Looking for pricing? You can search for dies on our Parts page.
What material are the dies made from?
4142 PHT
How are the dies heat treated?
They are commercially heat treated in atmospherically controlled furnaces.
When is it time to replace the dies on my machine?
Short dies can create many problems, including broken front end parts and ram guide misalignment. If the dies in your Little Giant are less than 80% of full height, it is time to replace them. Full die height is 3" each for 25 LB dies; 3.5" each for 50 LB; 4" each for 100 LB; 5" each for 250 LB; 6" each for 500LB.
Why are there 2 sizes of upper dies for 25 and 50 LB Little Giants?
The original Little Giant factory made all upper dies for 25's and 50's half inch smaller (from front to back) than the lower dies. We do not know why. We make oversize dies in order to match the workface of the lower.
What are the Tooling Dies for?
Instead of tapered sides on the lower, the shoulders are cut straight down. This allows a tooling face to be fitted on the work face and secured with set screws.
Why are my new dies different from the old ones?
Our new dies are made from the original blueprints. It is possible that the old dies were handmade, or dies from a different machine.
What about the pins in my old dies?
We believe the pins were used for assembly purposes only. In our opinion, they cause problems. Our dies do not have provisions for pins.
How do I get the dies to stay where I put them?
Angles of the dies and dovetail must match accurately, and the die keys must be correctly fit. Read "Fit a Little Giant Die Key" for full instructions.
What are the advantages of the Two Piece Die System?
If more than one die "style" will be used, the System then becomes cheaper than buying multiple One Piece Dies. After fitting the Upper and Lower Base into the machine the Die Keys do not have to be removed, which saves wear and possible damage to the Dovetails. There are more Workface styles available in the System than in the One Piece Dies. Also with the System, you can design and build your own custom Tops and not be concerned with machining the complex dovetail dimensions, ie. Die System Bases. We have been making the System since 2002, they out sell the standard one piece dies 3:1 .
What is right and left on my hammer?
The right and left sides of a hammer are determined as you stand, facing the machine.
How do I know how thick the spacer needs to be under the Babbitt mandrel?
With a 3/16" or 1/4" spacer under the main bearing caps and mandrel laying in the bottom of the cavity, measure the distance above said mandrel and divide by 2. That quotient is the thickness of the brass or bronze spacer.