Designed by Bruce Freeman

The Grasshopper Treadle Hammer is a vertical-motion hammer that uses no sliding or rolling parts to achieve the vertical motion, only pivots. 

·       The vertical motion provides accurate striking of the work or tool, regardless of its height or thickness.  This is in contrast to the more traditional swinging motion that strikes a different point in the horizontal plane depending upon the height of the tool or work. 

·       The principal advantage of using only pivot joints is to enable a longer stroke than can be easily achieved by other means.  (Other designs employ rollers or sliders and must keep those devices “engaged” with the ram throughout its stroke.) 

The Grasshopper Treadle Hammer has been designed with both utility and ease of use in mind. 

·       The anvil is free of obstructions in all directions. 

·       The stroke of the hammer is 34 inches, and most of this stroke may be used effectively because the height of the treadle can be adjusted to accommodate for different work heights. 

·       Through most of the hammer stroke there is no return force exerted upward against the foot, in contrast to most treadle hammers, in which springs stretch and effect increasing force against the foot as the treadle is depressed. 

·       Only at the bottom of the stroke does a sudden increase in return force provide a "kick-back" to bring the hammer up for the next stroke, however this return force is scarcely perceptible to the user because the momentum of the ram masks it. 

·       This point at which this kick-back force cuts in is automatically adjusted as the treadle is adjusted to accommodate different work heights.

·       The treadle height adjustment is made by means of a hand crank mounted at the front of the hammer, where the user normally stands, so the user is not exposed to undue hazard (as by reaching under the hammer mechanism).

Note:  This is a do-it yourself project.  Some considerable experience with fabrication of steel parts is needed to complete this project. The plans are now available at the following link.  

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QljUIXs90aUFcjC-KEOYMPxK-8eP0wvx/view?usp=sharing 

©2000-2009 Bruce Mark Freeman.  All rights reserved.  This material may not be copied or reproduced in any form without written approval from the copyright holder.

Effective 1 Jan., 2026, any person (with the exception of corporate "persons") may utilize this information for the exclusive purpose of constructing a hammer of this design.  Nobody is allowed to possess this information for any other purpose, including publishing it in any medium or by any method without written permission from the copyright holder.  Anyone wishing to "mirror" this website or these plans must first obtain written permission from the copyright holder.