Hillbillysmith

Thomas, thanks for the info on that anvil of mine. The body should be wrought iron because it says "WROUGHT IRON"right on the anvil, by who knows. I think that that is especially cool because I live in Ohio, about 130 to 135 miles form Columbus. If anyone can tell me any more info on these anvils, please let me know. Thanks. P.S. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Glenn, that 1723 anvil is an old french style isn't it? Where did you get that picture or do you own that anvil? It may be abused, but just think of all of the history an that anvil and you can't help but wonder what tools (or possible weapons for war) was created on that very anvil being that old. Yes it is abused, but I would have no shame in owning that piece of history.

I've heard alot of blacksmiths say "rap a chain around the anvil to deaden the ring". I was just messing around one day and found that if you put something like a thick mouse pad from the computer under the anvil or put a layer of silicone on the anvil stand and put your anvil on that (when the silicone drys of course) it will give the anvil some grip to the stand and deaden the ring alot. I tried it and also followed up with a chain as well and all I hear is the "thwap" of my hammer hitting the hot steel. Just a little tip that I thought I should tell everyone about. Itworks for me.

Archie, I used a RR anvil for several years untill recently getting one at an auction. The rail was very usefull and that was about a foot long, so it only weighed roughly 20lbs. I didn't set it on end, I ground the face flat (flat as possible with the tools I had) and ground a horn on the one end. It bounced around alot untill I bolted it down to a 350lb sicamore stump. It had some very good rebound (for the size) and didn't ring a bit. Basically what I'm trying to say is: There's nothing wrong with a RR anvil I've made several pry bars out of 1-1/8 inch bar stock with it.

I power washed, wire-wheeled, and dressed the face, horn, and body of the anvil and I found a maker's seal that says "ARM and HAMMER" and under that it says "WROUGHT IRON". While grinding, I think that the anvil is ALL wrought iron and has a hardened face cause you can see the difference in the sparks and it has dramatically different ring tones between the face and horn. I'll get some pics up this weekend as that I have have to barrow a digital camera from a cousin of mine. P.S. I don't know whether you are being sarcastic either (ApprenticeMan) but as Nolano said you have no idea what kind of fire, fluxing, tongs, and hammer that would take.

I am happy to inform everyone that I finally got my first anvil today at an auction that I was working at for $180. I'm not sure of the weight, but if I had to estimate it, I'd say it's about 150 lb'er. Not a bad deal at all, especially the condition it's in! I'll get my cousin's camera and snap a shot of it and post it this weekend.

I went to the scrap yard yesterday and found a BRAND-NEW set of semi truck leaf springs!! I only found the main two leafs, but like I said, they are brand new, they still have the paint on them. I also picked up a barring sleeve it's 3" long, 1-1/2" diameter with a 1/2" hole in it, I got a small coil spring off an old piece of farm machinery, and my father picked up a 6 foot long pry bar made out of wrought iron. (i think it's wrought iron 'cause it's really light for it's size. i'll have to do a chemical test). when I get a trailer that my aunt is giving me, I'm going back for more stuff! I paid aonly $9 for all of the stuff. Well, I paid for the leaf springs and the guy told me I could have the rest.

Nolano, just remember, grind slow and in short periods of time. you don't want to mess up the heat treat in that good-looking anvil.

Good for you Archie! :)

RT, yes. As far as I know, ALL bandsaw blades are made from L-6. Now, sawz-all blades are a different story. Bandsaw blades make very good knives, ESPECIALLY fillet knives. As a matter of fact, I just got a bandsaw blade today that broke in shop class! It's only 3/8 wide though. But, it's 7ft long and it was free, so I'm not complaning. ALL is a big statement for such a large world of metal makers.. we disagree, in fact I have some made of 2 other metals myself

Thanks Jeff, I'll have to ask the local trucking company that is about 2 1/2 miles from me.

Jeff, those semi leaf springs are a good steel. Where did your "soon to be brother-in-law" get get the leafs? I've been trying to get a set myself.

