Need help , shoulder screwed

Mark Williams

Mark Williams

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Nov 28, 2000
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Hey Guys,

I managed to do some damage to my hammering shoulder that I thought would heal but doesnt seem to be getting any better. I dont want to stop forging and I dont seem to have much luck at hammering with my weak hand.

If you had the choice between building a press or a power hammer, which would you choose and why?

I have a frame that could probably be made into either a press or an air hammer fairly easy.

Any advice appreciated
 
Sorry to hear about your shoulder.

I'm by no means an expert (or even knowledgeable on the topic :D ) but from everything I've read, it seems like a good press is a lot more versatile and controllable than a trip hammer.
 
Sorry to hear about your shoulder. If you have insurance you need to have it looked at.

The press is what I suggest. Ive owned a little giant and a press. I sold the hammer. A good press can do everything we want but the power hammer cant. Press is also quiet and can be operated with one finger.
 
Thanks Guys,

I kinda figured a press would be more versatile. I hate going to the doctor. I usually wait until I absolutely have to. I dragged my left leg around for a year before I finally got a ruptured disc repaired.
 
DAmn Mark!

What type of press are you talking about?

Sort of off your topic but what are arbor presses used for?
 
Go to the doctor

This from one stuborn coot in training.
Yea they will prolly take a bunch of x-rays and then tell you they weren't conclusive and to not use it for 6-8 weeks but there is that small chance that they will say "Oh look here you blah blah blah and if we just do blah blah it will be better" Or you can make a tylenol and ibuprophin cocktail and keep on hammering. Just don't overdose on tylenol it is very bad for you.

WS
 
I felt something go "ping" and could barely lift my arm afterwards. It felt better the next day but all I have to do is just lift something heavy and i can feel trouble. I think this may end up being one of those cut, staple and sew jobs. yippy.
 
Mark, it sounds like you may have damaged your rotary cuff. Unfortunately, about the only cure is surgery unless you find a doc that can fix it without surgery. Best of luck, Mark. That's gotta hurt.
 
Mark, sorry to hear about your problems.

As it happens, I am an orthopedic surgeon who takes care of alot of shoulder and knee injuries. It certainly sounds like you injured your rotator cuff, but it could also be an injury to your labrum ( the cartilage that surrounds your shoulder socket)

You should see an orthopedist who takes care of these injuries - see if you can find one who takes care of the local college, semi-pro or pro baseball teams. Many cuff injuries do NOT require surgery, but some do. If I can be of any assistance, or if you have more detailed questions I can Email you.

Bruce, how is your ACL doing. I remember trading posts while you were consideriing the surgery. Obviously, you are working, which is good!
 
Why thank You billf. I've always had the "wait and see" mentality on injuries. If things continue to deteriate I will seek help.

Thanks,

Mark
 
Mark, did you injure your shoulder while forging? A few years ago I developed a case of blacksmith's shoulder and elbow after switching forging hammers. I was out of the forging game for almost three months and it was real discouraging. But I discovered something that might help you while you're waiting to see if your shoulder heals on its own. I bought some Maximum strength Flex-a-min from Wal-Mart and started taking it. After about 6 weeks my shoulder and elbow turned the corner and healed up good as new. I took that stuff for the whole three months and have never had any more problems. That stuff supposedly rebuilds damaged tendons, ligaments and cartelidge. At least, that's what I understand. Try it and maybe it'll save you from the dreaded knife. It worked for me and that's for sure and for certain.
 
As a guy with a bum shoulder ( bowling) , I can tell ya it ain't getting better on its own. Get to a medic and get it mended . In the meantime , Aleve (naporxen) works best of all the over the counter stuff. Be well!
 
Max I think my problem started after the hurricane. I was using a machete to clean up my downed trees. Forging has just made it worse. IF the active ingredient in the Flex-a-min is glucosimine sulfate then I'm taking some right now. I did get out last night and test the waters and so far so good. I guess i'll just have to be a finese instead of force forger.
 
Mark Williams said:
I felt something go "ping" and could barely lift my arm afterwards...
Click to expand...

Yup yup yup. Same thing happened here a few years ago. I should of maybe had surgery, but I'm in the "stubborn old coot" category as well. It took a long time for it to heal. I did mine while pull-starting My Honda outboard. The sonnabeetch kicked back and thats when the "ping" happened. I still went fishing though, heh! Definitely go have it seen, because mine still aint "right" after what... six years or so.
 
Sounds like a cuff to me Mark. I use surplus Hip Joints to make Foil Guards. If you would like, I can reforge one to fit and you can have a super duty cuff. I can't heat treat it though, (It's shiny stuff) :footinmou :footinmou :footinmou :footinmou

I haven't tried it but we could also put a patch box type rig on your shoulder so you can just pop the lid and pull the cuff out for lubing and such. It would also make a good place to hide Neckers when you go through Airports. :footinmou :footinmou :footinmou :footinmou ;)
 
Pick up a treadle hammer - until then can you teach your other arm to swing a hammer? Will take some work, but may be worth it.

Tim
 
Mark

"wait & see" is generally OK, and glucosamine may help. You may also want to take some extra Vitamin C, as this is important for collagen synthesis ( read - tendon healing) . Salves and balms may make you feel better, but they have ZERO effect on whether you heal or not - that's up to the severity of the injury and your own healing.
Finally, if you are NOT getting better on your own, don't wait too long to see someone. Unhealed tendons deteriorate over time, to the point where surgery won't fix them either after too much time has passed. Good luck!
 
I should also mention that I had a weight-lifting injury at one point that my doctor recommended I not take medication for, but go see a Chiropractor. The chiropractor fixed it in a matter of days. The philosophy of the chiropractor is to align the body so that it heals itself more efficiently than it would "unaligned". May be worth talking to one.

Tim
 
Any of you guys actualy warm up before doing this stuff. I know I don't, but it's stupid not to.

I had blood come out doing 2sies. The doctor told me that while the manufacturers of stuff like ibuprofen tell you it doesn't cause stomach bleeding, what they don't tell you is that it can cause bowl bleeding. Sometimes to a dagerous degree. So be careful with the pain pills.
 
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