Adam Weller 346 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Hello all, There is the possibility that I am going to be pouring the concrete for a new shop floor sometime this summer. Someday, in the distant future I would love to obtain a power hammer of some type… Any thoughts on pouring a block of concrete sufficient for a power hammer now even though I do not know the make and model of my future tool? Link to post Share on other sites
Wayne Coe 74 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 I have a Big Blu 155 Max. My floor is 4" of concrete with fiber and no rebar. This was poured over a gravel layer. I have had no cracking. The vibration did cause my 500# anvil to walk due to the transmitted vibration. I then cut through the concrete around the Big Blu and filled the resulting kerf with silicone calk. That stopped the "walking anvil". 1 Wayne Coe Artist Blacksmith 729 Peters Ford Road Sunbright, Tennessee 706-273-8017waynecoe@highland.netwww.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 3,678 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 It's nice to have a slab separated from the rest, like Wayne has, but most small (sub-200lb) hammers run fine on a standard slab with a bit of padding. My 50lb Star mechanical sits on a raft of 4x4s, mostly to raise the dies up to a comfortable working height. Air hammers don't need as solid a mounting as the old mechanical hammers since there's not as much mobile mass bouncing around, but they all benefit from being bolted down. If you can pour a four-foot cube of concrete, great! On the other hand, if you score an old industrial hammer like a Nazel 5B, you'll have to dig that out and build a major foundation. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Weller 346 Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Nice, I think I'll just pour it with some dividers to isolate a small (is a 4x4' pad enough?) I doubt I'll have anything very large depending on what I find in the future. Regarding bolting it down - I assume there is no standard bolt pattern I can put in place, so that will have to come secondary when I obtain the hammer. Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 3,678 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 For most modern small shop hammers a 4x5 pad is enough, but if you run across a good old Bradley guided helve it'll bee a bit short. Seriously though, that's fine for utility hammers, Kinyon-style hammers, Little Giants up to 100 lb, the small Anyang, and most mechanicals. If you score a Say-Mak, Sahindler, Kuhn, or large Anyang you'd need a longer pad since their self-contained mechanism is about 5 1/2 feet long. And yeah, there's no universal bolt pattern. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Adam Weller 346 Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Well, at this stage in the game I can make it as big as I want... sounds like 4x5, or even 4x6 just cuz I can 1 Link to post Share on other sites
billyO 411 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 I think that is the prudent decision, Adam. To me, the question that needs answering is which would be worse, having an extra foot of room or having to cut out a foot of already existing floor? 1 RIP Bear....be free! as always peace and love billyO Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy Blohm 575 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 My 88 lb self contained hammer has a footprint of 2 foot X 4 foot 3 inches. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Wayne Coe 74 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 I too have raised my hammer on 6x6s for the same reason Alan mentioned. Putting a pad under the hammer will lessen the impact because the pad is absorbing some of the impact. Just like having a pad under your anvil. If you want to get the most out of your hammer glue it down with an adhesive silicone calk. I was given this advise by Dean Curfman, the builder of Big Blu hammers. 1 Wayne Coe Artist Blacksmith 729 Peters Ford Road Sunbright, Tennessee 706-273-8017waynecoe@highland.netwww.WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith.com Link to post Share on other sites
Francis Gastellu 270 Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) My tiny anyang 33lbs has a 1.5 x 3ft footprint and hasn't seem to have damaged my 3 inch concrete garage floor after two years of moderate use. I do have 1/2" thick rubber padding under the base, but unsure how much that really matters. For reference, ymmv, ianal Edited July 14, 2021 by Francis Gastellu 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Jeremy Blohm 575 Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 I should have mentioned that my hammer sits directly on my 4" thick concrete floor and after a couple years I have seen no issues. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
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