Diminishi
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Posts posted by Diminishi
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I posted a while back about using railroad track as an anvil. Last night while incessantly searching for used anvils for sale, I came across (for the 100th time) NC Anvil's 70# blacksmith anvil. The anvil is like $270 and has free shipping. Is this something I should buy? Or should I just use railroad iron until I can get a 'real' anvil of 100+? Everyone down here in Texas is selling anvils for like $5 a pound. I have even tried searching in neighboring states to no avail. I have the forge, a few hammers, am starting to make tongs this weekend. The anvil is really the missing piece here.
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Well, I got the iron. The guy also had a whole box of knife templates he let me buy. All seem to be a lightweight metal. I can't seem to stand the iron on end. The Hitt able surface would only be about 1.5" by 1". So I am going with the standard top up setting. I will need to take it to a shop that has a torch to cut the rail off. Today I discovered how tough that stuff is with an angle grinder and cut off wheels. Everything teaches me something neq. Today's lesson was metal is hard. Lol.
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Look at the rail from different angles, there is a 1 1/2" x 3" end with a web and flange, with a hammer with a 1 1/4" face (2 1/2#?) you have most of the mass under the hammer. If you modify the web, you can have a fuller or bottom swages. By cutting away part of the flange you can carve out a double horned bick, this gives a lot of versatility. But you still have 5 other faces you can work with, turned flange up, you have a nice wide chiseling bench and a nice edge for sheet work, if you carve a horn out of the othe end you have a bigger bick and a 1 1/2" cone mandrel (turned horn up) laced with the rail up you have a 3" wide flat surface with two radius end edges to work with, and laid on its side you can use the hollow between the flange and rail to work curves. This is using the "whole anvil)
As the end of the rail some what limits your hammer size ( half face blows not withstanding) cutting the rail in to two pieces won't kill you, as a Iron/viking Age anvil facsimily can be made from a 3"-12" slice (with 2 double honed bicks) and gives you a second chunk to carve more working profiles in.
As to securing it, if you can score a track plate and 4 spikes you can fabricate a boot shaped stump that will support either end at working hight. Use the plate and spikes vertically to make a slip fit bracket to slide the flage into.
Charles,
I will now be researching everything you just mentioned, as I have no idea what 3/4 of what you said is. That is a good thing. More knowledge and research can only ever help!
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Thanks to everyone for their ideas and suggestions. I think I will probably stand it on end and try to radius a bit of a curve onto it. Trying to get someone to weld a piece of square tubing on the opposite end would also solve the hardy issue. All things considered, I am super excited to get to work on it.
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Jim,
Yesterday it was 36. Today it was 60+. The beauty of Texas is that if you don't like the weather it will change in a day or two. Except in the Summer... Which tends to be from May to October. Then life is miserable!
Thanks to everyone for the welcome. I have been doing nothing but studying over the past 3 weeks. Anvils, Hammers, Tong types, forge construction, etc. The beauty of the internet. Last night I found myself instead of watching TV, watching 2.5 hours of blacksmithing videos on youtube. I am incredibly excited to begin this journey in life.
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I figured I should make my official introductions. I am 33 years old and from Burleson TX. I am actually a Land Surveyor professionally, but I have had a life long love and interest in blacksmithing. I would eventually like to make knives and other bladed objects, but honestly I am just as excited about making my first set of tongs as I am anything else. I am set to buy a 2' piece of rail road track this weekend for my very beginner version of an anvil, and actually got my grandfather's old cast iron dutch oven to turn into a forge. I know it is a bit rudimentary, however I need to start somewhere. I will have a hard time convincing my wife that I need to put significant money into this 'hobby' until I can show her that I am gaining skill.
I guess that pretty much sums me up. We have 4 kids between us, 3 cats (all hers, trust me), and maybe a dog in the future. See you all in the forums!
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Thank you for the reply. I am worried I will have a very small area to strike but I also see what you are saying. Having a plate on the end doesn't help for any area where it is hanging over blank space. Great idea on the square tubing as well. I have no idea why I figured it should be more difficult to have a hardy.
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I am new to blacksmithing and have been trying to put in the proper research to get started. I know that buying an expensive anvil and forge would be a waste until I learn how to properly control what I am doing. I found a guy that will sell me a piece of RR track that is a bit over 2' in length. The track has the box edge as opposed to the large round edge, so I was wondering about standing the track on end and having a shop weld a 2" plate of steel on the end. Is this a good idea or quick fix for the problem? I would then strap the anvil to RR Ties or a large stump to brace it out and then drill something into the stump for a hardy hole. I know this is a bit amateurish, but we all have to start somewhere.
I am in North Texas (Burleson) if anyone has any direct experience with this sort of thing (or happens to be a great welder!).
To buy or not to buy....that is the question.
in Anvils, Swage Blocks, and Mandrels
Posted
Frosty,
All great points. I promise I am not bemoaning the use of a railroad track, however I am looking for that great find of a traditional anvil. I will absolutely use the time between now and then trying to develop this set of skills. I know that it takes an enormous amount of time to become better at this or anything for that matter, and there are people that probably wish they had a piece of track instead of what they are working on.