My air rammer

Specialized Tools for Mold Making or Improving the Bench
castaway
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: My air rammer

Post by castaway »

I'm surprised this air tool to be any faster then just using a wooden hand ramming method since the stroke is so short. I have two commercial air rammers and they both have over a 4" stroke that pulls them up out of the sand so you can move around the flask without having to lift the tool each time to move about. I've been doing casting for over 20 years and still prefer to hand ram my sand since I can better control the amount pressure being placed on the pattern and overall sand compaction in the flask. I do, however, use my jolt/squeezer for a lot of the small sized routine jobs where the air pressures used to squeeze the sand on these patterns have been determined beforehand and so it becomes faster then. Again just my take on the subject. Bob

Rammer heads full retracted
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Rammer heads fully extended
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When it comes to the big flasks and working for a full day with them then the air rammers come out since hand ramming can be an arm killer. My helpers always want to use them regardless the size but then go home and work out on their Bowflex to build arm muscle. What no multi tasking? Go figure?
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My way!
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I used to spend my time to save money but now I'm willing to spend my money to save time.
dallen
Posts: 2321
Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2011 9:06 am
Location: Oklahoma

Re: My air rammer

Post by dallen »

I don't use any flask at the moment that are larger then 14 x 14 x 3, so I don't really get the air hammer out, a friend had memtioned making one on the lines that I did, so I thought why not. the only problem I have with hand ramming is my rammer is too short and where you grip it I made it to large, one of these days I will make up a new on more on the lines of what I feel is wrong with this one.

For my small round flask I use part of a sledge hammer handle.
David and Charlie aka the shop monster

If life seems normal your not going fast enough" Mario Andrette
Rocco
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 8:35 am

Re: My air rammer

Post by Rocco »

castaway wrote:I'm surprised this air tool to be any faster then just using a wooden hand ramming method since the stroke is so short. I have two commercial air rammers and they both have over a 4" stroke that pulls them up out of the sand so you can move around the flask without having to lift the tool each time to move about. I've been doing casting for over 20 years and still prefer to hand ram my sand since I can better control the amount pressure being placed on the pattern and overall sand compaction in the flask. I do, however, use my jolt/squeezer for a lot of the small sized routine jobs where the air pressures used to squeeze the sand on these patterns have been determined beforehand and so it becomes faster then. Again just my take on the subject. Bob
I appreciate your perspective and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you're absolutely right. However, I've already got the saw, I can build the air rammer for almost no cost and in a manner which is completely reversible so if it turns out you're right, all I will have lost is a little bit of my time.
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