FIXING A 1900's STEAM HAMMER! pt.1

[@christianb-130]

Will’s “NOOOOOOOO” is still engrained into my brain. Please don’t try to move this with a pallet Jack.

[@afg122602]

That moment will live in my brain forever. Heart breaking

[@Artiick]

​@@afg122602when was this?

[@_owen.c]

Yeah… that scream scarred my soul forever

[@afg122602]

@Artiick when will was moving out of the Montana shop.

[@Artiick]

@@afg122602 Damn i must've missed it... I swear I can't remember it

[@HandToolRescue]

Only a select few will ever truly know the pain of a stuck key on a power hammer.

[@ChristopherPride]

Always excited to see comments crossing over between two channels I follow.

[@unrepentantbastard9088]

It would've been easier to just build a pulley-puller with a bottlejack to convince that pin to gtfo. Man got the tools to make that happen. Unless... well, unless he felt a tad masochistic or just had to let go of some anger. *shrug*

[@Azguella]

Something not even Evapo-rust can fix

[@AmericanMilitia]

I absolutely love every single one of your videos! I’m quadriplegic and I have been for 12 years since I was 21 and I vicariously live through you! Can I get a piece of autographed anything from you? I’ll take trash lol.

[@Mr_Dopey]

In a similar situation I went through a few cycles of heating and cooling with a torch and a candle.

[@Vault57]

4:18 All of the various gasket materials are likely to be asbestos containing. Remember, don't grind, saw, or sand any of them. Use your fancy respirator when cleaning the old gaskets or conditioning faces where gaskets go. And yes, those gaskets look like all the other ones I have seen that were known to be asbestos.

[@McNasty43]

I was gonna say the same thing. I wouldn't even touch those gaskets with bare hands.

[@kingp00]

how does he not know this?

[@fernandog806]

And please do not wear those clothes home and take possible asbestos home

[@aq9415]

6:21 Please take resonable care with gaskets if there is a chance they could be asbestos.

[@c.mccracken]

I think it's highly likely they are asbestos given how old they look and probably installed in the 1960s-80s? I'd either get them tested for relatively cheap or wear proper ppe and be extremely careful.

[@patbullard9276]

Please don’t overreact to the possibility that there might be asbestos gaskets. The real problem with asbestos is breathing airborne particles as would be contacted from asbestos insulation. Yes handle these safely but it’s no reason to panic and call 911.

[@47DaysofBakedbeans]

@@patbullard9276 problems will only arise in about 20 years or so.

[@Zonkotron]

@@patbullard9276Still, the warning is 100% warranted !!!! Simple reason. Old steam flanges etc tend to be really fouled up. Often a wirewheel is a good cure for that. Except if the caked on mud is half asbestos.......ooopsie.

[@aserta]

@@Zonkotron It is, but just like with lead people make a horse out of it when just being aware is enough, i think this scaremongering is doing ore harm than good, especially with hard headed people who will not want to hear about this warning. And in this day and age, of people who did not grow up with iron lungs and children dead from lead poisoning... trying to warn them in a oppressive manner is going to make them even more entrenched. It's not radioactive, which honestly is a bigger foul-c@ck to deal with and every once in a while pops its ugly head when dealing with old things. There's old markets where you can walk with a counter in hand and see the ticks go louder and louder, in some places the organizers walk the market "floor" with a detector before the market starts, because the odds of finding these things is high or higher than they'd want to deal with. Rambles aside, any gasket on that machine will be soaked up in oil (because of the steam-oil used). It's only dangerous if you start actively sniffing that gasket as you chop it apart. The biggest danger with asbestos comes from 3 big and very well defined instances. 1. working with the stuff in a factory. Be it actively making asbestos based stuff or dealing with asbestos insulation particulates in the air. 2. breaking up asbestos panels. Not to be confused with asbestos laden cement panels (corrugated or not). Those are inert. This is about the white puffy hex or rhombus pressed (think like toilet paper patterns) panels that were used in things like ovens or even sold as insulators between an oven and other cabinets or overhead fireproof panels for offices. - Quite frankly, in today's world, the most dangerous contact one can get with asbestos, you could easily confuse it with cardboard if it's dusty or dirty. 3. asbestos filling. Rare. You almost never see the stuff anymore, i've only seen it in 5 houses, all from the 1960 to late 1970's period. You can see how it looks if you look up "vermiculite". There's also (and i've only seen those once) a "board" like panel, tho panel is loosely named, thick made from compacted asbestos fibers. I don't know its brand name tho, so not easy to point towards. If you've ever played with the felt tip of a marker pen as a kid, pulling it apart and you saw the fibers, it's kinda like that, but white-ish and shaped like a panel. In this category, this is the most dangerous. If you pull on one of those, and you don't have a mask... you're f-kd. That stuff is like cattail.

