Upsetting Block

[Dan OHare]

I have a question concerning upsetting blocks. I work in a machine shop so I have access to odd hunks of metal which I think might work well for an upsetting block. We have a lot of drops and bar ends of 4130 steel 5" in diameter. I plan to use one of these in my anvil stand which is a stump. I thought of inletting one on end into the wood alongside the anvil between the feet. I could go with one 8" and bore a hole for it to sit in say about 4" deep. OR I could go through a lot more work to sink in a 14 incher. Should I bother with the bigger one or would the 8 incher prove sufficient for general use? Dan

[irnsrgn]

I have 3 upsetting blocks, the top of the anvil, the side of the anvil and an 8 inch round 1 inch plate laying on the floor for extra long stuff.

[oakwoodforge]

I Use the flywheel out of an old engine for an upsetting block, its about 80 lbs. It's nice big flat surface works great and I couldn't beat the price ... Free

Jens

[ThomasPowers]

go for the 4" thick one by the anvil and the 14" one on the floor for bigger jobs!

Thomas "Marry them both!"

[Dan OHare]

I have a couple for the floor, 12"x12"x2" and a monster 12" dia x 14". I guess what I was after here was whether I should bother inletting the longer billet into my stump or would the smaller one provide sufficeint mass, it's hefty but the longer size is HEFTY. Dan

[ThomasPowers]

How much upsetting do you do and of what size stock? With the large floor pieces available I'd still go for the smaller one up close.

Thomas

[bruce wilcock]

i have upseting blocks set in the floor the on that gets used the most for small work is set under a swage block stand and the job is dropped through a hole in the block and worked on that way ,make sure the hole has plenty room, for heavy work i sling it in a chains and ram it against a hammer anvil .

[Dan OHare]

Originally Posted by ThomasPowers

How much upsetting do you do and of what size stock? With the large floor pieces available I'd still go for the smaller one up close.

Thomas

I have a supply of 1/2" by 80" stock that i've been making some beautiful scrap out of as I learn. Upsetting is one more of those fascinating wonderments to a newbie like me. I got the idea for an upsetting block alongside the anvil for small/short pieces from german anvils I've seen with a block built right into them alongside the base, so being new I figured I just gotta have one. Dan

[ThomasPowers]

Notice the lack of upsetting block on american and english anvils? You can live without them unless you do a lot of it...

With a big anvil you can take the hot piece and swing it into the side of the anvil the piece horizontal to the floor

Thomas

[the_sandy_creek_forge]

Short stuff- upset in a vise or on the anvil face
Long stuff- a have the balance wheel off of an old chopper with a 1 inch thick plate on top that sits on the floor. Not sure how much it weighs...probably in the fifty to sixty pound range...
-Aaron @ the SCF