ddurant311

Threw in a picture of the stump I picked. Maple, triple tree (which may cause problems later down the road). Hadn't seen a mounting block like this, and we were figuring the small rail track could be used for finer work. Still some finding to do, but I'm pretty happy with the start.

Gotcha. So what do I do if the damage starts to spread? Any idea on how to tell if this was made before the Fisher move NJanvil?

Njanvil, is there any way to tell if it was made in Maine? The guy I got it from believed it was made before the move to NJ. Thanks for reassuring me about the dull tone! I was also told the cutting face and horn were covered in harder steel, and there are seams that support this idea. You said work with what I have, so I'm assuming the cuts and dings on the cutting face and horn are no concern either? I prefer old things with character, so grinding just to make it pretty isn't something I want to do either. Oh! One last thing I've been pondering, the mounting of this sexy beast. I'm going with wood, but my question is do soft woods absorb my hammer strikes more than hard? Am I losing anything using soft wood? I've got some pretty big pine trees, but my land is scarce in larger hard wood. Should I wait for the wood to dry, or mount it wet? Was figuring the wet wood will really lock in whatever I use for fasteners, but was also thinking it may warp slightly when it dries which could ruin the flat and level fit.

So, from what I've read, it seems repairing an anvil is a last resort. I bartered for an anvil yesterday, not sure of the manufacturer, but the guy I got it from seemed to believe it was made here in Maine. The ONLY letter on it that I can make out is an "A" on the rear left foot. My real question is, is the damage on the left side of the working face something I should consider repairing? I think it shows evidence of prior poor repair attempt(s). It also has very little ring when struck, which, led me to believe someone already ruined the heat treating. If that's the case, can I reheat it and heat treat it again? Lastly, I HATE that it's painted red. Is there any paint removers I should avoid? I've also been cleaning it with Zippo fluid, and it occurred to me that I should ask here before continuing to clean with it. I figured the oily residue it leaves behind would help prevent rust. I've taken some pictures, let me know if anyone needs something else for IDing the maker, or damage assessment. Much thanks to all!

Thanks Charles! My idea is to build a fairly standard mild steel fire pot, connected to a cast fuyere. One course of refractory brick to surround the pot, with no mortar so they can be really removed to repair the pot. Red fire brick for the top course on the hearth, and side draft opening in the chimney, with high temp mortar. Was thinking this should provide enough protection in the hot areas, so I can use what ever else I want to fill out the hearth. Raw stone, cement brick, etc.

Thanks Judson! I'm actually heading over to MaineOxy soon to get some wire for my welder so I can repair the working face on an anvil I just picked up.

Thanks, new to how/where to post which questions, so thanks for the advice. My phone is on the outs, or I could attach a rough sketch of my idea, and work space lay out. Until it's remedied, I'll hunt around some more here and see what I can't figure out.

And thanks for the post Irondragon!

Thanks guys, I'm in Maine, not on the coast, and the info I have says this was a job printing and steam booker asst one point in it's life. Still have no idea what those things are though. Never thought of using field stone Frosty! I like the look of field stone a lot more than brick, so I very well might be completely changing the design.

Hello all, just looking for a little direction/advice. First off, if there's already a thread on any of these questions I have, feel free to let me know. I've got a good idea of what I want my forge to look like, side draft, with a semi circle hearth, and a half hood. I'm also using a bellows and trying to keep things as close to an 1800's period layout as I can. I'm looking for building techniques/design specifically how to prevent the heat from destroying the brick and mortar. How many courses of soft fire brick should surround the fire before it's ok to use hard fire brick? Mortar mix? Should the soft fire brick that contacts the fire be loose, or have mortar too? I've seen the mason work wrapped in plastic to slow curing. How do I build a smoke shelf and still comply with building codes requiring fully lined chimneys? Is there a way to integrate a smelting furnace? What metal should the fire pot be built from? Is plain steel ok? How thick? Bellows blue prints? Materials for bellows construction? This is what I've got for questions so far, and obviously, it's just the beginning. Like I said, just let me know if there's threads that already exist that address these questions. Thanks for your time and input. Happy smithing!

Thanks George and Glenn, got me pointed in the right direction!

Couldn't get the link to work that lists all the groups nation wide, so I figured I'd post here and try to get some info. Anyone know of any groups in Maine??

Hello all. Just joined the forum and have lots of questions. The first is about design and layout of my forge, so I guess this is more of a masonry post. I purchased an 1840's farm house, and it came with a blacksmith shop. The only thing left of the forge is the top part of the chimney. I'm trying to stay as close as I can to period design. I know my rough dimensions, but what I need help with is how do I figure out how to lay everything out? For instance, how do I determine the angle of all my bricks that make curves? I'm trying to get a picture/drawing up loaded so people have a better idea of my design. Sorry for the vagueness, but like I said, I'm just starting out.