[@twostroke350]

I'm impressed with how that pin resisted a blacksmith with a sledge hammer for so long. Looking at the spalling/smearing on the pin, it had effectively welded itself in place.

[@Gantzz321]

should look into getting a SMOKE tester, you can pump smoke into areas to test for leaks or early on here just see what areas connect internally.

[@metal100k]

I was thinking the same thing. Like how aerodynamic experts show where the air goes over the model cars and planes and such you can see where it goes through the machine holes.

[@s.r5496]

It just use a cigarette

[@nunyabizness4354]

Or use "smoke in a can", which is typically used to test smoke detectors.

[@nickjohnson9637]

The vast majority of people will never understand how good it feels to get something that should move, but won’t move, to move…

[@Seelenschmiede]

Every Skyrim player feels that...

[@Marss13z]

@@Seelenschmiede I heard of a guy who built a sailboat in his garage. It was on a cradle and built to the precise dimensions that would let it out of the garage. He couldn't put it on a jack so he slid it out on bacon grease.

[@MostlyPennyCat]

I took a Coventry Climax fire pump that had sat unmoving for decades and made it start and run. Even though I mostly had no real idea what I was doing beyond the most basic understanding of what a four stroke engine is. That was fun.

[@laszlofyre845]

I was born and raised about 150 yards from Masseys works. I can still hear the and feel the low frequency thumping and vibrations from the works on nights, as I lay in bed at nigh, when I was about 3. The heartbeat of industrial east Manchester, now stilled for all time.That hammer would only have travelled a similar distance to Armstrongs works too.

[@codybates2419]

Awesome to see a big project like this. Always love the restoration of old tools like this.

[@ivarsson89]

Looking forward to a classic Alec 42 part series 😍

[@Zogg1281]

10:20 "I'm going to sleep on all of that" ........ that is going tk be really uncomfortable!!!! 😂

[@benfisher119]

Most importantly, that was Trev who dropped it off with you. Worked with him back in Sheffield, top guy.

[@blurboards1]

Looking forward to this one. I love the machine restoration videos. Be careful grinding or creating particulates, lead and asbestos are not your friend.

[@swampcritterisbackbaby1740]

There are two holes to rotate the piston to equalize wear. One pin, changed from side to side on a regular interval.

[@FlinnGaidin]

I was just thinking there must be a reason for the second hole...they wouldn't've gone to the trouble of making a second if it didn't have a use.

[@JossWaddy]

30 seconds in and I'm excited for the project. Can we all just give huge thanks for Alec's headlong hubris that makes him take on these bonkers projects and entertain us. Thank you sir. I am fully locked in for all the blood sweat and tears involved in getting this antique restored to working order.

[@1320crusier]

"Hi, my name is Alec and I have a power hammer addiction" 115 years old.. wow. Man I wish stuff like this could talk. What a project and a piece. Good luck :)

[@ac.creations]

100 years of quick and dirty "fixes"

[@heckin_dinosaw]

That marking on top of the piston in the top chamber is from the scotch key that prevents the piston from unscrewing from the shaft, coming unscrewed and getting smashed by said piston, there'll be a bunch of marking on the underside of the cylinder head

[@HoboWhisperer]

"It spins, I wonder why?" - I worked on a job with some circa 1920 30" valves. They were rotating double disc valves. They rotated during actuation so that the discs would seal against the valve seat randomly aligned to make the whole seating surface wear evenly. Maybe a similar reason here?

[@waverleyjournalise5757]

Guessing that any slight sideways play in the linkage coupled with potentially uneven packing material being forced into place could cause stress on the valve piston and shaft if it didn't spin.

[@KhaosSN]

Gotta love pure Alec chaos of smashing the bar into the pin, that was hilarious!

