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Niles-Bement-Pond 350 Pound Air Hammer

Jock Dempsey and Paul Parenica with 350 pound Niles-Bement air hammer.
The author (left) with Paul Parenica and the author's "new" 350 pound Niles-Bement air hammer. Paul had just delivered the hammer from Oklahoma.

The hammer is missing its anvil but that was part of the deal (a long sad story). Over the coming months anvilfire! will report on the disassembly and repair of the hammer and anvil replacement. A steel base for the anvil has been located (8" x 48" dia) and we are looking for the other heavy steel necessary for the stem and anvil cap. The 4,060 pound "base" goes a long way toward the anvil replacement which needs to be 5,250 pounds to meet the general rule of 15:1 for anvils. We have estimated the anvil assembly will be 18:1 (6550lbs.) with stem, cap and die.

Once setup anvilfire! will provide close up photos of its operation using standard and specialized tooling.

This diagram was published in 1921 in an Audels Engineers and Mechanics Guide. It shows the recomended foundation plan and identifies the parts. This diagram is still reproduced in modern texts describing this type hammer.

Our 350# is a later model with a safety cap and bosses for a treadle which we are going to retrofit. The throttle valve is turned 90° from the diagram to make this possible. The hammer is 9 feet 8 inches (295cm) tall and has a 17" (43cm) throw.

As we rebuild this hammer we will be recording details as we reverse engineer many of the parts. Currently we know three other people setting up or operating these machines. There are bound to be many others running these hammers so the information we collect should be useful.

The diagrams below show the "self centering" linkage typical of this style of hammer.

Yep! This is a little different than a 50# Little Giant or JYH!
Copyright © 1998 by Jock Dempsey, DEMPSEY'S FORGE
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