Aral Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 My dad has told me that he might be able to acquire an old forklift fork, so i thought i could make an anvil out of it, but it would need a piece of plate set up vertically under it (i have seen it on the site somewhere i think) to be worth anything. The problem is, i dont know where to get the plate, or what is it used for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 If you set the tine vertically there will be enough mass beneath the hammer and you won't need much by way of foundations. It's common to see this kind of small anvil held by U-bolts to the leg of a forge for working small pieces that cool too quickly to move to the main anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aral Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 Thanks for the reply and the advice, but i have a piece of RR set up that way, but since its hard for me to get a real anvil here, i was thinking about using this instead of one. Here is the 3d model of what i was thinking, made in google sketchup, a free program thats quite simple to use. As you can see, it has 4 hardy holes, well, i thought why not, i could use a few bottom tools at once if i wanted to, so i dont have to switch a lot. I'd like some info on what you guys think about it. Still, i dont know how or where to get the plate. [EDIT]: The dimensions are all wrong of course, as i was just doing a model to show my old man how i would like it to look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 (edited) Well the one my friends made from a forklift tine; they cut off the top section with a couple of inches of the horizontal section and then had it welded to a RR fish plate allowing the holes in the plate to let you anchor it. Any chunk of good sized plate will work though. Edited November 12, 2009 by ThomasPowers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Aral, here is what I did with my forklift fork. I pound on it each week and since I have made it it has stood up very well. The only problem I have found, no ring. http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f83/making-anvil-13878/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Hi Aral, I think I've seen that forklift anvil too, but I can't find it. I have the one attached and also a link to where two anvils are made with a forklift. Hope it helps.Marco Borromei Rub Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grafvitnir Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Ok, I found it. It was on a MS Word document and not a .jpg. Hope it helps RubBudget Bladesmithing at Steve Fowler.doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aral Posted November 13, 2009 Author Share Posted November 13, 2009 Thanks for the info guys, but what im really looking for, is what is plate that thick used for? I dont know where to start looking :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hammer Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 (edited) Thick plate has thousands of industrial uses. Just look around at metal recyclers to find something you can use. What I usuallly end up with is a cut-off (unused scrap or waste) some fabricator has sent to the recycle yard. If you are not familiar with looking around recycling yards, let your fingers do the walking (use the yellow pages) and call steel recyclers and ask them if they have small pieces of heavy plate or cutoffs of heavy rounds. If they don't have any, ask for a reference to another recycler that may. The best information would be specific about what they might have, but it is more likely that they will just say they (sometimes) have pieces of heavy plate (or rounds) and you need to come in and look around to see what they have. Alternatively.... if you are getting the entire forklift tang, use an abrasive cutoff saw to cut a length off the upright part for your anvil, then use the remainder (some, or all) as the upright support for it. Grafvitnir's pictures illustrate potiential bases for these types of anvils. An alternate base idea (which I use frequently) is to find a short cutoff (3-4 inches long) of a large round (10-12 inches in diameter or so), and weld the upright support to it. That configuration provides a heavy base and allows you to move the anvil easily. The example I'm providing is made up of all rounds, but your anvil and vertical support could easily be made from your forklift tine. My anvil, in this picture, has a hole drilled into the center. The hole serves like a hardy hole. I use all kinds of additional tooling (with a stem that goes down into that hole) on the top of it. I drilled and threaded a hole in from one side and use a bolt to lock the tooling in place to keep it from turning (grind a flat spot on the tooling stem). If I want to use it as a flat anvil, I just sit another short piece of round on top of it. :) Edited November 13, 2009 by djhammerd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisG Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Visit a local Structural steel shop, ask them if it they have a thick piece of cutoff you can use, and tell them why. Also check bridge building shops too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aral Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 Hm, some of this might be a problem, since i live in Croatia. Our entire country has... 4.5 million people .) So, its not very easy to find those objects like recycling depots, or bridge building companies, but i will try Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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