Another equipment question

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redneckswami

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Mar 31, 2008
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Forgot to ask this one earlier, but - if you had a choice between a power hammer (large enough to forge damascus billets), and a hydraulic press, which would you choose? I'm in a position, financially, to build one or the other, and am torn between them - I want the most versatile machine I can get for the money, and I really am not sure which one to build. (At this point, either one would be such an awesome upgrade to my shop, that I wouldn't complain!) I know this is probably a mundane question, but I've got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to add some equipment to my shop, and just want to make the most of that opportunity. Some input and opinions from those of you who use this type of equipment, would be most appreciated. Thanks!
 
Hydraulic press - If you are making damascus.
Power hammer - if you are using it to forge.
Stacy
 
If it was me, I'd go for a kick-hiney powered press. My reasoning is that you can draw out billets, square them, cut them, forge weld, and canister weld among other things. A power hammer is definitely a dream machine, but I can't see it being able to do as much as a good press.

Now, that being said, take this with a grain of salt. I have neither, and I've never forged (though hopefully soon). So, wait until you get a more seasoned answer than mine before you decide. This is just my reasoning.

--nathan
 
Forgot to include that I forge my blades to shape (Nohab anvil and soon-to-be-new-railroad car axle/knifemakers anvil... Just gotta go pick it up on Wed.) Thanks for the feedback thus far
 
I have both a Little Giant 50# hammer and a hydraulic press made by Al Lawrence. I would recommend a hydraulic press for the "one machine" shop; especially if you are going to be making damascus. You can change the dies in Al's presses in just a few seconds. Dies can be made very easily. So, you can make up dies for numerous forging operations and change them while your steel is taking the next heat. Changing dies in a trip hammer is much more difficult because of having to deal with the wedges that hold them in. I have seen "quick change" set-ups for power hammer dies, but do not have that for mine. Also, if you are going to use patterning dies to forge patterns into your damascus, a press is much easier to use. Most of these dies require accurate positioning on your billet to forge the pattern correctly. It is almost impossible to use these dies in a power hammer because of the tendency for your material and the pattern dies to bounce every time the hammer hits them. I use my hammer for drawing out damascus billets and for forging blades. I use the hammer for these operations, because for me, I can do it faster in the hammer, but I don't see any reason that these things can't be done with the proper dies in a hydraulic press.
 
Thanks for the info. After pondering the question overnight, I think I'll be going with the hydraulic press. I'll probably still build a little "junkyard" hammer, since I have a couple of extra smaller motors, and use it for drawing and forging. Thanks again!
 
There should be no reason that you can't forge blades and draw out stock on a hydraulic press. Both can be done in a press with a good set of drawing dies. The only thing that could cause you an issue is whether you can get a blade positioned properly in the dies. The presses made in the style that Al Lawrence makes have the dies centered between the uprights for the ram. It may be necessary to build special knife forging dies with the dies set forward slightly to clear the ram; or turn them at an angle to the ram uprights. I plan to make some of them for my press. A “C” frame press would not have this issue.

I wouldn’t spend a lot of time building a homemade hammer until I explored all of the possibilities with the press.
 
I have a Sahinler 110 lb. air hammer and a forging press both. If I had [B to give one up the hammer would go out the door first.
 
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