[@charlesrovira5707]

@10:10 🤣😂😅 I just had an image of that *_behemoth_* sitting on your front lawn in a brown robe, *Cargemel-like,* with dozens of *Smurfs* squashed _flat and bloody_ all around it.

[@SamTheBalerMan]

Asbestos gaskets!!

[@pauldriscoll5010]

Definitely looks like it make sure any of them are well soaked in oil or water to keep down the fibres. Wax can also be used to hold the fibres down longer

[@paulsymons562]

Came here to say the same. Take care, keep 'em wet while you get rid of them, maybe use a mask and clear up well afterwards.

[@Volt64bolt]

@@paulsymons562maybe? MAYBE! DEFINITELY use a mask with proper filters, and dispose of it safely

[@Indypacecar82]

Have to taste it to authenticate the material.

[@ac.creations]

Would the forces keep sloughing off the material into air or is it fully enclosed? Only watched for 30 seconds so far

[@mrawesome2524]

Good trick i learned, once you get that red hot spray it with cold water, the temp shift will break the hold of both pieces, Cheers from Tennessee!

[@jimcooper5472]

The hanging scythe shaped part is for working the automatic blows. The strange cylinder head with an internal piston and rings was a steam cushion.

[@0num4]

Appreciate your tenacity, Alec. I might've given up on knocking loose that pin with brute force, tried something like a pulling machine with more mechanical advantage.

[@letsgocamping88]

Id have drilled and tapped a hole, then threaded bar and puller. Load it up and get some heat on. Doesn't look to be a hardened pin

[@killergames391]

Some slight digging shows that Armstrong Whitworth was producing mostly artillery guns during WW1, everything from 6 pounders to 28cm howitzers and more. Its quite possible this hammer was building the guns of the royal navy during the War

[@joepie221]

Greetings Alec. Get yourself a can of Kano Kroil. It eats rust like a fat kid eats donuts. Its been my favorite rust disolver for many years. Good luck with the restoration. I'm sure you'll do it justice.

[@GarretHandel]

Watching you smash that stuck key gave me flashbacks to when I bought a used skid steer and one of the pins on the attachment plate was fully rusted stuck. Ended up having to use the acetylene torch to melt most of the pin out of the bore hole before it finally became loose enough to pound out. Glad you were able to get that key out- I can imagine the feeling when it flew out!

[@jeffreynerdin3522]

I love this project. Its great to see you embarking on another daunting task. All the best.

[@BaltimoreKnifeandSwordCo]

Great looking hammer. Very useful size and I love that it is a one piece.

[@torbjornahman]

Cool! A lot of work, but I'm sure you will pull that off. However you will need a monster compressor to run it!!

[@danielmoss2394]

Very cool big project. Perhaps a collaboration with Will on this? Have him come over to your side of the pond!

[@bethconner5419]

At the end when you're heating up that pin? I knew and old steam guy who had worked with engines all his life (paddle steamers) and if something wasn't behaving, he'd pop around and visit his son, (also worked on steam and engines all his life). What they'd do is whack the whole piece in the wood fired camp stove we were all sitting around and sit around having a few drinks, dinner, and just talk about life until it was ready. Then smack it apart. Worked every time. I loved listening to them and being included in those conversations. Learned so much. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

[@Tuxedomakdarien]

Looks like the locking set screws for the piston/rod interface cam out and smashed into the top of the piston. Time stamp 3:26 for reference.

[@adblevins2]

KZbin search and call out for working one and how maintained would help a lot

[@scottcampbell96]

I always get nervous when there is a heavy power hammer being craned about.

[@oliverer3]

We've all got collective PTSD

[@rom65536]

Rumor has it that there's an operational steam hammer of this model at the Maritime Museum at the Chatham Dockyard. Might want to check into it. You might be able to get pictures that would help you assemble it.

[@manythingslefttobuild]

Power hammer restorations are oddly interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of this one, and if you can find a home for it to run on steam.

[@colingrey9326]

Yay! So happy to see you tackling something hard and being excited about learning new things ❤

[@chieftbrody]

Big thumbs up. I love your restauration-videos, because I love old machinery. I am looking forward for the next episodes.

[@rupertmiller9690]

Congratulations on your new shop anchor.

