Hey Wil, thanks for the shout out! We sure enjoyed having you over. Maria said " he's just the sweetest young man!" Obviously you're welcome anytime. I'm looking forward to some more time hanging out and maybe an adventure or two....probably more!
You should make some brass replacement lettering for the hammer. Could be a cool casting video. Color contrast between old cast iron and new brass would be beautiful.
I'm always a fan of tool restoration and look forward to seeing more videos on this hammer. I hope and pray, however, that you get yourself a copy of the Ashley Book of Knots and spend some time learning about how blacksmiths in days gone by would have used rope and pulleys to move heavy equipment. One of the things I've been really heavy on in the blacksmithing community is trying to get smiths to take off their blinders and see the old ways in a more complete sense. We get tunnel vision, fixating on the ironwork from the Golden Age, and forget that those great smiths would have used ropes and pulleys to move and instal the great iron pieces they made. Today, smiths gather a bunch of friends and hope they have enough gumption to manhandle a heavy machine into place, when a rope and pulley would make it relatively simple even for a single man to move. Sailors regularly used ropes and pulleys to lift heavy cargo from dock to deck. Factories and wagon drivers and every industry out there.... they used ropes and pulleys long before iron chains were a possibility. When I watched that video of yours where you dropped that beautiful power hammer, I said a few choice words through the computer screen, I'll admit. No shame in not knowing, though, because we are all blind to so very much. Still for want of $100 worth of good rope, a $5000 investment was destroyed. Ratchet straps and lifting straps are very nice things, but neither of them can do what rope can do. One of the greatest travesties, in my estimation, has been how folks in the smithing world have forgotten this key part of the Trade. While "marlinspike seamanship" can help add value to your ironwork, the real lesson is in understanding how Sailors have kept alive the knowledge of ropes and pulleys. Today, we can look to the Sailing world, as well as the Arborists, for lessons in how to safely and efficiently handle very heavy things. Just gotta have some rope and pulleys. ⚒🪝
Fantastically said. Just like the ‘revival’ is blacksmithing has only enriched our lives - so too are these other ‘skills’ that can almost be forgotten because those craftsman, and those times, are seemly gone…
@@andrewfleming6487 Seemingly gone, but not quite gone. The skills have been kept alive in the Sailing, Arborist, and Electrical Lineman circles, and there are a lot of good videos on youtube that help explain things. It just takes a little bit of thinking to see how we can use the knowledge in the blacksmithing realm. For example, in Will's earlier video, I hold that a couple of timber hitches with some 5/8" rope would have been enough to lift that anvil and place it easily into the hammer's frame. On top of that, even without managing to seat the anvil, the fatal fall of the hammer could have been prevented with a safety rope lashed to the top and then wrapped a few times around a bollard. One man pulls on the pallet jack while the other keeps tension on that safety line, slowly spooling out line while the hammer was being taken inside. We know this works because we can see Arborists doing similar things every single day. Blacksmiths would have done the same, and it's amazing how just thinking about the ropes and pulleys changes how you see the old pictures and drawings from back in the 1800's. Before, you would completely overlook the hardware the smiths used to move things around, but once your eyes are open to it... you see it clear as a bell. That's why I recommend everyone own a copy of the Ashley Book of Knots - the Bible of All Things Rope. In it, you will learn all about decorative ropework that you can use on your products and around the shop, but more importantly.... Ashley shows dozens and dozens of ways that rope and pulley can be used to move heavy things, or secure heavy things from moving. If sailors could secure thousand-pound cargo on a ship that'd be tossed about in the ocean waves, you can bet the knowledge is sound!
Awesome! Looking forward to another power hammer restoration! Sounds like a blast of a trip. I grew up in Tyler and have a bunch of mutual friends with Morgan Wade, and it looks like you drove right past where I live now in DFW. It’s crazy that you were down here, you always seemed so far away lol. Enjoyed the video as always. Keep it up
Use airplane paint stripper. Spray it on, wait a bit, wash it all off. Gentle enough to use on aluminum plane bodies. You should make a trip to Ely, NV and help restore the 1600lb steam hammer at the Nevada Northern Railway, then forge something there.
The best people I ever knew were from a generation that hadn’t taken all the risk out of their environment . They had dangerous machines, dangerous jobs, dangerous illnesses, etc. they were “salt of the earth” people. God Bless and keep you young man, we need more examples of you out there.
Remembering when we first saw you and the way you are now you’ve gone on leaps and bounds. Well done and don’t leave it so long from video to video… lol.
20:22 well if you wanna spend the time, that would be a cool project for you. You could wire-wheel it up real nice braze the lettering back on and clean it up with a rotary tool.
Have you thought about welding on some extra material and filing back to recreate the missing raised lettering? Wouldn't have the story as you said, but would be a cool project to restore it to it's original look.
I’ve got you beat on poor towing gas mileage. In my 2002 Toyota Tundra, pulling an empty 16’ trailer, I only got 6 miles/gallon from Coeur d’Alene to Los Angeles. Sounds like you had a great trip. Congratulations on the newly acquired Beaudry hammer.
Me the entire video: “don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it don’t drop it”
Will you should look into the COldJet Dry Ice blasting machine. Just watched a presentation and it would make quick work of cleaning up all the parts of that Hammer.
Wil, I just have to say it is AMAZING the support network that you are creating on this sojourn. Keep the lines of communication active and NEVER stop learning! Peace, Love and Happiness to you and your family.
Will, Please turn this into a Laser Cleaning project, it would be amazing to see a Laser burning all that crust off and getting down to good metal for you to do your refinishing thing. High Power laser Cleaner PLEASE!! Love the Hammer Grats
That's a really...... err...... That's a ...... err...... That's a power hammer 😋😄 After you've put some work into it, it will be a REALLY nice power hammer. The big thing is that everything is still there even if some bit's need to be re created. Can't wait to see the restoration video's 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Check out rock mountain alloys I believe is the company name and they have quite a few welding consumables for cast iron if you need anything in cast fixed.
I wish I could own a power hammer, but I don't have a safe place to use it. Can't even really (cost effectively) pour new garage foundation to support one. Glad you got this amazing piece of machinery, though!
Imagine all the people without internet or even access to a computer/phone. I bet they would love to complain in RU-vid comments about how poor they are to you. I'm glad it's you that has these thing though!
Congratulations on your find. Look forward to future videos of a restoration of this historic power hammer. Please take your time and do it right, and no pallet jacks.
Damn man, I know you dont have the need to have shop helpers and so on, but by my hat, it would've been great working with you! Such a go-getter and such a great energy! just a pitty I live 15k miles away!!! dont ever stop doing you!
Hey Will, if you'd like to get some more shooting in contact St. Michael's Defense in Great Falls. I can highly recommend them for safety and a great time. Great video!
Well Will it is great to see a new video. Wowers that's definitely a very fun and most most definitely a memory fulled trip. Lot of great information. Congratulations on your new tool / Toy WIll. Hopefully you get great use out of it for many years to come my friend. Can't wait to see more videos soon my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Forge On. Fab On. Weld On. Keep Making. God bless.
