[TheForge] Power Hammer for Nicaragua

[Geoff Nelson]

Having built a Rusty type power hammer and a treadle hammer. I think 
both can be built with a little ingenuity with parts from scrap yard for 
far less money than $2500 in Nicaragua. My Rusty cost less than $100 
dollars here in South Africa. including the motor. The treadle hammer is 
in a similar cost bracket.

I think give them sets of plans and lots of pictures and let them try 
build it for themselves. They will do a lot better. For knife making I 
would build a treadle hammer first. You can do a lot and you don't need 
to have an anvil as the treadle hammer is a good knife anvil. You can 
also make Damascus billets faster than by hand and with jigs etc forge 
fullers into blades accurately and faster than by hand.

Just my 2c worth.

Geoff