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I Forge Iron

D.Bernard

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  2. Has anyone repaired/built up an anvil with mig using Rankin
  3. Punch a slightly smaller oval hole first. Hit blank, rotate 180d hit again, rotate again etc., etc. Doing this will help set the hole straight on the blank. After you have punched through, drift with the size drift you want the finished hole to be - but don't drive completely through. stop a bit shy of the finished size, re-heat the blank, inser the drift, lay blank side on anvil and strike on both sides to flatten out the bulge from initial drifting, then completely drive the drift through and finish up. I learned this from Nathan Robertson at a workshop we had here last year. Walked away with a nifty 2 1/2 lb straight pein hamer.
  4. James, Next LAMA meeting is scheduled for Sept. 13 on the UL Lafayette campus if you are in town. You should be able to get info from website but if not, you may email or call me - I believe my contact info is still on the website. This should be a great intro meeting. David Bernard

  5. James, Go to the website of Louisiana Metalsmiths Assoc. (LAMA) lametalsmiths.org, join and get involved. We have a very active group and several smiths in and around Lafayette who would be glad to help you get started. A good grade smithing coal can be purchased from a smith in Covington, LA for $35/100lb, someone local may have some to sell you to get started. Scrap steel is readily available from the many fab and machine shops in the area - your in the middle of oilfiled service country here. Good luck. David Bernard
  6. Sounds like you want to USE this anvil and not just have it for sentimental reasons. We have repaired over a dozen anvils over the past few years and have had great success - even with poor welding. Some of these anvils in the 150 to 170lb range have taken a beating with some sledge hammering heavy metal with no problems. all of these anvils were done by the Rob Gunther method including prep, pre-heat, rods suggested (we used Stoody) and re-heat and slow cool. Follow his method and you should have no problems. Good luck David
  7. Doc, I just went to Stoody website and found both the 2110 and 1105 rods recommended by R. Gunther for anvil repair. My local welding supply doesn't carry them either but order them for me taking 3 to 5 days to arrive. They are all that our local group has used in repair of a dozen or so anvils at my shop with no failures exept one - did not slow cool in below freezing weather, had 5 or 6 hairline cracks where edges of anvil were built up, ground them out, reheated, welded up and THEN slow cooled. Anvil still getting beat on daily with no ill effects after 3 yrs. I'd use the Stoody - Just my 2 cents.
  8. Archie, Our shop group has repaired more than a dozen avnils in various disrepair with great success. We use Rob Gunter's process and suggested rods - they match the face plate steel very closely and if done with some care, the repair cannot be detected from the virgin face plate. We've repaird chunks of face plate gone, bad sways (by build-up and grind) and yes, we have successfully repaired edges of a fisher. If you have trouble finding R. Gunthers method on the net, email me and I'll send it to you. Pre and post heats are VERY important. The only failure I've seen was a sloppy post heat in winter. resulted in small cracks in the edges where repaired. If you plan on repairing it, count on 8 to 12 hours of work from start of preheat to final post heat ready to pack for slow cool. I view an anvil as a tool but if you just want to have an anvil as an antique, then leave it alone. If you want to enjoy working on it, fix it. Just my 2 cents. I Good luck.
  9. Why not simply install a pivoting, sheet metal gate fitted over the intake side of the fan. Cut so that this could cover intake almost completely to wide open. I used this method and it works great and very simple to fab.
  10. I agree that this is not a bad anvil at all. Corners could be ground round and used "as is". If you wish to repair however, there are ways to do it without ruining the anvil. Important to follow - prep by grinding areas to bare metal, preheat to 350d, weld up using Rob Gunther's process using rods he recommends, reheat to 350d, pack in vermiculite or ashes for slow cool. I have repaired and participated in repairs of more than a dozen anvils of size ranging from 100 lbs to 300 lbs with only one slight failure (small hairline cracks across the built-up corners). The only difference between this repair and all others which were successful was that the slow cool process was not followed - allowed to cool in below freezing temp. immediately after repairs done. It takes 10 to 12 hrs including preheat, welding, grinding etc. to packing for slow cool phase. Rob's process is on the web but I lost the site. Email me and I'll send or answer questions. The rods used are very close to the plate on old anvils and repairs, if care is taken, are indistinquishable from the original steel.
  11. John, If the problems are superficial, how about using a cup stone and grinder? I've repaired or been involved with repairs on about a dozen anvils and we've ground the face this way with much success. If you have to make welding repairs, I've used Rob Gunther's process - grind dents etc. down to clean metal, pre-heat anvil to 350d, weld w/ Stoody 2110 to base wrought iron if chip is to that depth, and 1105 if only into plate, grind smooth, re-heat to 350d, pack in ashes or vermiculite and slow cool. Sounds complicated but we've not had one failure. The rods used are not the hardest but most closely duplicate the old tool steel plate on older anvils in color and hardness. Either way, good luck.
  12. New to this site so I guess I ought to into myself. Resideing in Broussard, Loisiana in the middle of Cajun country, an architect by profession, I come from a long line of people who loved to work with our hands. I was always under foot in my grandpa's shop, cutting, banging and filing out crude knives, arrow heads etc. Started smithing about 8 years ago, my son took it up shortly after and we have enjoyed countless hours over our anvils banging on hot steel. The more I learn the more I see there is to learn. So much to learn, so little time. Hope I can learn a bit here as well as contribute what I can.
  13. Thanks Thomas. Looks like I'll cut a hunk off, grind all chrome plate off, then forge.
  14. Thanks guys. I'll check out the chrome question but if no great hazard, I'll definitely use.
  15. I've been given a shaft from oildrolic cylinder off of a large piece of construction equipment - 2"+ diam. Question, does anyone know what steel is used in these? The gentleman who gave it to me said it was very hard stuff to cut. Maybe good for power hammer tools?
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