POUNDING OUT THE PROFITS: A Century of American Invention, by Douglas Freund studies the development and manufacture of crank-actuated open-die power forging Hammers and the companies which produced them. Covered are hammers such as Little Gient, Bradley, Kerrihard, Fairbanks and many more. The book is profusely illustrated, including carefully refined patent drawings to clarify the important developments involved with each machine. This book arose from the conviction that knowledge about techniques and tools is an important component of craftsmanship. It was inspired by an extraordinary transformation: machines which had served blacksmith and manufacturers in a humble and strictly functional manner and are today being used as expressive tools in the hands of artists! This class of machine has been largely ignored by historians of technlogy, and many of the companies which built power hammers are virtually forgotten in the cities and towns in which they once prospered. In gathering the threads of this story, a fascinating picture has emerged.

Format: Hard cover  Dimentions: 6 3/4" x 10"  Pages: 317  Illustrations: 175