Nickwebb

Thanks guys. I think I'm gathering from you guys that it may take a long time for the rest of that side to let go and I'm not going to hurt it any worse by continuing to use it without any repairs. Is that correct?

I'm getting close to retirement (2nd one) and when life slows down I'd like to learn more about blacksmithing. I've been working with steel and aluminum for years as a hobby but blacksmithing has always interested me. 

1 hour ago, the iron dwarf said:

as TP said if it is just 1/4" deep v it and weld, if it is 3" it is a different problem.

if you want to fix it the way it was made you need people there who are experienced at forge welding because I presume you are not

Your presumption is correct. I am not. 

It has been a bit since I had this old anvil out from under the bench. After cleaning it up. The crack wasn't as long as I remembered. After checking the rebound again, it is only dead from the Hardie hole back. And more on the side with the crack than the other. I do see another line near the midpoint of the body but I suspect that may be where the hard face is forged to the body (I included a pic)...I can use it as is, I would just hate to let the crack contiue to grow if I can stop it  

1 minute ago, the iron dwarf said:

did you test it like I told you?

Haven't yet. I've just stopped in for lunch. I'll check it this evening and I'll post some pics. Thanks for the help. 

4 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

Got a lot of friends, coal, and a high pressure & high volume water supply?  You could try to weld it back the old fashioned way---forge welding and then re heat treating.

That might actually be fun, but I'm not sure my friends like me that much. Lol

10 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

OK if the face has completely delaminated then the fix is to remove it and either do a complete weld side to side usually by offsetting the face with a piece of sq stock in the middle and welding it up from both sides.  Or by building up the body with correct rod to create a new face.

As the body of a Peter Wright is NOT CAST ANYTHING but rather real wrought iron I do not understand your last comment.   The Face plate may be cast steel and either a monolithic piece or several pieces forge welded side to side down the length of the face depending on age

Any experience welding real wrought iron?

2 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said:

It's how deep it goes under the face we are interested in. A quarter inch---V it out and weld it up!  3" and it's time to decide if you want to repair or just replace the anvil

 

Understood. What filler should be used if it's weldable?

6 minutes ago, the iron dwarf said:

so it does not go across the width of the anvil at all?

Not that I can see.

Not at all on wrought iron. And the crack goes about 2/3 of the length of the hard face on one side only so far as I can see. 

16 minutes ago, the iron dwarf said:

how deep is the crack?

you cannot just weld the surface or it will break up, you need to weld the entire area of the crack and then maybe re heat treat the anvil.

this is a major task.

post some pix and details about the anvil

I've welded a good bit of cast iron and cast steel so I'm fairly familiar with the process (not good by any means) It's the high carbon top to the cast that has me scratching Head. I was thinking 309L might do it with about a 300-400 deg f preheat and then a slow cool which is similar to what I do with cast, but not sure what it'll do to the hardface. I'll post some pics this evening. 

3 minutes ago, arkie said:

Best to check the rebound first. If it's good, leave it alone!

It is definitely dead. Nearly no rebound at all unfortunately. I have a Hay Budden, but the PW is in good shape except for the crack.

I have a dead PETER Wright anvil. There is a 6" crack on one side between the hardface and the body. What would be the best weld process and filler to repair the crack?