Benona blacksmith

Cut one big chunk with the chop saw and forged it all down to 2 in inch x 2 inch and hot cut into 4 pieces under the power hammer then forged down from there.

Hammer making tongs, hammer eye punch and drift all forged from forklift fork. I might trim the hammer eye punch down a bit.

I wouldn't do anything to that anvil but use it and save for a nicer one and then sell it to get some of your costs back.

I really like the magic winter dust. It Keeps me cool while working in the shop. I'm debating on putting AC in the shop for working in the summer. I dont know how you guys closer to the equator can handle it. Maybe my blood is too thick?

This is a perfect example of why the alloy content cant be different within inches or from one end of a bar to another.

Tong No.3 made for 2 inch round stock.

I have 2 sets of forks and 1200 lbs of the 2 inch round. And about 300 lbs of the 3 inch round. I understand not all forks are created equal and that's why I'm getting both sets tested!

I have no heavy equipment just a 1 ton chan fall and ingenuity. I move everything with rollers and leverage. This is the hammer I built with the 500 lb block of steel. the 3800 lb block with my hand for reference and in the background you can see a pallet for reference. The motor is 30 hp and weighs 500 lbs and will be used for a rotary phase converter. And the hammer I replaced the homemade hammer with.

Big Blu has scientifically proven what the optimal anvil weight for a given tup weight is. I know your hammer runs good and moves steel. I just want to reiterate that a solid mass IS the best option. Even if you could get ahold of a large axle in the 250-300 lb range. I have a 3800 lb block of steel waiting for me to make a big hammer with. I will get a picture of it later along with a picture of my homemade hammer. My main working anvil weighs 426 lbs. I can tell the difference between it and my 200 lb anvil. I dont even have my 100 lber mounted anymore.

So its 1:3 ratio. So when looked at in perspective it's like using a 1 lb hammer on a 3 lb anvil. There is a reason real hammers use solid mass for an anvil. It's definitely not because of its cost effectiveness. The video you seen with a wooden anvil was a trip hammer that was made way back in the day before they had the readily available materials we have now and that machine would have been better served with a solid anvil. But what do I know. I'm just a hillbilly in west Michigan that has proved this myself with my hammer?

So I was quoted $600 for 4 samples. A bit more than I was hoping to pay but would be worth it in the end. I also found a place that will use there XRF gun for 49.99 per sample. I will probably go that route. I'm not messing with any crazy alloys so that should serve me OK.

It matters to me. I really hate using left handed tongs as they roll out of my palm instead of nesting in it.

What do you estimate your concrete anvil weighs?

I just want to get my heat treatment right when I'm making hammers. Forklift fork, some 3 inch round I have and some 2 inch x 9 foot rods with threaded ends.

Chemical composition is what I want them tested for.