Ridgewayforge

9 hours ago, c.baum said:

400kg (about 880 lb) anvil from an old smithy in a salt mine

 

Ah c'mon! You're just trying to make us jealous!!! You could forge my anvil (75lbs) on that monster! And what a beautiful beast, too. 

I've been looking for a church windows anvil for a while, but have not found much! 

Even still, though its not simpler, might be a good excercize for new blacksmiths who need things "the real way"..

10 minutes ago, Stash said:

Wouldn't Nair be easier and less painful?

I do say that with all of this talk of dangerous explosions and risky hygiene care products, this thread is getting a bit hairy!! 

1 hour ago, JHCC said:

Should fit under the seat in front of you, though. 

In an emergency, the piercing desk located under your seat cushion doubles as a life jacket! 

On 8/24/2016 at 3:40 PM, JHCC said:

I like the "piercing desk". Anyone going to be in the Czech Republic anytime soon and willing to bring one back in their suitcase?

That sure would get a nice little note from our friends at the Airport Security. Maybe I'll hide it in my carry on? 

Does it Rust? That's a good way to see if its just plain steel or if its something else... 

I don't see a way to get rid of the smoke from the coal fire... are you planning to put one in?

First, if you throw it in water, that big of a chunk will crack- its high carbon steel. Also, railroad rail does not need anything to make it 'better'. The top of it (the part in contact with the wheels of the trains) will hold up to a lot- it held trains, and is work hardened. The problem is, the web is meant to flex, otherwise the trains would break it. So, if you set it on end and use the cut ends as the anvil face, you get a lot of mass, which means energy returned to the work when you strike steel on it. 

I would leave it as is, do not weld, and after 6 months of using it to produce pieces to sell, ask yourself if you want to weld it up. You can always decide later to do it differently, but right now it would be hard to return the track to its current state if you weld it up. You can still mount the track plate on a stump with a hole drilled in the stump to accept a hardy through the square hole- It has one huge advantage: It fits RR spike shanks! 

All i can see that the face needs is a gentle rounding of the corners and some hot steel hammered on the face to smooth it out! 

Why don't you start by trying each out for a month or so, and see if there is anything that you can't do with them as is that you could do with them combined? 

You can always build up, but its harder to tear apart if your welds are good. You could even start cutting up what you have duplicates of and have some good anvils AND some good tools of the same alloy. 

Railroad track is good steel for tools, somewhere in the mid-high carbon range, I think, about 80 points carbon if I recall correctly... 

1 minute ago, Steve Sells said:

get another steel rod, same diameter as hole....insert, flux and weld

If the 1" hex is tool steel, and you plan to use it for tooling, you may want to get some carbon steel for the inside to make sure its all usable. Might make for an interesting heat treat, though. 

There is another thread about rivet headers; could be worthwhile to look at that! 

3 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

I should point out that in the hand powered "treadle hammer" variant at least 1 hand is maintained in a safe zone...going to foot powered does allow for both hands to be present in the impact zone.

I think I wouldn't put a foot treadle where a cut log could potentially push down the lever- Even though there is more power, the hand way looks a little safer...

If he slowed it down, maybe made a reverse switch, got rid of the wheel and used some sort of ram system to push the wood against a solid metal base while simulatneously pushing a wedge into the wood, he'd be fine!! 

Oh wait, that's a hydraulic wood splitter I just described.... Hope he enjoys his fun while he's alive. 

I wouldn't ever forge in a plastic shed- why tempt fate every time a bit of scale flies off and begins to melt pieces here and there? Its asking for poisoning from plastic fumes... 

Good score! Bolt it down in a good stump nice and tight, and then she'll not move. Remember, no grinding or welding on it! Let the hot iron shine it up!

I keep hot iron to the left on top of my forge. Metal to be heated goes to the right of the firepot... 

I still handle all of it with tongs, though, until it has been proven with water to be cold. Bigger pieces go under the forge in the ash. 

19 hours ago, rendoman said:

Ciao Patrick!

You feel confortable in Roma?

I'm searching for a brake drum in order to make my first little forge, but it's hard to find something, I tried in 4 different place today but nothing.... Maybe I have to change project

 

Fairly hot, to say the truth! 

The best starter forge is a box of dirt- The brake drum isn't necessary to get a good fire- Just make a 45cm square box out of wood, maybe 30cm deep and fill with dirt- put a piece of black iron pipe (muffler exhaust pipe would work) into the box halfway down in the dirt and form a small hole to get the coal or charcoal burning at that level. 

Look up some posts about the box of dirt forge! You'll be pounding out good blacksmith work in no time! 

Patrick

Ciao Stefano, 

Welcome aboard. I've recently had to relocate from America to Roma! Its a good looking anvil, and looks like you are well on your way. A solid fuel forge is the way I have used for the last four years. Great way to work! Don't hesitate to ask any questions! 

-Patrick, aka Ridgewayforge

It's like a little bit of a lottery- Will it harden? Yes? Then, great! A hammer for forging! No? Well, now you have a dedicated top tool hammer! So, if you don't mind the mystery aspect of it, then yes, they make great hammers- just some for forging, some for other things! 

If I recall, these pieces were first cut as blanks from plate steel, then drawn out. There's some pictures on here somewheres, but I'm not sure where... 

Don't know about the make or model, but I do know the best way to preserve it! 

Some linseed oil wiped on it, or some other oil just to coat the outside and some hammering of hot steel on the face to polish it up. Looks like its in great condition! 

10 minutes ago, ausfire said:

OK, I gave it a try. To punch the holes clear through the nostrils was not easy so I angled them a bit more than usual and drilled the connection. Not sure how you could forge weld such a small ring so I used a key ring heated to remove the shine and then a bit of brass.

It works as a camp oven lifter and the ring makes a good hanging point, but I'm not sure it has the elegance of the swan neck design. Interesting exercise though.

 

Wow! I'm very impressed! You're right, the swan neck design has something very elegant to it, but I am thoroughly impressed by the look of this one! Good work! 

1 hour ago, DebM11 said:

Thanks good points I may try a Craigslist ad. I'm in Maryland so Ohio could be reasonable to drive, but mine could be a lot more local for so many. 

Well, I'm smack dab in the middle of the state of Maryland USA, and I troll craigslist every day or so. There's been an old english looking anvil on there for a few weeks, looks like 100lbs and priced at 500 USD. Generally the prices are around $2 USD or $3USD for a good anvil. Smaller isn't better around here, it seems. Philiadelphia is close by, and they usually have outrageously expensive anvils for sale on that CL, Pittsburgh has cheaper (around 1.50-$2/lbs) In Baltimore, you're likely to get $3 a pound if you market it right, especially if you are in the city or just south. I don't look much on southern MD, but it seems to be a pretty scarce place to find anvils. 

The stamping  is a good sign, and will help it sell. Let me know if you need any help with this anvil; like I said, I'm in Frederick county. 

-ridgewayforge

3 minutes ago, MrDarkNebulah said:

Dude! Wow!

That is sweet!

That can of Welch's looks delicious. What a score man!

I mean i guess the metal isnt bad either though...

I would caution you, that can is filled and is under pressure; You may want to rethink making a welches post anvil... 

LOL, great score! Think of the different radii you can put on those hex anvils!