1950s Drop Hammer Forging Steel

Reel #: 237 TC In: 02151701 TC Out: 02194826
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[@paulbourgeois5712]

this amazing footage was filmed in probably the 1950's or 60's at Interstate drop forge Milwaukee Wisconsin... The hammer mans name is Little Boys Henry... That was not his nickname that was his birth name... And he worked for almost 40 years as a hammer man at interstate and was one of the best hammer men that shop ever had... He retired a few years before I started at Interstate in 1986, but I saw his picture on the wall, and heard many legendary stories about him, when I began working in the forge as an apprentice all those years ago... Seems like yesterday but its almost 30 years ago!!!

[@Myfootage]

Thanks for the great info, Paul. It's greatly appreciated!

[@paulbourgeois5712]

Brought back a lot of memories... I worked on that very hammer, after it was converted from a board hammer to an air drop hammer. The shop closed in 2002, when the work was sent to Pakistan, because a new ownet had bought the place, and shipped our work out to have it done cheaper, and it was heartbreaking, because I had been there 22 years... I watched them pull these hammers out of the ground after they had been there for almost 100 years, when we closed the shop. It was like a member of my family dying.

[@DJChris032467]

Paul Bourgeois wow I worked for RI Tool Company and that closed in 2003. Local 1530

[@kimberlyhughes4515]

Thank you for your story!

[@gigabilitydontask1549]

My father work for crop forage in the early 60s all the way into the 80s I remember he used to run something called the 50 they used to call it Big Bertha

[@Outland9000]

Back in the day when videos were informative.

[@teevee8372]

I love this video. Hard to believe there was no use of earplugs. We aren’t even allowed to step on the floor without them these days.

[@raak4070]

Sad to think all these dudes were deaf at 30

[@georgeeckenroth5315]

Worked with a big ol' Ceco board hammer at US Drop Forge 25 years ago. Tough job.

[@avivatar5288]

It is simultaneously absolutely stunning how informative these old videos are and terrifying how dangerous these procedures were. I work in industry and we’ve come a long, long way from the days when a worker was expected to regularly handle red hot metal in front of a machine that would crush them in an instant without a single guard to prevent accidental entry.

[@cowgoesmoo3850]

I use a ceco drop hammer. When hammering constantly it shakes everything and you feel it in your chest. Most badass job I have had. Dam we had to pull the heated steel out ourselves and forge them lol.

[@harleypiper]

I unfortunately I run a 1944 2500 pounder ceco board drop hammer and a 44 Erie 1500 pounder.,I also do the furnace running the pieces to the hammer then to the 1929 bliss trim press.....and then I get to replace the 3 boards in each every 55 days.
all by myself because the company wont hire me an assistant. Oh did I mention I'm 52

[@Japokat13]

I guess it never really gets out of your blood, I have a 25lb little giant in my shop,

[@robbieogorman5536]

i worked at garringtons uk on a erie stem hammer making crankshafts for 14 yrs hard work but the best days i was 18 when i started and became a stamper at 20 good old days

[@Myfootage]

Thanks for all of the great comments, Mitch, and everyone. Safety first!

[@ElAnvaBar]

it explains a heck lot about why these kind of hammers move the way they do.

[@cleettaurus8637]

I wonder how many of these guys weren't wearing ear plugs

[@WAL_DC-6B]

I wonder how many lost their hearing doing such work!

[@carstenpfundt]

"What!?"

[@simondenny7801]

"WHAT?!"

[@s.mukherjee1160]

Great,most enjoyable,educative one,for drop forging addicts.

[@Alcochaser]

This is how REAL things are made..... no cheap MIM crap here.

[@Myfootage]

Alcochaser Excuse our ignorance, but what's a MIM?

[@Alcochaser]

MyFootage.com Metal Injection Molding

[@Myfootage]

Alcochaser Thanks for the clarification! No cheap MIM crap here!

[@checho2104]

I work with these for many years in Iowa

[@Japokat13]

@harleypiper I did work for them, and 5 other forge shops in southern CA. I have worked for 3 shops in Texas

[@bargarberta6976]

the crusher from the brave little toster XD

[@Robert.R.83]

Holy SHIT look at the steam hammer!!!

[@williammcclanahan1792]

We had Kevlar belt drop hammers

[@nixhex1311]

I run all ceco, 2-3000lb drop, 2-2000lb drop, 2-2000lb die forgers, and 1-1500lb drop

[@hakimudeenkapoor6188]

Mitch Haynes 8fxy

[@ElAnvaBar]

nice! Much respect, that's got to be a heavy job to do.

[@andystevenson5067]

These people all went deaf I'm sure lol

[@Scagguy4014]

Those rods must have been for a big diesel

[@theairsoftsloth4801]

A real days work that

[@pontushaggstrom6261]

I think one of thesd ran in my home town

[@mobsey94]

Oddly terrifying

[@Japokat13]

@harleypiper I've worked at 6 different shops in CA, which one you working at?

[@harleypiper]

japokat13 I cant mention the companys name dude. Did you work at Pacific?

[@harleypiper]

Why in the world are they working in the dark?

[@isaacangelo435]

To see the heat colors of the steel better

[@harleypiper]

I operate 2 chambersburgs just like this one.and 3 bliss presses.
The leadman is 67 and has ephazima.Hope I spelled that right.Hes a jerk.
Local 572!!!

[@patrickr2686]

Deaf by 32