[@WillswoodworkingYEG]

Alec you should research longitudinal stretching, heat the end red hot and let it cool, the whole thing will stretch length wise. It's better if you weld the end of the pin but I've used this a ton, works every time.

[@gordogato1379]

Probably the series I am most excited for!

[@sarchlalaith8836]

Thinking of how the pneumatic versions work, could you weld up the ports on the steam cylinder and use an electric motor to move pneumatic fluid to operate the cylinder instead??

[@stuartjohnson794]

You should take a trip to Bliss Hill in Iron Bridge, they have working steam hammer.

[@PhotoArtBrussels]

Alec, maybe start with; how much steam do you need? at what pressure? Where do you get the steam from? That will be a hard part to get right.

[@GaryNeuzil]

I have always enjoyed your episodes, but the ones where you have restored your equipment have been my favorites. Good luck with this monster of a machine!

[@dontknowsht8771]

looks like we are in for a long and fun ride. always nice seeing this old pieces of machinery coming back to life

[@MrTooneboone]

Yessss I love these series of repairing large machinery

[@Neuntoter58]

Dude. You where a kid when i started following you and now you tackle this kind of proyects?? Thast amazing

[@jessemarchand5694]

I have a dream of restoring vintage blacksmithing machines and displaying them in my shop. Looking forward to this series!

[@ThisRandomGuyYouDidntNotice]

not on a power hammer but on some motorcycles I had pins and engine mounts getting stuck that bad too... at least you could use brute force! on those cast engines you're stuck with gear pullers and such to not break anything ^^

[@Odinnyb13]

Amazing project!! I would suggest you be careful with all those old gaskets. might be pretty full of asbestos and maybe some lead. unless they were copper gaskets, but they don't look to be. It may also be beneficial for you to also get in touch with someone of whom is more integrated into the workings of steam engines and other steam powered machinery such as your hammer.

[@fredericrike5974]

It's always fun watching you whack it about! Need to be careful of your hands, though. Those are what makes the hammer fly! Still got lots of mystery parts- always like a good mystery!

[@Marss13z]

People like to see other people solve problems which is what you are doing here. It's educational and inspirational. You are persistent and well-trained with an active mind. What's not to like?

[@AutoBrawn]

Can't wait to see this ol gal brought back to life! I love anything to do with steam power!

[@MrJacovorster]

I'm so excited to see where this goes! You always inspire me to stretch myself and do new things, Thanks Alec.

[@jrwise100]

I’m into this restoration project. I’m excited to learn more about it as you go!!

[@RPNooKian]

Finally back to some big machiiineeesss. I missed these series.

[@AmericanMilitia]

Really looking forward to this restoration!

[@louiekendall6606]

Hey alec I think it would be cool watching you try some engraving like you might see on a old English shotgun. You could forge a blank and engrave it, with some fine scroll work or a game scene or something like if you are feeling a change from the heavy work.

[@stoicc6510]

Man, the triumph of getting that pin to finally move! I was cheering on my couch like an idiot 😂

[@Kingrob5399]

Super excited!! Please make these episodes pretty in depth! I miss all the nitty griddy bits in your episodes

[@IsYitzach]

7:55 I think that would be called a throttle in a car engine. It appears to me to regulate the amount of steam that goes into the piston and therefore the speed of the power hammer.

[@talhasari5911]

i cant describe how happy this series makes me i am so fricken excited to watch all of it

[@JboEnterprise]

There is a terrific video on youtube of a man who rebuilt a large steam engine. In it he talks a lot about steam jackets for valves, which may be some of the unknown ports on your new hammer. Could be worth looking for.

[@Llama613]

Been watching since the hand tools only build. Loving the videos lately. Cant wait to see how this project unfolds.

[@Ome_Willem]

Really nice project! I love the way you made this video. Not just tell how it works, but show us how you know it works by discovering every part. (Hope you understand me, i'm not good at English)

[@tonyn3123]

One of your better videos. Not so much metal music and camera flicking from one thing to another with little or no detail. I like it. Just me. Thanks.

[@ArdentObserver]

Your excitement at the end when you finally got movement with the pin totally made the movie!!! More authentic reactions like that please!

[@nicoketterer9665]

This is gonna be awesome, as always some work and improvements are required. And always pure joy to watch!

