I recently got a Hay Budden anvil from a elderly lady for free. The only drawback is the lead paint they coated it liberally with. Got any idea on how to take it off? I have a friend who can pressure wash it with very hot water. Good idea or not?

When I cleaned off winery equipment with several layers of paint I used a needle scaler.

Just clean off the working surfaces, and use it. If you are worried about the lead, chip it off. or use a paint stripper. The paint stripper will actually be kinder to the anvil than the chipper will (small dings all over). How do you know it is lead paint?

If you can get the anvil into a large enough tub, electrolysis will do a great job and you won't have any sanding, scraping or grinding to do at all.

If you can get the anvil into a large enough tub, electrolysis will do a great job and you won't have any sanding, scraping or grinding to do at all.

Really? I knew it would take off rust or plating. Paint is pretty much nonconductive. I would vote for stripper(no
lead dust flying around. Proper disposal and clean up of course.
Ken.

Citrus Stripper would probably work well. Proper, and I mean proper waste disposal a must or it could cost you a lot of $$.

If it actually is lead paint-from what the 70's,or before?-it is only a problem if ingested. As it is now it will keep the anvil from rusting. If ya don't like the color, spray paint it black over the old paint. Just clean off the working surfaces-scrape it, bag it, and in the trash. We are not talking about a house worth , but an anvil worth of paint. More lead is getting in the ground everyday from shooting, casting, fishing weights, and lost wheel weights than what is on that anvil.

If it actually is lead paint-from what the 70's,or before?-it is only a problem if ingested. As it is now it will keep the anvil from rusting. If ya don't like the color, spray paint it black over the old paint. Just clean off the working surfaces-scrape it, bag it, and in the trash. We are not talking about a house worth , but an anvil worth of paint. More lead is getting in the ground everyday from shooting, casting, fishing weights, and lost wheel weights than what is on that anvil.

Valid point there Guns but that shouldn`t stop you from asking around about proper disposal sites/facilities and using those if available.
Just cause your neighbor pours 5 gallon buckets of old paint thinner in the storm drain doesn`t mean it`s OK for you to toss a can of it in once in a while. :(

Valid point there Guns but that shouldn`t stop you from asking around about proper disposal sites/facilities and using those if available.
Just cause your neighbor pours 5 gallon buckets of old paint thinner in the storm drain doesn`t mean it`s OK for you to toss a can of it in once in a while.

The thing is, though, that as best I've been able to figure out, "proper disposal" is pretty much what biggundoctor described.

Debris from lead-based paint removal or renovation may be double-bagged and disposed of in limited quantities in household trash. Lead debris must never be burned. Liquid wastes, including wash water, must never be dumped onto the ground; waste water should be filtered through a cloth filter before dumping into a sanitary sewer or toilet. The filtered debris can go out with the other trash. The mops and cloths used to clean up lead dust and debris should never be used for any other purpose, and should be disposed of when the job is done.

All wastes painted with lead-based paint may be disposed in a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill.

Because household hazardous waste is exempt from hazardous waste regulatory requirements, a “do-it-yourself” homeowner may dispose of their lead-bearing wastes in the trash. Keep in mind, however, that wastes with free liquids, such as paint, should never be sent to a municipal landfill. Liquid wastes should first be solidified by mixing them with an absorbent such as kitty litter and allowed to dry. In the event that a local trash hauler refuses to accept large pieces of debris like door frames and windows, the homeowner may wish to haul these pieces to a municipal solid waste landfill or a demolition debris landfill themselves.

The thing is, though, that as best I've been able to figure out, "proper disposal" is pretty much what biggundoctor described.

Debris from lead-based paint removal or renovation may be double-bagged and disposed of in limited quantities in household trash. Lead debris must never be burned. Liquid wastes, including wash water, must never be dumped onto the ground; waste water should be filtered through a cloth filter before dumping into a sanitary sewer or toilet. The filtered debris can go out with the other trash. The mops and cloths used to clean up lead dust and debris should never be used for any other purpose, and should be disposed of when the job is done.

All wastes painted with lead-based paint may be disposed in a Municipal Solid Waste Landfill.

Because household hazardous waste is exempt from hazardous waste regulatory requirements, a “do-it-yourself” homeowner may dispose of their lead-bearing wastes in the trash. Keep in mind, however, that wastes with free liquids, such as paint, should never be sent to a municipal landfill. Liquid wastes should first be solidified by mixing them with an absorbent such as kitty litter and allowed to dry. In the event that a local trash hauler refuses to accept large pieces of debris like door frames and windows, the homeowner may wish to haul these pieces to a municipal solid waste landfill or a demolition debris landfill themselves.

Fair enough.Our local guidelines differ and if you`re caught not putting things like batteries,floresent lights,pressure treated wood,even water based paint in the wrong area or container and the "dump police" find out about it then there`s hell to pay.
I`m sure our little bit of heaven isn`t the only burg exceeding federal guidelines. :rolleyes:

I have had great success removing paint, mostly black, from cast iron cookware using electrolysis. However it does not remove aluminum paint- had to resort to a paint remover.

Jery

Fair enough.Our local guidelines differ and if you`re caught not putting things like batteries,floresent lights,pressure treated wood,even water based paint in the wrong area or container and the "dump police" find out about it then there`s hell to pay.
I`m sure our little bit of heaven isn`t the only burg exceeding federal guidelines.

"More lead is getting in the ground everyday from shooting, casting, fishing weights, and lost wheel weights than what is on that anvil. "

EXACTLY. Where'd all that lead come from in the first place??? Right under our feet!!!

A question and I hope an answer.

Why take off the paint? Most of my anvils are painted. It stops the sides from rusting. Work keeps the faces clean.

To strip paint I just use ...... paint stripper. Any commercial brand will do it. I believe it is only a sticky form of a very caustic soda solution anyway. In UK there was a brand called nitromors which was as good as anything. Do it somewhere warm or put the anvil out in the sun. As with so many reactions warmth speeds things up a lot. Then as the guys say dispose of the waste responsibly.

Cover the stripper with plastic or newspaper to reduce evaporation of volatiles and help peeling the heaviest off for disposal.

Phil

Really? I knew it would take off rust or plating. Paint is pretty much nonconductive. I would vote for stripper(no
lead dust flying around. Proper disposal and clean up of course.
Ken.

Yep... electrolysis is great on paint. Sadly, it does nothing on lead. I purchased and old cast iron cooking pot (from the UK, early 1800's)... it had been painted black. The electrolysis removed all the paint... that's when I discovered someone had used the pot to melt lead.

Wish there was a way to safely remove the lead, 'cause no one's using that pot for supper now!

If it actually is lead paint-from what the 70's,or before?-it is only a problem if ingested. As it is now it will keep the anvil from rusting. If ya don't like the color, spray paint it black over the old paint. Just clean off the working surfaces-scrape it, bag it, and in the trash. We are not talking about a house worth , but an anvil worth of paint. More lead is getting in the ground everyday from shooting, casting, fishing weights, and lost wheel weights than what is on that anvil.

I got this thing from a lady, who got it from a man I know, who got it from a sugar mill that was closing. They had twelve of these things ranging all the way up to a little less than 1000 lbs. They are all ancient ones. They were going to scrap all of them.