buy ASO and weld steel plate to top

[kalaharijay]

Hey all

WEll as many of you know I have been searching high and low for an anvil with no luck. I was wondering what you think the feasability is of buying a harbor freight Chinese ASO and having someone weld a 2 inch thick tool steel plate to the top of it. I have someone who will do the welding at no cost to me. He said and I am no expert so I am taking his word for it. That to get a good weld with the cast irona nd the tool steel plate he will heat up the cast iron before welding it. Wont this then ruin the hardness of the tool steel plate ? Anyway let me know what you guys think of going this route.

[Bentiron1946]

You got to be kidding me! If I can find an anvil in anvil poor Arizona you should be able to find one in Minnesota for sure.
Now that I have that off of my chest let's get down to the ASO and the tool steel thing, no it ain't a good idea, spend some time looking for an anvil. It will be time you will never regret spending. You will always be unhappy with your cobbled up creation. Now a better solution would be to get a length of 4"square X 24" long and set it up on end and forge on the 4" square end. This will give you a nice sized sweet spot to forge on and enough mass to get very good results. Don't waste the time and effort on a HF ASO. <_<

[pkrankow]

If you have the ASO, the high nickel rod, forklift tine, the time and the desire to learn, then go for it. The pre- and post-heat temperature is 500F, and will draw temper on the tine, but it will still be better than the ASO.

If you have to buy the ASO or the rod, then
http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-4251-8250-4-sq-a-36-1020-hot-rolled-steel.aspx

If the whole tine (or a large piece, say 24 inches long) can be had for scrap, make the anvil out of the tine instead.

Phil

[arftist]

[Aral]

Hey, I don't have any input on the thing you wanted to know, but maybe this would help, this is my anvil, and I can tell you, it's magnificent

[Dave Parker]

When I first got the bug, I could not wait until I had a “real anvil”. I used small RR anvils and a friend gave me a HF 55 pound ASO. To make the ASO more serviceable, I took a 30-pound steel brick, welded a bolt head roughly the size of the hardy hole on the bottom. Then I added two-inch flanges on the sides and snapped the brick on top of the ASO. Between the flanges and the bolt head in the hardy, it made a passable 80-pound anvil, it stayed in place and by snapping, the brick off the top I could use the hardy hole. I have several large anvils now but I still find myself reaching for the ASO and the top brick when I just need to do something small. The bottom of the brick serves as a cutting plate, a weight to hold things down or a prop to hold things up.

I guess that was a long-winded way of saying, be inventive and resourceful. Use what you have until you have something better.

[kalaharijay]

When I first got the bug, I could not wait until I had a “real anvil”. I used small RR anvils and a friend gave me a HF 55 pound ASO. To make the ASO more serviceable, I took a 30-pound steel brick, welded a bolt head roughly the size of the hardy hole on the bottom. Then I added two-inch flanges on the sides and snapped the brick on top of the ASO. Between the flanges and the bolt head in the hardy, it made a passable 80-pound anvil, it stayed in place and by snapping, the brick off the top I could use the hardy hole. I have several large anvils now but I still find myself reaching for the ASO and the top brick when I just need to do something small. The bottom of the brick serves as a cutting plate, a weight to hold things down or a prop to hold things up.

I guess that was a long-winded way of saying, be inventive and resourceful. Use what you have until you have something better.

Thanks all i have managed to track down a 110 # russian anvil at a very good price and will be picking it up next week sometime. Once again thanks to all for thier advice.

[zampilot]

Thanks all i have managed to track down a 110 # russian anvil at a very good price and will be picking it up next week sometime. Once again thanks to all for thier advice.

Start hitting the farm estate sales, flea markets etc. You'll find a good one, then you can get rid of the russsian!