Power Hammer or Hydraulic Press?

No, it's in Connecticut...Dragons Breath Forge.
 
My shop had a 100 lb. Big Blue and a 20 ton hydraulic press sitting next to each other.
When operating the hammer early in the morning I'd hear from local turkey hunters that they could "feel" the blows of that hammer as they sat tin their blinds. Power hammers are loud. Power hammers take a substantial base under them. You can crack a concrete floor if it's not substantial enough. I poured a 2 x 3 foot by 24 inch thick base under my 100 lb hammer. Shaping a hot blade with a power hammer is almost magic. They just seem to materialize under the dyes. Drawing large rounds of steel is easy with a hammer.
The 20 ton press did not have the glamor of the power hammer but when it came to getting the work done, there is no better piece of equipment. I fashioned dyes for the press that would do most anything. When I wanted to do the final split on a feather pattern billet, the press could do that with control. The power hammer will not do this. Welding billets, I prefer the press because the pressure is ever across the surface of the billet. If you get into making specific items like I do with the Bubble Jig grinding clamps, you can make most any dye that will do the work for you.
I sold the Big Blue hammer to a good friend who told me anytime I wanted to use it I could do that. I've yet to take him up on it.

Regards, Fred
 
LittleGreyWolfForge said:
why?
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No particular reason, it’s where they are located, no big secret there. I remember it from a few years ago when they hosted some ABS sponsored classes.

I’m down the road a bit from there.
 
its a great place though. if you've taken a class there, you can go and make things with other knife makers and blacksmiths. thats why i was looking at this thread, i was gonna see which to get training on.

if you have any tips on which is easier to use please share:)
 
They both have their uses, I like the press but that’s just personal preference. Gilbert M Gilbert M mentioned it, “what do you want to make”. That should be factored into the decision, I think.
 
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You should have read the rules before you posted this
 
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