BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY BLOG PAGES IN THE WHITE LINKS ABOVE!!!


Thursday, December 29, 2011

Concrete pad for the new power hammer

The new power hammer needs a solid base to sit on. My other power hammer is bolted to a 4-foot by 4-foot steel plate that is 5/8 of an inch thick and weighs something like 400 pounds. This keeps the hammer from pounding itself down into the ground.

A plate like that is expensive; costs about $100. Plus, it has to have holes drilled through it so that the hammer can be bolted down to it. Drilling a 3/4-inch hole through a 5/8-inch plate is NOT an easy task.

I decided, for this hammer, to pour a concrete pad as a base. The pad I decided to pour is 4-foot x 3-foot. It took about 12, 80-pound bags of concrete so it weighs about 960 pounds. In order to strengthen the concrete and keep it from moving anywhere, I used a steel support system.

First I drove nine pieces of steel into the ground about 2-feet, letting the rods stick up from the ground about four inches. Then I made a criss-cross grid of steel rods, so that the rods would be in the center of the pad. (The pad is six inches thick and the rods are about 3-inches off the ground.) This will greatly strengthen the concrete. I used scrap plywood as my concrete form.


With the form leveled and squared up, and the steel supports in place, it was time to pour concrete.
So step one:

TURN ON THE MUSIC!
This is my new CD/Tape player that my grandma got me for Christmas.

Next step:
Get the concrete!

Next step:
Get some water!

Next step:
Get the hoe for mixing.


Next step:
Get the wheel barrel.


Next step:
Mix the concrete and pour it in.



Next step:
 Position the concrete where needed and smooth.

And finally!















9 comments:

Blacksmith Chase said...

I have some country CD'S i will let you use on your new CD player

Master Dave said...

I'll tell you what, I'll make you a deal.
If you can beat me with the sword, you can pick the music when you come to my shop. (You'll have to bring your own CD's.)
If I beat you, I'll pick the music!

Anonymous said...

What's your favorite type?

Master Dave said...

Of music? Traditional (normally prior to 1900) congregational hymn music, and traditional Scotch/Irish/British folk music.
Not "cool or groovy" but downright good sensable music.

Anonymous said...

Good choice. I like hymns, traditional bluegrass, and appalachian mountain music.

amateur blacksmith said...

I hope I am wrong but I think you should of driven those rebar in a bit deeper.

Master Dave said...

I think a happy two feet is enough. As it is the pad weighs about 400 pounds, and it is poured on well packed gravel. I don't think it's going anywhere.

Anonymous said...

I didn't realize those power hammers were so heavy! We have a friend who has a 1 ton metal work tool in his basement. I didn't know you could get machinery that heavy! What is the tire for on the hammer?

Master Dave said...

The tire on the hammer: Lets see! A motor with a 4-inch diameter aluminum wheel on it is controlled by the foot pedal on the hammer. Pushing the foot pedal causes the rotating aluminum wheel to spin against the tire. This spins the tire. The hammer head system on the hammer, is attached to the tire in an off center position. This moves the hammer head up and down. Once I get things situated, I'll take a video of it. That might be more clear.
These hammers that I have are relitively light. Weighing in at less than a ton and doing about 50-60 pounds of force per blow. The bigger hammers can weigh in over 4 tons and have several hundred pounds of striking force.