25lb little giant for sale

R

reevestx

Joined
Dec 15, 2009
Messages
179
I found a power hammer yea!! I know very little about them. So I don't want to over pay the guy is a horse trader :eek: ! Is there someone that has a few extra minutes that knows what to look for, that I could talk to about it that could help me with info. Thanks
 
I'm sure a few LG owners will chime in with personal advise and pricing guides.

There are certain things you want to see on any purchase like this, be it a hammer or any old tool/machine:

Is is running and will the owner demo it doing the type of work you will use it for?

Are there any welds or repairs? If it has been fixed, that means it has been broken. Sometimes that is OK and sometimes it is not. The repairs should be done right if they are present. If the repairs look new on an old machine.... be very cautious.

Is everything there? It is easy for the seller to say ( eg), "All you need is the main spring and it will be like new!"....but is that spring available????? The other thing often said is," All you have to do is clean it up and do a bit of restoring....". This line is used by people selling old cars,too.

Condition is everything. Paint is not condition, though. Many sellers will blow off an old tool and slap a coat of red paint on it and say it is in "vintage" condition. Ask the seller when it was last maintained/serviced/overhauled, etc. I would rather see a well greased/oiled machine with a good layer of hard-use dust and grime than a sand blasted mystery machine with a shiny coat of paint. If the bearings and moving joints are worn or dry and unmovable, expect lots of re-building. Also be aware that any sandblasting could have ruined the moving parts.
 
Not running, pour condition; $0-$1000

Not running, good condition; $1000-$2000

Running, good condition; $2000-$3000

Running, excellent condition; $3000-$4000

Rebuilt from Sid and Kerri; Priceless :D
 
rusty been out in the weather for who knows how long. Was froze up but seller sprayed it with wd and got it turn.. Never had a electric motor put on it.
 
For me a deal-killer would be any sign of cracking, welding, brazing or splinting around the sow block that holds the bottom anvil. Just about anything else an be fixed. I have a 50-pound Mayer Bros., a Little Giant clone the Mayers made after they lost the company, that has had its toggle arms welded many times, a few times while in my custody. Be sure the dies top and bottom are properly wedged. Incorrect wedges can exert tremendous lateral force and bust the castings. Get the specs for this and the foundation block you will need to get maximum performance. If you do get the hammer, try to track down a copy of Richard Kern's reapir and maintenance book. He notes that these machines are constantly trying to destroy themselves. In view of that, considering how old they are, some wear and tear is to be expected.
 
Everyone so far has had excellent advise. The sow block where the lower die sits is a problem area. This can be repaired if extensive damage has been done, but it will take a trip to Nebraska City. This only refers to old style hammers. New styles have replaceable sow blocks and Sid has them in stock. Like others have said any other frame repairs are usually bad.

Myself personally as far price on a used hammer that is in original running condition I would go as high $1600. This price is based on what it would take to get it up into prime running condition (a complete rebuild). If you had to go much higher the cost of a rebuild would put you in the cost range of what you could get if you bought one from Sid.

Hope this helps.

Dave from Diller
 
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