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Teeter Totter Treadle Hammer
January 2, 2015
4:14 pm
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Bill Kirkley
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LR-Teeter-Totter-Treadle-Hammer.jpgImage Enlarger

 

Three years ago this April I posted a thread "Counterbalance Treadle Hammer".  JNewman replied he had considered a teeter totter design.  I recently designed a hammer based on his idea.

JNewman thought this design might hit hard because the counterweight momentum would add to the thrust of the hammer.  Based on my tests the counterbalance hammer actually hit slightly harder than the teeter totter hammer.  I think I would have to accelerate the hammer faster than the acceleration of gravity to get an added impact from the counter weight. It is possible that friction or design flaws may also contribute to the difference in impact.

There was also a forward thrust due to the arch of the counter weight.  Because of this I plan to convert the hammer back to the Counterbalance design.

Here is a link to a youtube video  

January 2, 2015
5:49 pm
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Rashelle
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So if the spring hammer drove it 1 1/2 times deeper would the spring hammer then be your choice if you didn't already have the counter balance treadle hammer?

January 3, 2015
5:27 am
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Bill Kirkley
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Rashelle  If I were looking for a hammer that hit hard and would save me $200 - $400 to build or buy I would go with the spring design.  If I wanted a hammer that could be easily adjusted for lighter hits I would go with the counterbalance design.

January 3, 2015
7:56 am
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Rashelle
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Thank you Bill. Sooner or later a treadle hammer is on my list. So it behooves me to start thinking now rather then later. I hadn't thought about the control aspects of the counter balance hammer.

January 4, 2015
9:03 am
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Bill Kirkley
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Rashelle  I am a beginner smith.  I have been blacksmithing about 3-4 years.  I took a class with a local professional, John Boyd Smith.  It was a great class and a lot of fun poking around his shop.  We used a treadle hammer and I knew I wanted one.

I enjoy trying new things and designing tools and gadgets.  I thought a counter weight would be a different way of recovering the down stroke in a treadle hammer so I designed and built my Counterbalance Treadle Hammer.  It was a great project.  

Of course I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread, but have to admit the spring design has a lot of advantages over the counterbalance design.

If you like tinkering you might enjoy building a counterbalance hammer.  The safe bet is the spring design.  It has been around a long time. 

January 4, 2015
5:52 pm
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Rashelle
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I also still consider myself a beginner at just under 4 years since I took my first class in blacksmithing. I eventually spent a week with Brian Brazeal in Mississippi and used his treadle hammer on one (possibly more then one) of the tools I made during the class. I like the no power (electricity) involved aspect of the treadle hammers. Though something like a tire hammer or other power hammer is also on my list. I am always interested in human power making and crafting of things.

Thank you again for posting your video and thoughts on the counter balance hammer vrs the teeter totter hammer.

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