Tim McCoy Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Hi folks, Tried to find a thread about this - I know mild steel will work as an anvil. Wondering if anyone has any experience using A36 as an anvil? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavala Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Hi folks, Tried to find a thread about this - I know mild steel will work as an anvil. Wondering if anyone has any experience using A36 as an anvil? Tim That is mild steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I have quite a bit of experience using mild steel as an anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I have quite a bit of experience using mild steel as an anvil. Brian, Is that good experience or bad experience? Would you do it again for a temporary, permanent, or student setup? Would you choose something different if you were using scrap yard steel vs bought steel? Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerrystagmer Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 if your getting it at scrapyard prices and have no option then I dont see an issue. If your buying it new then its a waste of money. You would be better off going to a scrapper that would cut you off a chunck of forklift fork or some other hardened object then buying A36 new. If you have no other option it WILL work as an anvil, but every hammer blow to the surface will dent it and you will have to grind it smooth often. If you never miss your work and keep the metal hot it wont be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Brian, Is that good experience or bad experience? Would you do it again for a temporary, permanent, or student setup? Would you choose something different if you were using scrap yard steel vs bought steel? Phil I am still using my 25 pound striking anvil daily. I wish I had my first anvil that my brother and I made. That was my favorite anvil I've ever worked on. Those were both mild steel because that is what I had on hand. I would have rather used other materials, but I get by with what I can afford. I'd have to say, though, that it was probably best that the striking anvil was only mild steel, since many people made their very first hammers on it and struck for their very first time. We've made well over 100 hammers on that anvil since September and continue to use it without fear of damaging it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I made an anvil using mild steel that Is similar to the Brazeal style, they work great. I used a piece that is 2 1/2 inches thick here is what it looks like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbrazealblacksmith Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I sure do miss mine, Clinton, especially for forging the big stuff. It was quite a tool, so much better than using hardy tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpotter Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I have made an anvil from a36 I got a piece that was 6 inches thick I had it cut into a 400lbs anvil shape then milled all the sides flat and hardfaced the surface the anvil is beautiful I blanchard ground the face and polished it and it sucks compared to a forged anvil the rebound is non existant you work real hard when using it and if I had not gotten it all for free it would have cost a fortune to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 Yep, A36 is mild steel - just wanted to know "how" it worked/heldup for others ... thanks very much for the answers! I really like the "universality" of the Brazeal style anvil. Now I know what you know and don't have to guess Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 The anvil actually holds up nicely it has not started to mushroom or get a lot of dings in it and you can draw like a mad dawg on that fuller, the other nice thing is the sound this thing has, no loud ringing comming from this anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironstein Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Hey Clinton, i still love that Tom Clark anvil you've got, you can see part of it with the stand in one of those pics, that thing is sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I used to run a CNC shape cutter, so I cut an anvil from mild (a36) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted July 16, 2010 Author Share Posted July 16, 2010 Clinton Think I saw your anvil before ... can't remember if in gallery or forum, did you harden the face and what's the weight - 250?? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Clinton Think I saw your anvil before ... can't remember if in gallery or forum, did you harden the face and what's the weight - 250?? Tim Ya I did a post on the anvil a while back, I did not harden the anvil and the weight is probably closer to 150 lbs. I am planning to build a heavier stand for it, tripod but with box tubing. Ok I just checked the weight using an online calculator and it says 160 lbs so 150 is pretty close after the removal of material. This is a very handy tool to have even if you have an anvil you will use this thing often. If you do not have an anvil this is a good way to go as well, I have seen people spend weeks fooling around with RR track and they end up with a 40 lb chunk of garbage that rings so bad you can hear it a block away. The scrap yard sells this material for around .30 cents a pound = $45.00 and with a torch and a grinder and a few hours of your time you have a tool that you can use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Hey Clinton, i still love that Tom Clark anvil you've got, you can see part of it with the stand in one of those pics, that thing is sweet. The Tom Clark is real nice for someone that is in the market for a new anvil I would recommend going with one of these, they are still being made although the price has gone up a bit. A rodbuster that I worked with years ago told me, "Buy the best and cry once." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 I used to run a CNC shape cutter, so I cut an anvil from mild (a36) that is nice the horn is awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted July 17, 2010 Author Share Posted July 17, 2010 Clinton, Thanks for the info ... working on a couple anvil like things now - fork lift tine and blocks of scrap steel and I-beam, and I have one that I posted not too long ago thats a 1 1/5 x 11 xd 19" plate. This is fun. I know many will say save your money and buy a "real" anvil. Maybe later, but now it's too much fun just puttin' stuff together, especially since I'm not rying to make a living. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Falzone Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Clinton, Thanks for the info ... working on a couple anvil like things now - fork lift tine and blocks of scrap steel and I-beam, and I have one that I posted not too long ago thats a 1 1/5 x 11 xd 19" plate. This is fun. I know many will say save your money and buy a "real" anvil. Maybe later, but now it's too much fun just puttin' stuff together, especially since I'm not rying to make a living. Tim I love it when people say "buy a real anvil" - it just makes me shake my head and laugh. A farrier style, or a London-pattern, or an Austrian-pattern or a German-pattern, etc, etc, are not the only REAL anvils out there. My first anvil was a 5"x5"x5" block of mild steel ... and it IS a REAL ANVIL ... still use it to this day. Are they going to try and tell Brian that his plate design anvil isn't a real anvil? Are they going to tell Dodge that his CNC anvil isn't a real anvil ... just because it's made of mild steel? I DON'T THINK SO !!! I've seen people blacksmith on a chunk of granite, and for that time and that purpose it was a REAL anvil. A piece of advice to all the new smiths just starting out ... Use what ever you got that will get the job done - tool steel, mild steel, railroad track, forklift tine, drops or rocks ... if you hit hot metal with a hammer on it, then it's an anvil. Sure if you're looking to make a LIVING out of this trade, then a certain pattern or style of anvil may be an investment for your business. But if smithing is just going to be a hobby for you (like me) then don't let other people's hang-ups discourage you ... they don't need to become your hang-ups too. Have fun and pound some hot steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Sam, how's the rebound on your block of mild steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Better than on a HF cast iron ASO! and a forklift tine will be better than plain A36 too. The MOB (mid ohio blacksmiths) once took a HF ASO and made it into a propane stove. It drilled like butter and so much graphite in it I was surprised it held together at all! Most of the world smiths on stuff that doesn't look like a london pattern anvil. For example the much lauded Japanese swords are forged on a simple block anvil, no horn, heel, waist, feet, etc. You will do better to get started hitting hot metal on an improvised anvil than to put it off until you have a "real" anvil. There is a major practice effect in smithing and the sooner one starts and the more one does the better! Note that lately folks have been selling "knifemakers' anvils" that are just large square stock mounted vertically (and the better ones a good alloy and heat treated to boot) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I can't speak for Sam, but as for mine, the rebound isn't as good as my Trenton of about the same weight. Of course it won't be; it's mild! I even recently did the ball bearing bounce test and got very predictable results. OTOH, in practical use, it works just fine. As long as you hit hot metal, the mild steel performs nicely and I'm not worried about using a nine pound sledge on it if I needed to Also, IF I ding it, a couple minutes with the mig and flap wheel, and you'd never know I miss hammered. Heck, although I never have, I'm not even above temporarily welding something to it for functionality. I would NEVER consider doing that to my Trenton! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bajajoaquin Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Oh, I'm not letting a pre-concieved notion get in the way of assembling my 87-pound blocks of mild steel into an anvil. I'm just curious. I'm interested in the things that make for good rebound. For example, I'm planning on using hard-facing wire on it, and I wonder how much of an effect it has. (Still trying to track down the Hobart Brothers wire that was recommended on another forum: it's the only 0.035 wire I've found so far.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charadam Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I used to run a CNC shape cutter, so I cut an anvil from mild (a36) Dodge, That is a beautiful piece of programming and profiling! Did you CNC the horn to its round cross-section? The boss had his eye off the ball - unless of course, you are the boss! I suppose you could have multiple dovetailed a high-carbon top plate if you felt the need. Is that an idea? With CNC profiling I suppose you could take an old, knackered anvil, slice off the top, cut a few dovetails and while the thing is hot, press in the cold from the 'frig' interference fit top plate you cut last night. A shrunk-in top plate must be a better option than hardfacing. Mustn't it? All the best, Charles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Falzone Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Sam, how's the rebound on your block of mild steel? Rebound on a mild steel anvil sucks rocks, frankly ... but the upside is that a mild steel anvil is much quieter. You do have to work a bit harder with a mild steel anvil - especially a small one like mine, but learning good hammering techniques and tricks can compensate a bit, and the smith has to listen to what his or her body is telling them ... stop when tired and take a break, stretch before doing any work, drink lots of water, etc. (but this applies to ALL smiths, no matter what anvil you're using). But like I said, the advantage is a quieter work space so there is less chance of hearing loss or annoyed neighbours. So weigh the pros and cons ... everyone will make their own choices and decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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