Yes, yes they are. My dad was layed off of the winter, now, he's back to work again. So, that means... You guessed it!!! More goodies. But I only take the stuff from the scrap bin though.

blkbear, welcome to the site. It's not the number of heats, it's the length and intensity of the heat. Get the steel nice and bright red-to-dull orange, and hammer away. Just don't let the piece set in the forge long enough to start to throw sparks, that's when the steel is junk. You can heat it as many times as you want.

If it is a new cast-style anvil, then yes. It's the casting marks.

JWB, how did you make the "chain" for the candelabra? Or is it chain and I'm seeing an illusion? It is very good by the way. I've been wanting to make one but never got around to it. :)

Lets see, where do I start? A lot of things have "followed" me home. The first thing was a 6 inch diameter, 2 foot long "chisel" ( big jack-hammer bit)off of a rock crusher from a stone quarry that busted off of the excavator. Next is a tooth from the same excavator bucket that busted off. A piece of 1 inch, 4 inch wide, 8 inch long plate; a piece of 1 inch thinck, tapered from 8 inches to 3 inches wide and 4 1/2 feet tall; a piece of 1 1/2 inch thick, 2 inch wide, 10 inches long; a pice of 1 3/4 inch diameter, 18 inch long round bar; and four 2 1/2 inch diameter solid ball berings all from the same quarry (the ole' mann's work). A piece of 1 inch diameter, 3 feet long round bar that I made into a pry bar; 2 pieces of 1 inch rebar, 4 feet long that I found at an abandoned house. 2 pieces of cheap angle iron, 1/8 inch think, 3 feet long I found along side the road. 1/4 of a 5 gallon bucket of RR spikes from the local tracks. 3 leaf springs from a friend's junk 2 ton step-van. some old files from my old collapsed barn. 5 cold chisels that cost me $2; a $20 bench vise with 3 inch jaw both from the yearly village festival. A big 1 inch by 1 1/2 tapered steel spike from the edge of the creek bank. A 1 inch pipe 1/8 inch thick, 4 1/2 feet long. A 103lb semi brake drum that I picked up at the scrap yard for $7. A bunch of random steel floating about at my house (which looks like a junk yard by the way). An old axe head that I broke using it as a splitting maul pounding on it. A stableiser bar from my dad's old front end of his pick-up (possibly the old tie-rods and front axel shaft too). A piece of 1/2 inch round stock about 12 1/2 feet long I found by the bank of the river. And I always have first dibbs on ALL of the scrap machinery parts from the tractors and combines from the farmer that i work for (who oddly enough is also a full-time mechanic at a chevy dealer. [Maybe some tie rods and springs?]) I have a lot of other stuff like old hand tools that I save, that sort of thing. How do you like my collection? :)

Just throw the wrench into the next brush fire you have you can't tell me that oak, maple, used motor oil, tires, etc. won't burn off that chrome and nickel! That's what I do with anything galvinized. More than enough ventilation, getting stock ready for use, and getting rid of that useless stuff around the house, all at the same time. Triple WHAMMY!! Hillbillysmith

Nice pieces! What size or diameter stock did you use?

Oh! I forgot, drill some holes in the tang first so you get MAXIMUM hold on the casting. You don't want the handle to come off.

Hey Prime, here's an idea, cast on the handle BEFORE you heat treat. then heat treat just the cutting edge with a cutting torch on a low, non-cutting flame. But be carefull not to melt the aluminum. Try makeing a bigger ricasso to solve this problem. Personally, I wouldn't sand-cast, I would use basic steel molds and smith 'em out. The molds and casting will give you practice in both Foundry AND sithing at the same time. Hillbillysmith

Not bad. Where's the handle? lol

Nice work! Is the long one really just three spikes, or is that a different one?

Great axes! I like the design and the "browning". Please tell how you do the "browning". Or maybe it way turn up as a Blueprint???

Doc, just weld the two rails together and weld a 1 inch flat plate to the top, weld on a horn, and if you need more weight, fill in between the webbing of the rails with lead. just be sure to take a torch to the inside just enough to get rid of the miosture before you pour the lead inside or you will have one hot, splashing, burning mess. Be carefull, especially with lead. Hillbillysmith