Big Blu 155

[Ryan Bernard]

So I Purchased a Used Big Blu 155 in really great shape it gets here this week. So I have a couple questions.

i have a 7Hp 60 gallon compressor 125 PSI with 10.3 scfm @90psi 

 

will this compressor run the hammer for efficiently enough for a hobbyist bladesmith ?
 

the guy I bought it from who is a Journeyman Smith said his compressor was the same specs just an 80 gallon tank

 

Any tips on mounting the hammer?

approx 5” concrete slab floor 

 

what size piping or tubing do I need to run from the compressor to the hammer?

 

any other tips or suggestions when getting this thing setup?

 

thanks everyone 

[Chris Christenberry]

The only suggestion I can make is a smart @ss one.....................have it shipped to me instead!   Mighty happy for ya.  Just wish it were mine.

[dragoncutlery]

look at the air input port whatever size that is (3/8 1/2 3/4 whatever) stick with that going to the compressor put a filter or two in line with water catches/separators and welllllll my little giant 50lb calls for 23 inches of concrete so i thing you have some digging ahead of you

[Alan Longmire]

You can always ask Big Blu about the compressor specs.  When they take those to hammer-ins they have a trailer-mounted 20hp screw compressor, but they will run fine smaller ones if you have a big enough tank.

 

I doubt your slab will last long if you bolt it directly to the concrete.  The portable (relatively speaking) Blu's I've seen have been mounted on railroad tie skids.  These can sit on a 5" slab without cracking it, but it does make you have to raise your foot further to work the treadle.  If you do want to mount it properly, that means an isolation pad. Brandon mentioned 23 inches of concrete, which would be about right.  You cut out a hole in the slab, dig it out to two feet deep (or more, your choice) and make a cage of rebar that fits in there.  Line the edges with something like horse stall mat, and fill with concrete after making another cage that holds the anchor bolts.  This will keep the rest of the slab intact and reduce the felt shock outside the shop.

 

Overkill? For a 155lb hammer, maybe.  You should see the foundation plans for a BIG hammer...  My 50lb mechanical hammer is perfectly fine on a skid made of 2x4s bolted together edgewise on top of my ~3" slab.  I used angle iron anchored to the slab as a corral to keep the hammer from walking around in use.  

[Daniel W]

I say a big congrats on getting a hammer like that!  I've used a 110lb blu at the local craft school for years and really enjoy it. They can be made quite adjustable to hit pretty soft, but I like how smooth they can tap once you get a feel for the treadle alone. It took the craft school a few years to work out some of the kinks to get the hammer to run as it should.  

 

Something I've been realizing is that you don't just buy a hammer and go right at it, there are a lot of other things to consider before it can run smoothy. Compressor and CFM, having the proper electric in place, footing, and for a hammer like this exhaust. For yourself, it's probably going to be an excellent set up. Most guys I know with a pneumatic hammer all say the same thing, it's all about the compressor and making sure that it is running well.  During classes, 12 people would run the hammer almost continuous and that's where I saw the limit for that hammer.  The compressor there just could not keep up running for 8 hours and would knock out a breaker or fry it.  Hammer itself, ran without a problem.

 

The last year I went to classes I graduated to a 100lb Bradley mechanical hammer, and I never touched the blu again. If your not familiar with hammers, a 100lb mechanical hammer is about 4 times the size of a blu.  Mechanical hammers can be a little more temperamental but I felt as if that hammer would hit 4 times faster than the blu and big broad dies were meant to really work on big stuff. I was quite please I could also get that hammer to tap, but once the clutch caught it would run away pretty quick.

 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Daniel W

[Brian Madigan]

It will run only as well as the compressor powering it, as with all air tools. It's a good idea to pour a separate foundation for the hammer.