Tire Hammer Tools May 15-16, 2009 Clay Spencer Tools for Tire Hammer Flatter Steels used are mild steel, jackhammer bits, several diameters of spring (5160), 4140 and H-13. The jackhammer bits I have used are high carbon similar to W-1 and therefore are heated to critical tempera- ture, above magnetic range and quenched in water, then tempered at 400 to 500°F. Other bits may be oil hardening. The spring is heated above critical and quenched in oil, then tempered at 400 to 500°F. 4140 is heated to 1200°F, held for several minutes, raised to 1575°F, held for 30 minutes then quenched in oil, cooled to below 200°F and above 100°F, then tempered at 400 to 500°F. H-13 may be heated to 1000°F and air cooled after forging. For welding use low hydrogen rod or MIG, preheat This simple tool is a piece of flat spring steel with a jack hammer, spring and 4140 to 400°F minimum handle and is used with flat dies to make half- and H-13 should be heated to 1000°F. Parts may be on/half-off blows. The spring should be at least 3" x heat treated before welding or after. 3" x 3/8" and could be somewhat larger. Does not require quenching/tempering. Handles The handle may be 5/16" diameter round mild steel Place the stock on top of the bottom die exactly bent to a U shape and twisted or forged from 1/4" x where you want to make a shoulder (near or off 1" flat bar mild steel, 8" to 12" long. Self-handled side) and place the flatter centered over the stock tools are where the handle is drawn out of the stock and hammer until the shoulder is deep enough. from which the tool is made. After a handle is welded on the end of a tool, the weld area and Bottom Round Swage about 1" of the handle should be heated to red and This tool is used to make a fuller/flatter or drawing allowed to air cool to relieve any stresses from the dies. It is welding, cool the tool in water to prevent heating about 2" x 3" above the tempering temperature. with a 2" to 3" diameter hol- Tool Holder Angle low in the top. A small angle, 1/4" thick x 1" wide, 1 1/4" legs is Minimum welded to bottom of the 1/4" x 1" so that it may be thickness is clamped to the bottom die with the tool clamp. 5/8". May be made from Narrow Spring for Fullers, Closed Dies or Swages mild steel, The 1/4" x 1" is bent to a U so that the two rounds does not re- are aligned. A small angle, 1/4" thick x 1" wide is quire quenching/tempering. welded to bottom of the 1/4" x 1" so that it may be clamped to the bottom die with the tool clamp. Place the heated stock (usually round) in the swage and hammer it down. Move it back and forth to keep Wide Spring for Dies it even. Reheat, remove the swage and true up the The spring is 3/16" x 2" mild steel, 32" long bent to a ends. Repeat first and second steps until shape is U shape. Dies are welded inside the U very close to finished always finishing in the swage. the ends, Grind a bevel on the ends of the die/swage stock so there is not a sharp edge on ends of the die. Do not weld across the spring, weld Tool Clamp along the sides of the die stock. This tool wraps around the bottom die and clamps spring swages, fullers and other tools to the die. A 1/2"-13 nut is welded to the 1/4" x 1" wrap around strap and a bolt with a 3/8" x 6" long cross bar is long is one way to make drawing stock easier on a welded across the bolt head. You may have to use a hammer with flat dies. Tool steel such as spring, 10" length of 1/2" pipe to get additional clamping axle, jack hammer or 4130 should be quenched and force. tempered. About 2" wide x 2"-3" long x 1/2" to 3/4" thick. A small angle is welded to bottom of 3/16" x 2" so that it may be clamped to the bottom die with the Fuller/Flatter tool clamp. You can make a separate set of bolt on A Fuller/Flatter is flat on one side and round on drawing dies using large spring or axle to replace other side with handle welded to one end. Tool steel the flat dies. Another idea is to incorporate a tool clamp with the spring drawing dies. This tool makes drawing a smooth taper much faster and easier. It is better to pull the stock toward you. If you push it thru the dies it bends up or down. Pull thru, rotate and pull thru. After experience you may be able to rotate 1/4 turn back and forth be- tween each hammer blow. Watch out for stock twist- ing to go on the diamond, correct by hammering on long diagonal before stock gets too small. After stock is drawn down to near correct side it is easier to even out, square or round up using the flat dies. Round Spring Fuller, 3/4" (3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 1" di- ameters are useful) such as spring, axle, jack hammer or 4130 should Two 3" lengths be quenched and tempered. About 2" wide x 2"-3" of 3/4" round long x 1/2" to 3/4" thick. spring or W-1 are welded to a This hand held tool may be used as a fuller or flatter 32" length of with flat dies but is most useful to smooth steps 1/4" x 1" mild formed by drawing tapers with the front edges of flat steel. If you in- dies. One side of the taper is held down on the bot- sist on hitting tom flat die while the flat of the Fuller/Flatter is held cold metal then on top of the taper. The round side self adjusts to quench and the slope of the taper. Work all tapered sides. temper the fullers. Use this fuller to make Drawing Dies decorative Rounded dies welded to 3/16" x 2" mild steel, 32" fullers or neck down stock, isolate a section of stock, reduce size in for a limited use swage or tool steel for high use a small area. May be used on two or four sides swage. Cut two pieces of stock, 2" x 2" (or 2" round) x 3/4" thick. Mark the center and drill a 1/2" diameter Punch, bolster plate hole 3/8" deep Punches could be any of the tool steels but I prefer on center. Weld high carbon steels that may be cooled in water. H- swage blocks to 13 is best for hot cutting but will upset if hit too hard. spring with a Taper and grind to the punch size desired (keep as ball clamped be- short as possible) then cool and saw off. Tack weld tween the to a paddle handle made from 1/4" x 1" mild steel. blocks. Preheat and weld, grind weld smooth. Heat treat or Heat the swage blocks to an or- ange color, place a 1" diam- eter ball bearing in the center and hammer the swage closed. If you can detect any difference in the color of swage blocks, start with hottest swage on the bottom. After 3 or 4 blows turn the swage upside down. Continue hammering, turning over, reheating as necessary until swage blocks are closed over ball. Reheat and place 3/8" diameter round rod between not, if you do never let the end of the punch get hot- blocks pointing to the center and hammer to form a ter than 500°F. channel for the stem. A bolster or punch plate may be 1/2" x 1 1/2" mild steel with several diameter holes drilled or punched Bend spring open and use a die grinder to relieve in it. edges of ball and stem depression. Grind a mini- mum of 1/4" around the ball depressions and 1/8" Mark location of hole with heavy center punch, heat along the stem. Grind smooth transition from ball to metal, locate punch and make a light blow and stem. If necessary, reheat and place ball in swage check location. Correct if necessary and strike a and refine the swage. couple of blows, cool W-1 punch in water and place To realine the swage, heat several inches of the U a small bit of coal in at the bend and a clamp a ball in the swage until the the hole. Drive punch spring cools. about 7/8 of way thru stock, cooling punch Another way to make a ball swage is to tack weld every 3 or 4 blows. two swage blocks together then center punch one Turn stock over, end and drill a hole on the center line of the blocks place over appropriate size hole in bolster and drive all the way thru. This hole should be the desired di- slug out. You may use a longer larger punch over a ameter of the taller bolster to enlarge the hole. ball. On one side drill a Use a bob punch on both sides to smooth out edges smaller hole of the hole.