Dunk_c

New anvil just mounted. Got myself a cheap Accaiao 66lb cast steel anvil to go with my ancient saddle backed Dudley. Quality was as expected but even though the horn was not cast symmetrically I got a nice flat hard face and no holes in the casting anywhere. Stripped of the blue paint and applied some rust preventer (wish I had just oiled it, went a bit too black). Dressed the edges and hardy hole. I mounted it to a hardwood base using lag bolts through the holes in the feet (tidy). Put a magnet under the tail to reduce the ringing. Seems like it will do the trick!

Anyone got comment on the eye size? I guess the widest part should also have a shallow taper.

Maybe hardening and tempering is pointless as the tool will be buried in hot steel in use (I read this somewhere).

Hello Artisans almost a year ago I posted some pictures of my new home forge and some of the tools I made from scrap steel - the start of my smithing Back then I had a pieced of 50x50x100mm 1045 to make my first hammer. A forearm injury and other projects got in the way and I never got started. Back at it again, and I just made a hammer eye drift from length of 25mm round steel cut from an old Japanese crowbar of unknown grade. While making it I used my home made beating anvil, guillotine tool - satisfying! From the sparks coming off the linisher, the crowbar looks to have some decent carbon content. Anyway after hours of beating and some grinding this is what was made. The length is 325mm, width is 25x15mm. Is it too small to make the correct size eye for the hammer head billet I have? The tool was just air cooled and it has a hardnes less than 40 Rockwell by my cheap file set. How should I treat it? I will be using an H13 splitter to make the through hole (from Glen on YouTube). thanks.

Thanks for the suggestions. I downloaded the app, interesting, although acurate temperature control will be beyond my capability. What I need are tools to use for forging a rounding hammer head (top and bottom fuller), hammer eye drift (I bought an h13 slitter), blunt chisels for texturing leaves. Only making tools for myself. Also having some hanging around is good. I have some salvaged car coil spring and leaf spring and Pandrol clips. Might try and scrounge some assorted sizes of 4140. Just hoarding really for when I get an urge or need to make something.

Anvil is just a 90lb-er and had already suffered some damage before I got it. Yes the hammer blank looks dauntingly thick, 40mm. Got to make the drift and spring fuller first.

Here it is finished, with my first 1045 hammer blank on top. Should save the face of the small anvil.

Hi I have acquired 1.2m of 20mm H13 steel. I wanted to try making some wire handled punches. What other blacksmith tools could I make with it? thanks

Thanks for the interesting idea. Still going with original plan and will post picture when done.

As I said, I already have an anvil, just want to protect it from any overly enthusiastic sledge hammering :-) Also. As it probably mild steel, it could be used for chiseling.

Hello Everyone, I damaged by small antique anvil a little when straightning a Pandrol clip and piece of the edge chipped off. I have this chunk of steel of unknown qualities. I think it used to be a barbell weight someone made. 8" x 2" with 30mm hole. Would it make a decent striking anvil or should I keep trying to find a broken forklift fork? Maybe round is a potential problem? I have some thick walled 2" pipe I can use for legs. All suggestions welcomed.

Hi is there any way that the tool images can be reposted for this thread? The images no longer exist when I follow the link on page 1.

Just an update: New picture showing gas valve extension tube added to reduce temperature of the valve (as suggested, it worked). Also showing refurbished bernzomatic mini forge, now on refractory board with proper torch holder (previously used too much wood in build, that eventually turned to charcoal!). Using a cheap eBay thermocouple, the chamber tempersture only reaches 850-900 Celcius (steel is bright orange to my eye at 7psi) but I was able to straighten out a Pandrol-type rail clip with a large hammer. Might try higher psi to see if temp will rise. Forearm injured from long-screwing some timber so cannot get stuck into a project at the moment.

Posted elsewhere, just adding to collection. It is a Wilkinson and weighs about 90lbs

You spotted the small forge at the back I see