Hammer mounted and used to align lower arm for welding.​

Leveling feet mounted.  Patterns for upper and lower arms being fitted for size.

Fresh back from powder coating.  Had the frame media blasted, primed and color coated.  Color is hammered metal silver.

Building a Planishing Hammer Frame

Milling slot for Milwaukee planishing hammer mounting receiver

Testing fit of Milwaukee hammer in mounting receiver.

Upper arm welding in place and dolly wheels added for easy moving around the shop.

Putting it all back together.

Solid 1.250" cold roll steel arms bent to fit pattern.  Upper arm shown here.  Solid rod pre-drilled for receiver.  Thanks to Ed Thomas of Thomas restorations for bending the arms.

Support webbing added to upper arm before mounting to frame in order to control distortion from welding 

Gussets welded in base, pressure regulator and lubricator mounting provisions added.

Test fitting the Milwaukee hammer.

Lower arm support turned out of 2" round stock then aligned and welded to bottom plate.  A 1.5" DOM tube was used to align the bottom arm with the Milwaukee planishing hammer, then the arm was welded to the lower support.  The lower die receiver is welded to top and aligned to the hammer.  The frame will now be powder coated. 

Finished Product 

Alignment and welding upper arm.

Filter and lubricator installed. 

The stainless steel air line to the hammer was too ridged and the high vibration environment, plus the weight of the ball valve, failed the brass elbow connecting the hammer to the air supply.    I converted it to a foot switch and a rubber hose supply moving the ball valve to the filter/lubricator and running an air line to a foot switch and then, to the hammer.  The foot switch actually makes it more comfortable to run the hammer by allowing you to locate the metal being shaped with both hands and activating the hammer with the foot switch. 

Welding up 4" X 4" X .125" square tubing frame

Found first problem. I used a stainless steel air line to the hammer...it is too ridged and the brass elbow cracks.  I'll convert it to a foot switch and a rubber hose supply.

 4" X 4" X .125" square tubing frame is a pressure vessel.  Pressure testing and looking for leaks.

Don't forget to install a drain at a low point to clear the water that will build up and can rust out your pressure vessel.  

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