Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver

450 degrees F - sounds like a lot of gas will be used for the mass involved.

It's normal. Varies with temperature and humidity.

No. A lean environment means there is less fuel than the available oxygen can combine with to burn. In other words after all the fuel has burned there is still free oxygen in the forge, which will oxidize any good other good candidates that it can find. Steel is a good candidate for oxidation. That's where scale comes from.

A "rich" environment is rich in fuel -- all the oxygen is consumed, and there's still fuel left over.

Synonyms for "lean" and "rich" are "oxidizing" and "reducing." Lean = oxidizing. Might help you remember.

Yeah, some folks have referred to my tongs as "ergonomic tongs" (popular moniker I guess), but I prefer what one smith called them many years ago; Eye sweet and hand friendly.

If you don't know what you want to specialize in, just do everything you're able to. It'll come to you one day. Needs to be something you enjoy AND has enough potential to support you the way you require.

Grant's #1 rule for success: Start out doing what everyone else is doing. At some point, start doing what no one else is doing.

Cover photo of Anvils in America:

Pretty rare in the US with the unguided ram. The Brits often call this a "Rigby" type. Williams & White made similar ones.

When calculating the weight look underneath. Most have a skirt about six-inches high and are only around 2" thick on the rest with a little ribbing. Some are solid. I had one that was kinda beat up and I flipped it over. It was solid and was machined on the other side too! Weighed 4,200lbs. 5 X 5.

All,

If I understand this correctly:

You can't vary the speed on a single phase motor.

You can use 115V single phase (in) on 3 phase motors up to 1.5 hp.

You need 230V (in) for 3 phase 2 hp motors and over.

Correct?

Buy!

Dang waste of good coal!

This fits what I have always understood of "killing" steel



Background

During the steel making process, oxygen may become dissolved in the liquid metal. During solidification, the dissolved oxygen can combine with carbon to form carbon monoxide bubbles. The carbon is added to the steel as an alloying element.
The carbon monoxide bubbles are often trapped in the casting and can act as initiation points for failure.
How Killed Steels are Produced and Their Advantages

Formation of the carbon monoxide bubbles can be eliminated through the addition of deoxidising agents such as aluminium, ferrosilicon and manganese. In the case of aluminium, the dissolved oxygen reacts with it to form aluminium oxide (Alumina, Al₂O₃). The formation of alumina not only prevents the formation of bubbles or porosity, but the tiny particles or inclusions also pin grain boundaries during heat treatment processes, preventing grain growth. Completely deoxidised steel are known as “killed steels”.
They have a more uniform analysis and are relatively free from ageing. For a given carbon and manganese content, killed steels are usually harder then rimmed steels.
Disadvantages

The disadvantage of using killed steels is they often display deep pipe shrinkage.
Steels That are Typically Killed

Steel that are generally killed include:
• Steels with carbon contents greater then 0.25%
• All forging grades of steel
• Structural steels with carbon content between 0.15 to 0.25%
• Some special steel in the lower carbon ranges

Reference: http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1697

Hammers and presses are like some women. When a press says "no" it means "no". With a hammer, you can keep coaxing it along till you get what you want.

Just wanted to add this picture before it disappears from Ebay:

Could these be formed by hydroforming ?

brad

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Don't tell anyone, I've made a lot of money that way!

You might be able to get one that is close and rework it. Do they care what blank you start with?

Maybe you could talk them into one of these stock shapes: TANK HEADS

Look like they leak!

My Dad talked with a smith years ago at an event at the Napa County Fairgrounds who was forging Ti tent pegs for a circus (lighter weight). He told Dad that it worked really easy, and liked working with it.

Good to know John. I have not used that brand, I was just looking at prices when someone said $300 - 500.

Actually the only brand I've personally used is from Automation Direct, their GS-2 series. With no enclosure, 2HP is $250.00.

Hi Tim! I'm Grant and I'm a recovering blacksmith.

Hang in there, you'll become less tolerant as you get older. As I like to tell students "Remember: there are no stupid questions; only the ones you ask"!