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Just thought i would to ask if any one has any modifications to your 100lb that you would like to share,such as dies, brakes, mounting.etc. This topic might help our members!

[I saw some of Jim's work on a recent rebuild while at The ABS Symposium in Topeka and he is obviously very knowledgeable and capable.]

Jim--If you want inside tips about 100# hammers I would ask either Sid, Dave Sloan or Don Hanson (who owns two of them). (Maybe they will see this and chime in here.)

Gary

thanks Gary for the kind words.What I was wanting to do was help out our members with some info. JIM

Jim,

Some things about 100's that you should know. They are big enough that you can't work on them by yourself. Everything on it is four times as heavy, than a 25. Another thing that is important is pour enough concrete, on a twenty five and a fifty you can get away with not mounting it solid. On a hundred you really need it bolted down with the proper amount concrete.

Mods. First off, you won't need a brake. A hundred has enough weight in the fly wheel that run on no longer becomes a problem. The second mod. that I would highly recommend is dual treadle rods, with the added weight of the clutch pulley, the transition between treadle and engagement allows for some slop. Don H111 can post some excellent pics of this. Third dies, now this is a trade secret but I've found that they work excellent, Ask Sid about oversize flat dies for a hundred. The original dies did not take full advantage of sow block. Sid has made several sets of dies that make full use of this area. Their nice.

Dave from Diller

Agree with everything everything Dave said here. Big concrete, big dies, no brake... <img src=' http://www.americanbladesmith.com/ipboard/public/style_emoticons//smile.gi f' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

I bought my first 100 LG back in 97 or 98, needed info/parts and got to be good friends with Sid and Keri. Great people! Sid and Dave delivered my brand new 100 LG July of 2010. Has the heavy ram, dual clutch rods, 3"x8" dies. I do love this hammer. I've used most of the hammers out there under 300 lbs and find the 100 LG the best for my damascus and blade forging work.

Matching top/bottom dies is critical for blade work. I also start with flat dies and grind a slight taper across the front and back, leaving a 1.5" flat down the middle, then round of all edges and corners. Works very good for me.

A 5hp motor is all so a must on these big hammers. On any hammer you that you have you need to have enough hp to make these things work properly.

Here's a little trivia. There were only 1600, 100 pound hammers ever made. All 100#ers have removal sow blocks, even the old style. There were more new style 100's made than old. As opposed to 25's.

An important fact about Don's new 100 is that it is actually a brand new hammer. When Sid purchased Little Giant in '91 he acquired 3 one hundred pound frames that were never assembled. Don received the last one.

Dave from Diller

Those are really cool.. Mike