Glad to see it’s finally running. Mine definitely has a higher degree angle on the wedges for the dies than yours. Any idea what year that may indicate? I think you originally said mine was most likely pre-1926 on the Facebook page. I also have still not found out what the numbers on the front mean. It’s been working great though since I got it!
The numbers on the body and the ram are the serial number. Mine was made in 1913. Original the dies had 3 different size half round groves for swedging out rounds to a size.
What kind of cast dies are we talking? Do you think modern companies that produce those anvils could get into making these inserts? Would you feel ductile iron would work for such dies? Oh! By the way I saw some dies forged from railroad track heads in a book by Alexander G. Weygers titled The Complete Modern Blacksmith. That could probably be done with that hammer and more dies could be made.
Here's an image from an old add that shows it pretty well: www.watersironworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/McLane-Power-Hammer-closeup-210x500.jpg The part that's complicated about them is the dove tails are at 90 degrees to the striking faces. It would be a lot of material to cut away to make them. It's possible they were forge welded together rather than cast.
I just got one of these guys and it has been sitting outside for the last few years so I'm taking it apart and giving a good once over. I haven't been able to remove the dies. I'm not sure if they are just that rusted in there or if I'm applying for on the keys in the wrong direction. I see that you have replaced the dies on yours. What direction wee the keys placed?
Mine didn't have any dies in it when I got it. I've got some old ads on my website about the hammer. www.watersironworks.com/mclane-or-champion-power-hammer/ It looks like if you are facing the front of the hammer they were driven in the left side. Does yours have the orginal dies? I'd love smto see some photos and measurements on them.
..Glad to see it in action. i'm perty sure yall are too...
Yah it's been a long process of getting it up and running. It's a lot of fun to use.
Fantastic, thanks for the update, that looks really great!
Thanks. It's a lot of fun.
It's good to see.
Thanks
Glad to see it’s finally running. Mine definitely has a higher degree angle on the wedges for the dies than yours. Any idea what year that may indicate? I think you originally said mine was most likely pre-1926 on the Facebook page. I also have still not found out what the numbers on the front mean. It’s been working great though since I got it!
The numbers on the body and the ram are the serial number. Mine was made in 1913. Original the dies had 3 different size half round groves for swedging out rounds to a size.
What kind of cast dies are we talking? Do you think modern companies that produce those anvils could get into making these inserts? Would you feel ductile iron would work for such dies? Oh! By the way I saw some dies forged from railroad track heads in a book by Alexander G. Weygers titled The Complete Modern Blacksmith. That could probably be done with that hammer and more dies could be made.
Here's an image from an old add that shows it pretty well: www.watersironworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/McLane-Power-Hammer-closeup-210x500.jpg
The part that's complicated about them is the dove tails are at 90 degrees to the striking faces. It would be a lot of material to cut away to make them. It's possible they were forge welded together rather than cast.
Very lovely machine regardless.@@WatersIronworks
I just got one of these guys and it has been sitting outside for the last few years so I'm taking it apart and giving a good once over. I haven't been able to remove the dies. I'm not sure if they are just that rusted in there or if I'm applying for on the keys in the wrong direction. I see that you have replaced the dies on yours. What direction wee the keys placed?
Mine didn't have any dies in it when I got it. I've got some old ads on my website about the hammer. www.watersironworks.com/mclane-or-champion-power-hammer/
It looks like if you are facing the front of the hammer they were driven in the left side.
Does yours have the orginal dies? I'd love smto see some photos and measurements on them.