Saltwater Anvil

[David Einhorn]

I wouldn't write it off just yet either. This is what I suggest you do. Sign up in a community college welding course, and use this to practice on. I wouldn't hardface it, but would look into welding a plate back on. Maybe a forklift fork section, dozer blade, cut the bottom flat off some big railroad rail, or something similar found in a scrap yard.........

I feel the BIGGUNDOCTOR has the best suggestions on the thread so far. Taking a welding course will benefit you both in the long run and in doing stuff like fixing the anvil. It is a good piece of wrought iron so welding a nice steel plate to it should not be a problem. If you can not find a forklift fork or piece of dozer blade then a possibility is to get a piece of steel drill some holes, weld through the holes into the wrought iron, close up the holes with weldment, and then weld along the four edges. While not a perfect solution, it provides a workable surface.

[Francis Trez Cole]

Koutetsu Hay I am in Sarasota It looks like an old mousehole forge anvil good stuff. I have an old one that had damage if you clean up the surface's put an aluminium rod in the hardy hole and do fillit welds you should be able to bring it back to life. If its is a mouse hole anvil it is forges and it can be repaired with 7018 rod I did mine 6 years ago and it has held up well. Check out Faba http://www.blacksmithing.org/ we meet once a month great group of people. We have a meeting this saturday in tampa (Armour making). I am right off str 62. If I can be any help let me know

Edited August 21, 2009 by Francis Cole

[orgtwister]

if you wanted to do hardfaceing i have been told hardfaceing mig wire is a lot cheaper then useing stick welding rods i have used it and it goes alot faster then welding rods but you need a base hardfaceing wire pass first and for the life of me i can't find the wire info at the moment

[ThomasPowers]

A lot of the old anvils were not made of high quality wrought iron---william foster anvils for instance.

Low quality wrought is one reason they may have shed horn or heal or face plate...

But it can be a cheap way to buy wrought iron! My abused anvil cost me $5 and is probably 80# or so of wrought iron!

[Charlotte]

if you wanted to do hardfaceing i have been told hardfaceing mig wire is a lot cheaper then useing stick welding rods i have used it and it goes alot faster then welding rods but you need a base hardfaceing wire pass first and for the life of me i can't find the wire info at the moment

Many of the "standard" hard facing wires are designed to stick on the surface rather than flow and fuse as you would with a joining rod. The alloy needed should have the characteristics of a filler rod.
I'm not sure mig would be a good choice for this appliction. One of the big problems with welding anvils is simply the mass you are working with. It takes pretty good current to weld on an anvil even with a 400-500 degree pre heat.

PS. Avadon had an interesting experience Tig welding his blade forging anvil. However, if I were to chose another method for this application I think I'd go for Tig rather Mig. Edited August 21, 2009 by Charlotte
add ps.

[james_leland]

I would just go get some rail road ties, and use that, and keep the horn for some shapeing..

[Koutetsu]

wow guys, thanks for all the advice!

I will definitely check to see if the local community college has any welding courses. I own a small portable welder, but i don't think it would be sufficient for any hardfacing.

Like i said, i have no shortage of time. I'm still unsure as to what direction to go though. It seems like you guys have a few varying opinions, as to whether i should leave it as is, or go for the repair. I would like to try and repair it as much as possible, but i would not want to accidentally ruin it. Though I dont know if i need to worry about that.

Francis, that is great! It's too bad i didnt see this until sunday. It would be great to get in contact with your group, as sarasota is where i am going to school next January.