what’s holding it. You must keep these machines clean, lubricated, and adjusted. If you purchase any hammer with a spring, REPLACE IT WITH A NEW ONE REGARDLESS OF ITS APPARENT CONDITION. Put a safety cable through it if it’s a coil; or around it if it’s a leaf. If your mechanical hammer isn’t slinging oil, it’s under-lubricated, wearing excessively, and may bind up. OSHA regulation 1910.218 will provide additional safety information.
Many shops (ours included) will texture or chamfer corner edges on cold material. If you’re not an experienced operator, DON’T DO THIS. I believe most injuries occur because of cold stock either “getting away from” an inexperienced operator, or cold stock (lack of heat) allowing the operator to get too close to the dies. Common sense (“slow at first”) and proper training will minimize the risk of injury. No one in our shop has ever been
injured by a power hammer, but we all remain very respectful of this equipment. Education The institutions listed on page 98 of the May-June 06 Fabricator as well as The Ozark School of Blacksmithing in Potosi, MO offer instruction in power hammer tooling and operation. They have an excellent group of instructors drawn from the U.S. and abroad. Some universities offer power hammer instruction, as well, through their Metal Arts departments. Various chapters of ABANA provide demonstrations and workshops at regional conferences. If purchasing a new hammer, ask about setup and training. Some, if not all, vendors offer it. Size matters Power hammers are generally rated by the static weight of the ram and top die – 25 lb., 50 kg., etc. This method does not account for the air, steam, or spring force driving the ram, and therefore doesn’t accurately measure the force of the blow. It’s what we have, however, so we’ll use it. Of equal importance is the speed (in blows per minute). Remember – “Strike (as often as you can) while the iron is hot.” Twenty-five lb. to two hundred lb. hammers will perform most any function required in a custom shop so long as you’re not planning to forge a one-piece newel in a single heat.
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Air driven vs. mechanical hammers Air hammers, erroneously touted as being superior to mechanical hammers, have fewer exposed moving parts, and are more expensive. It seems unreasonable to compare a new air hammer to a 90-year old mechanical hammer resurrected from a barn, which was probably in need of repair at the time it was put away. In our experience, a properly tuned and overhauled mechanical hammer is every bit as useful as an air hammer, new or old. One is not better than the other; they’re just different. Fabricator
March/April 2007