[@piccalillipit9211]

*THE VALVE POSITION* rotates to allow for even wear *STUCK DRIFT KEY* chop it, drill it, collapse it with a cold chisel. dont mess around trying to remove a disposable component like that.

[@Ammoniummetavanadate]

Eh, heating and quench the pin should work fine, I don't know why he kept the heat on the whole face.

[@garychillingworth]

Alec, they have a Steam hammer at the science museum in London if it helps

[@Little_River_Forge]

I knew it!!!!!!! Thank the lord above a multi part in depth Alec Steele Video !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🎉❤

[@mitchpw2996]

Yesssss!!! I love these restoration series, and your performance on that pin was majestic 😂❤

[@maolcogi]

I'm late to the party and I see how many episodes this is. I'm too lazy to put together the monitor arm I bought so I can properly mount my two 34 inch monitors... and you're willing to put this much effort into making something that doesn't even have a straightforward instruction manual? Really illustrates to me the difference between successful people, and people like me. xD

[@captainsupermaket8003]

You should use an Air hammer to remove pins like that

[@Hurricanes1405]

Definitely the next 20 part series I didn't know I needed. Looking forward to it !

[@beautifulsmall]

Great project, I would invest in some Kroil , spray and hammer every day for ... weeks, to let the oil creep with the hammer vibrations. There will be more frozen parts. Love to see how it goes.

[@penngwinn]

Nice! It's fun watching you figure it out and get in way over your head. You're a brave dude. Have fun!

[@benito7989]

Asbestos gaskets!!! Nice video love what you do i startef forging because of you and now have my small workshop making damascus and all sort of stuff

[@benbrummitt7953]

I'm looking forward to this series, I enjoy the blades and stuff, but machinery is just fascinating

[@maxg6581]

You should use an automotive air hammer. Using an air hammer on cars is a game changer. Saves so much time and effort.

[@truepuzuma]

I've been watching for a while now. I've seen you make some great stuff. One thing I haven't seen you tackle is a set of darts.

[@michaeltalaganis6518]

This will be a great series, keep up the restoration videos!

[@FirelordRob76]

i really didn't think you were going to be able to get that pin out of there. looking forward to more of this hammer.

[@MrLargonaut]

Have you ever used an endoscope in your videos? Getting a flexible camera stem into all those vent holes might help you find potentially dangerous pitting or cracking, or even just chunks threatening to break off or a wayward bolt jammed sideways in a port.

[@randallrun]

GREAT project, very much looking forward to this, and your can totally do it! PLEASE no more “be careful of the asbestos gaskets” comments!! There’s like a million of them! Sometimes right in a row too, don’t people read the comments before posting??!!

[@keyem4504]

Can't wait to see you making this thing shiny again.

[@roBLINDhood]

Absolutely love all your restoration videos! And I like how you got more British as you got more frustrated! 😂😂

[@Jasoncole7621]

A good way to see how the channels go inside the casting is using smoke or steam. You can push it through one hole and see where is Comes out.

[@Cystrade]

Just checked your store and everything is sold out! Wanted to get more of your G1's since I loved my first pair

[@paulObriant]

Woowee, you went and done it now! Best of luck and keep on keeping on!

[@thenight-frog2543]

I hoped for it and sort of expected ist. I was confused, when you build the mini-model. Now I know why. You normally go big, not small.

[@joekessinger731]

C'mon!... a plea for help and a respite, yes, I have felt that frustration firsthand. I could feel his joy when it finally started moving. So ready for more of this

[@DEATER155]

Should also look into getting a line bore cutter

[@aaronpreston47]

That super expensive, thinking he’s just gonna use a hone.

[@nkwarts7966]

To get the pin out, use an sds drill on hammering mode with an big size “earth rod install “ adapter in it. And don’t forget your earprotection not. 😅

[@Tornato12537]

I love this kind of video, figuring out mechanisms is really fun. Though this a whole different scale

[@bobwallace5257]

Alec don’t sweat it ! You got this!! Nothing there you can’t fix or make!!!

[@juddphillips]

If I had to guess I’d say the rear valve it like a on and off valve and the front valve controls the ram

[@craigbooth5414]

This is sooooo FREAKING AWESOME!!!! Living the dream!

[@Memeyoji]

I watch most of your content but I have to say, restorations are my favorite :D