Question about power hammers...

Phillip Patton

Phillip Patton

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jul 25, 2005
Messages
5,383
...specifically, how to mount them. I'm fixin' to install mine in my new shop.

In my old shop, it was sitting on a couple of 1" thick oak boards, which were then pinned to the ground (i.e., dirt. Mud in wet weather...) with some rebar. Not an ideal situation. In fact, it started leaning over to one side after awhile....

In my new shop, I have a flat, level concrete floor (woohoo!).
So, I'm wondering if I should sit it directly on the floor, or have it sitting on some heavy wooden beams or something. What do you guys do?

Thanks,
Phillip
 
A big hammer needs a separate isolated pad - use high strength concrete with lots of rebar and pour it deep. I'm in the process of doing this right now for my DuPont/Fairbanks mechanical. Alternatively you can put the hammer on some horse-stall mat (this is how I have my air hammer mounted) to absorb some of the shock but you still risk cracking your floor.
 
Wulf said:
A big hammer needs a separate isolated pad - use high strength concrete with lots of rebar and pour it deep. I'm in the process of doing this right now for my DuPont/Fairbanks mechanical. Alternatively you can put the hammer on some horse-stall mat (this is how I have my air hammer mounted) to absorb some of the shock but you still risk cracking your floor.
Click to expand...

The floor where the power hammer will be has grooves cut around it so that if it does crack, the cracks won't spread to the rest of the floor. Unfortunately, we didn't pour a special foundation for it.
 
In that case, I think I would find some oak or ash cribbing, bolt it together with threaded rod. Place some mine belt between the machine and wood and see how she works. If it walks , you'll have to confine it somehow.
Wulf, what size Fairbanks you have?? Mine is an A(50#)
 
What kind of hammer do you have, Phillip? I was told that with a small hammer like a 25 or even a 50 lbs LG, the poured foundation is not quite as critical. I do believe that Sid Sudemeyer told me that his shop 25 is mounted on a base made from 4x4's
 
I have my big blue 100lber sitting on a 3/8inch thick rubber pad. The rubber is just slightly smaller than the hammers base. After you install metal pins in the hammer drilled holes in the concrete pad; put a bead of caulk around the entire base of the machine. Buy doing this you keep all of the shop junk from under the machines base.

Fred
 
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