bsiler Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Did a search but didn't find much. In cold weather how do or do you keep your anvil warm over night or until the next time you use it. Most times I only have a couple of hours to play. My shop isn't heated so my anvil is quite cold and it takes awhile to get it warmed up by placing big pieces of hot metal on it and uses a little extra coal. Just wondering if there is a good way (cheap) to keep it warm. Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zampilot Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 In the winter I use a propane forge in the garage, my anvil is in front of it, a bit higher and a foot away. leaves enough room to put stuff in the forge and it heats the anvil. I let it run about 10 minutes or so on low before using. Keeps the anvil warm enough. BUT I have not tried it at below zero temps, dont think I will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 If you are the type who can plan ahead(that aint me) you can throw an electric blanket(from Goodwill) over it and plug the blanket into a timer. The few times I tried this I ended up not going out to the shop and even went out of town for a few days once. Gotta go before SWMBO sees this and deducts the electric bill from my allowance. :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyshackleford Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Finding an old electric iron has been proposed by a number of users here. You can also heat a chunk of metal with large thermal mass and let it cool off on the anvil face (somewhat like zampilot's method) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Keeping things warm that only see intermittent use is often a waste of energy. A timer and an electric iron would be a good way to go especially if you can set a stop time as well as a start time on it. Me I usually heat a slab of steel as the propane forge is warming up and place on the anvil. I often have a non-critical project to work on while waiting for the forge, anvil and tools to come up to good working temps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyGeorge Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 I too use a heavy piece a plate that I heat in the forge and then lay on the anvil to preheat it. I don't like the idea of leaving an iron or something plugged in while I'm not around. My luck, it would really heat the place up!! :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric sprado Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Small addition to thread: I heat a piece of iron in propane forge,lay it on anvil AND put a couple of firebricks on top. Keeps heat going in to anvil instead of the room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edge9001 Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 I have a couple of jackhammer bitsI put in the forge as it is heating up. I put them IN my anvil, with it being a RR coupler those holes really come in handy ...lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsiler Posted December 2, 2010 Author Share Posted December 2, 2010 Thanks for all the replys. Yeah, I don't think would I really what to leave something plugged in my shop. Likes been said, Might be to much Heat. I guess heating up big pieces of metal seems the way and from you fellows the most popular way. I just get in to big of a hurry sometimes. Thanks Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Hopfinger Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 You may also want to check out this thread My link Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 well my shop it could catch the anvil stump on fire and still do no damage to it save for smoke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshua.M Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 newbie question here, what is the point of heating the anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattBower Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 A cold anvil sucks heat out of the work very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Think about working on a knife blade that's often made from alloys with a limited forging range---hitting it "too cold" can ruin the blade; now with an icy anvil you might get *1* hammer blow with each heat cycle; however you still get the scale losses, decarburization and possible grain growth with each heat cycle. A warm anvil can make the job *much* faster! Also *very* cold anvils are more prone to damage. I have a friend who knocked the heel off the family anvil, (he was third generation using it IIRC), when it was quite cold and he wanted to do a "quick job". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsiler Posted December 3, 2010 Author Share Posted December 3, 2010 Marcus, Thanks for the link. I remember reading some of it but I had forgotten about it. Billy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viking-sword Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 I wonder if using a heated vehicle battery blanket or even an oil pan pad would work and still be safe enough to leave over night with no worries? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pip Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 put on a pan of boiling water 2 hours before hand them make a hook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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