I work on a powerhammer sometimes. The man who owns it, said to me to always place the wood back between the hammer and dies when your done. So the hammercyllinder is on the top of its stroke, because of Grease and dirt that collects on the cylinder Nice video men.
I've done it for almost fifty years, here and there, making the odd tool as a mechanic and machinist, but have been getting set up to do more, now that I'm retired, mostly. I'm real impressed with the speed and accuracy of drawing out, and "roughing the tongs", I've made several over the years, all by hand, all crude, not even as nice as "rough". I want a power hammer badly, and will probably build one this winter, I think I've got enough steel. Thanks for a skillful demonstration of a very nice job, setting up a pair of tong halves, I hope to match it someday.
I'm glad to hear you say that rebar makes good tongs,...... I've just started forging. A old blacksmith told me to make my own tools. The tongs i've made from rebar are better than the ones from mild steel. Just don't quench in water. They will get brittle
I learn everytime I watch. I love this forging. Knives are so tedious and take a long time, but are definitely worth the wait. But old school forging is my favorite. Thanks for making a old guy happy.
the best ever video i have seen. your really a very good learner and hard worker and obviously god gifted too. you must have been observing your master very sharply. keep it up.
That was awesome. Thank You for sharing. I bought a Power hammer today and to tell the truth, I am nervious to try it. A few more videos like this and I will be ready to go.... Thank You......
Just finished building my power hammer and still very green on using it. It is a beast, hits very hard when the stroke is adjusted to, will make up a kiss block like yours and give that method a go!
If you would make your "step" tool out of less thick material.... meaning the bottom of the step to bottom of tool is less... then when you do your second offset your jaw would bottom out on the die and everthing stays much straighter...... hope that makes sense... time saver and better results
Liam, when drawing out on the power hammer it will move metal quicker if you start at the end and move into the dies. Love your work mate. Greetings from Tasmania. Australia
@@MrPatfindley The difference is firstly you a progressively working on a smaller area, think of it nibbling bit by bit. More importantly when you push in your work stays relatively parallel with pulling the work towards you it forms a taper. Yes, I know Liam is tapering the reins of his tongs, I would normally do this towards the latter end of the process. Get it hot and work the material down to size quickly and efficiently then do your final shaping and finishing.
I am really glad to see someone using rebar for tongs, there has been much debate about using this kind of steel for tongs. I'm with you Liam, use what you think works best and the purists and nay says can take a walk off a cliff. great video.
I think you need a fence around your forging area to keep dogs out! And hearing and eye protection for him!!!!! LOL 🤣😂🤣 That ways amazing to see a pair of tong blanks made in about 10 minutes with 2 heats!!!! Nicely done 👍👍👍👍
Nice! I do like my tongs with longer and somewhat thinner tapers for the reigns instead of short and chunky/clunky lol. Will be nice to see how this well endowed power hammer changes your pattern welding with regard to getting into different and more advanced patterns. Now you can begin getting more into with some mosaic patterns and Turkish twists etc., although it may help to get also get yourself "mr. twister" before doing the latter 😉. Good stuff Liam, lookin' forward to more 👍
That hammer is a beast. I sure hope you have a good foundation under it. I'd hate to see it fall over after destroying the floor around it. Let is know, please, how it is mounted and how you went about making the floor strong enough for the long haul.
Great video liam and crew :-) when I make power hammer tongs I like to draw out all my reigns first then make the jaws last. I find this to be the most efficient for me and has the advantage of not having to mess around with trying to grip the tong jaw while drawing out the reins. Keep up the great work and awesome hammer by the way :-)
I hand hammer out tongs the same way - reins first. Never understood why people do it the other way then try and fumble with tongs, you're making a nice long handle for that complicated end.
Mild steel is perfectly fine for tongs. Some of the best tong makers out there use mild. It is probably the best material for beginners to use as less likely to fail/crack, etc.
I'm curious, as I know nothing about setting up a blacksmith's shop that includes a power hammer, but how does one go about determining the right floor thickness to withstand the 'vibration' of a power hammer? Does the power hammer manufacturer include specs? This workshop was built circa 1960 (as per Liam's previous comment). If it determined the floor/foundation isn't thick (strong) enough, how does one 'fix' this?
For only 3 weeks playing with a power hammer you're looking pretty good, by this time next year I bet you will look like you have been using a power hammer for all your life.
I have tried forging tongs from rebar several times but it keeps getting cracks all over the place. Tried forging really hot the whole way, tried forging at normal heat, no hits when it's red and ofcourse different pieces of rebar. One time when it was cold I saw all the cracks and just broke it in half with my hands BUT it made like a glass snapping sound and the fracture was blue. Not blue from the heat because it was the next day and it didn't have the look of the tempering color. Got some advice?
You deff need to put in a huge concrete sub floor for the monster. Go check out Brent Bailey videos he is awesome with his 250lbs little giant looking good good luck. ....Paul
@Geoff Kuhn , Liam has only had the power hammer for about three weeks (as he mentioned), and he says he wants to learn more by using it....sorta like having a new toy, perhaps? I'm sure Liam will be using the anvils, too. He even mentioned in his "this is the new workshop" video he is acquiring even more anvils. The love is still there. 😍👍
