horseshoe182 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I,m going to make an anvil, however, I can,t find any plans on the net. I perfer to make the traditional English style anvil, but any plans or info, I would be greatfull. Cheers, Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I would suggest that you borrow an anvil that you like and make a wooden pattern to match it. Then take the pattern to a steel foundry and ask them to make a casting in 4140 steel. From there find a heat treater with equipment for heat treating steel and ask them to treat it. After that find a machinest with a good surface grinder to do the face for you. I think you might find it cheaper to buy a used anvil or even a new one. Making an anvil like to ones that are manufactured is difficult to say the least. My real suggestion is to by a section 6" or 7" square 4140 billet and cut/grind it to the shape you want. I have an 11x5.5" block that I use to supplement my Russian ASO. It functions extremly well. Struck on end it is as solid as an anvil twice its 77 lb's. As for Patterns. I doubt that you will find them but many sites give the dimensions of their anvils and from a down loaded picture it is possible to scale the dimensions you don't have fairly closely. All you need for that is any grapic program, a printer and a pair of dividers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Believe it or not, Charlotte made it sound even simpler than it is. You will need a pattern, yes. But not just a wood model, it must have proper draft and most foundries will want it split and mounted on match boards to suit their system. Then you'll need a core box for the hardy hole. If you're not up to this, the foundry will be happy to do it all for you, maybe get away with $2,000.00 - 3,000.00. They will charge a premium for making only one, on the order of $3.00 - 6.00 per pound. 4140 will not get nearly hard enough in this cross-section, you'll want 8640 or maybe 4340. Now you gotta machine it, it's just a rough casting remember. And spend many hours grinding it. I't will have to be heat treated at a commercial heat treater, probably get by for 50 - 75 cents per pound. The only reason for doing all this is that NO anvil out there suits you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 This is the drawing I made to make the anvil pictured. A g-code program was written from it and I cut it on a CNC flame cutter. Sorry, I don't have the program anymore but feel free to use the drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnie Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Just an idea.ANVIL MAKING Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Just an idea.ANVIL MAKING That's the exact link that inspired my anvil You CAN make your own anvil if you have access to the resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horseshoe182 Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 I should have been more specific, I am going to have it cut out of steel plate. After seeing Dodges work (great job) and another homemade anvil, I thought of what a good idea. Resently I purchased a shoeing anvil from the USA and imported it to OZ, not cheap. At least with this manufacturing method I can pick what ever metal and style for the billet. I will use 4" plate and it will be similar to Dodges, but problerly a finer waist. And longer horn etc. I want to get the preportions how I want them. If all else fails I will do as Charlotte said, use dividers on pictures and scale to my size. I have an Inventer drawing program, so I will be able to see the finsihed product in 3D before I have started fabrication. Thanks for all help Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Weather you want to carve a nice rail anvil. Cut one out of heavy plate, or make a mold cast and ht. You will spend more time/money than a new one. My first was a rail anvil about 36lbs sq hardy rd pritchel hold down and hot cut. Shop time + matl about $750 for a great hobby /jewlers anvil. 150lb torch cut trenton $200 142 H-B $250 88lb H-B $60. I won't make any more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavetheWelder Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 i am making an anvil myself, and am welding mine together, i don't have access to anything other than 2 inch plate. the top plate and yoke are together by way of flux core. i will mount those on another plate for the base, and am searching for horn material, this is my first attempt, it is cheap and very substantial. i have made the top plate over size to accomodate some spoon patterns. i hope to have a longer than usual horn to shape some decorative pieces. this may not be the ideal way to make your own anvil but it seems to be working so far, i will post some pictures when the job is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 The "ideal" anvil is the one that best supports *your* methods of work and items you generally make! Look at some of the new ones with the graduated punching holes in them. Why do a custom piece and then want it to look just like a common commercial item? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horseshoe182 Posted June 6, 2009 Author Share Posted June 6, 2009 The "ideal" anvil is the one that best supports *your* methods of work and items you generally make! Look at some of the new ones with the graduated punching holes in them. Why do a custom piece and then want it to look just like a common commercial item? Yes, good point Thomas, I will make myself a real flash twin horn, side shelf, jobbing block, special holes everywhere, all bells and whistles later, but for now I want to made a commerical unit to sell. I have never seen a twin horn in OZ. before, so I don,t know how well it would sell, so I,ll stick with a known pattern. Some might think "twin horn fabricated anvil, heavens forbid" (and maybe not) I,ll try and keep it simple. These are some prices we pay in OZ, so I have to complete with these sorts of prices Australian Anvil O,dwyer 88lbs = from $614usd = $767aud NC Cavarly 112lbs = from $864usd = $1078aud @ .80cent in the dollar. I will try to source scrap only and my overheads are very low. And I can,t help myself as I,ve always got projects on the boil. I will give it a go and see how it goes. I will probably sell it on ebay. Am looking forwards to seeing those pic,s of your anvil Dave, can we see progress pic,s Cheers Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alwin Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Personally, I think Dodge's anvil is better than most of the London pattern anvils in that the waist is bigger. The most efficient part of an anvil to work on, meaning the part of the anvil that will allow you to use the least force for the most effect on the steel, is the section of the face directly above the waist. Just take a ball-pein hammer and lightly drop it on an anvil over the waist and then progressively farther from the waist to the end of the heel. Notice how far the hammer bounces back as you do that. Over thousands of blows in a day that difference becomes very significant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmercier Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Someday (not any time soon unfortunately) I'm going to have my own anvil cast, but it wont be 'just' an anvil, it'll be a piece of sculpture too. It's been too long since people made art with their tools, and I want an anvil with a face on the side and stuff >_< This desire was more or less inspired by the post vise at the Higgins Armory in Worcester MA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avadon Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 Seems like a great learning process and a fascinating engineering and scientific challenge, but outside of that... why god, why? lol You could have a manufactured anvil shipped to the far side of the universe for what it will cost you to make your own of equivalent quality and weight. You can always get your anvil to come on a shipping container on a freighter and its not that expensive. My 450# anvil came 2300miles for only about $300.00 so unless you just have to build your own i'd check the shipping methods out fully before you give up. I totally agree with Thomas here. If your going to weld/fab/temper your own anvil why not make something extremely exotic. Something that can't be found or mates with a very specific purpose. Why not make an ornate bridge anvil or something akin, rather then just make something that looks like the commercial equivalent only costing much more to fabricate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammerkid Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Seems like a great learning process and a fascinating engineering and scientific challenge, but outside of that... why god, why? lol You could have a manufactured anvil shipped to the far side of the universe for what it will cost you to make your own of equivalent quality and weight. You can always get your anvil to come on a shipping container on a freighter and its not that expensive. My 450# anvil came 2300miles for only about $300.00 so unless you just have to build your own i'd check the shipping methods out fully before you give up. I totally agree with Thomas here. If your going to weld/fab/temper your own anvil why not make something extremely exotic. Something that can't be found or mates with a very specific purpose. Why not make an ornate bridge anvil or something akin, rather then just make something that looks like the commercial equivalent only costing much more to fabricate. Yeah I Agree with Avadon. WHY? Cause you can? I think it be best , if your just wanting you a anvil to buy a used or new anvil , and alot less trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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