Multi Station Power Hammer/Planisher

[Wendelspanswick]

Anyone made anything similar to one of these, there is a multi station one that Steve Hogue uses on his youtube videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-rpFzzBsHs&feature=autoplay&list=ULvY3XG5r893w&playnext=1
A Power Hammer, Planisher, Wheeling Machine plus a 4th station.
The Power Hammer looks straight forward apart from the leaf spring.
Website for the Power Hammer is
http://www.metalcrafttools.com/powerhammer.html
Shipping would be horrendous.

 

[astro_al]

Yes, lots of people. Have a look around the net. It's not a powerhammer, it's a planishing hammer.

What is complex about employing a leaf spring? Do you have any specific questions?

I don't see that shipping would be that bad, but it basically a bunch of square tube. 95% is in the tooling. Just buy that and sort your own framework.

Al

 

[Wendelspanswick]

The manufacturer calls it a Power Hammer, who am I to disagree!

 

[hotrodder]

The vid is a planishing hammer- set stroke length, tooling mounted rigidly/directly. The pic is a power hammer, granted probably not Al's (or a blacksmiths) idea of one but the leaf spring is integral to the way it works... OP vid shows shrinking dies used with a planishing hammer, this vid shows shrinking with a Yoder powerhammer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgG1tA3vecs&feature=channel&list=UL the spring offers flexible stroke length and stores/releases energy.

Part of me would love one the other part prefers an English wheel as while wheeling machines are nowhere near as versatile (only able to stretch and planish) or fast they're quiet, they don't vibrate your hands to bits and your neighbours won't murder you to put an end to the noise

As Al the frame is simple graft, the money is always in the tooling. There's plenty of other kit that while not as fast for shaping/shrinking is more versatile elsewhere, a 'pullmax' for example... shearing, circle cutting, louvre punching, forming, shrinking etc. They can be picked up in the UK for a lot less money (leaving change to spend on additional tooling) and it'll be an origonal rather than a 'lightweight looking' copy.

Thumbnail shrinking dies on a pullmax... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9Q4j6aGi5U and then planishing on a power hammer. I suspect the bulk of the shrinking was done on the bigger power hammer with the pullmax used for fine tuning. The part he was making could be made with next to no tools at all, just need to do it in three pieces instead of two. Still do it in three pieces using an English wheel but it'd be faster than by hand and slower (although a LOT quieter) than with the tools used. If you can't do it by hand all the machines offer is the ability to make a mess faster