never seen built but that I have the patent
>> drawings for.  The Forster hammer mounts on the horn of the anvil and
>> strikes over the hardie.  I think a 6 lb cross-peen would be perfect for 
>> it.
>> Want the design info?
>>
>> Keziah
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bob Ehrenberger" <eforge at centurytel.net>
>>
>>
>>
>> To: "theforge" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 7:27 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Blacksmith sledge hammer
>>
>>
>> > By dressed with a torch, I meant that there were cut lines around the 
>> > face
>> > where instead of grinding off extra material, it had been cut off with 
>> > a
>> > torch.
>> >
>> > It took about a half hour with an angle grinder to get rid of most of 
>> > the
>> > pits and clean up the torch lines.
>> >
>> > It is yet to be seen whether the face is too soft. I may re-heat treat 
>> > it
>> > before putting a handle in it, since it would have gotten pretty hot 
>> > while
>> > working on it with a torch.  I'll test the face with a file and try to 
>> > see
>> > how hard it is.
>> >
>> > I just asked about a non-blacksmith application because a blacksmith
>> > sledge
>> > hammer would be kind of a rare item, but if there was another
>> > applicationfor
>> > it, it would explain how it would end up on a farm.
>> >
>> > Robert Ehrenberger
>> > Shelbyville, Mo.
>> > eforge at centurytel.net
>> >
>> > ----Original message---
>> > Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 10:49:14 -0500
>> > From: "Peter Hirst" <saltydog335 at aol.com>
>> > Subject: Re: [TheForge] Blacksmith sledge hammer
>> >
>> > Why non-blacksmith?  I can't imagine that a half hour or so with with 
>> > an
>> > angle grinder and a couple of different sanders couldn't render the
>> > striking
>> > surfaces servicable.  Just what do you mean by "dressed"  with a torch?
>> > Is
>> > the face or peen deeply cut?   If not, it doesn't sound like even deep
>> > pitting couldn't be ground out?  Was it annealed by the torch? Am I
>> > missing
>> > something?
>> >
>> > Keziah
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
>> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
>> > theforge mail list group photo site is
>> > http://www.photoaccess.com
>> > Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
>> > password:  anvil
>> > ___________
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
>> theforge mail list group photo site is
>> http://www.photoaccess.com
>> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
>> password:  anvil
>> ___________
>>
>>
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
>
>
> 