mat Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 hi all hear is my take on a scrap build.the small blocks are 24cm*12cm*6cm,the big block is 37cm*41.5cm*8cm,face(forklift tine)is 44.5cm*10cm*4.5cm.over all height 31cm or 12",i dont know the total weight should be around 70kg ish.hardy is 1"(drilled/hand filed).i already have a london pat anvil so i dont need a horn but i may add one later?,i am a very novice welder what advice would you all give. ie should i grind bevels for better penetration?what rods,i have acsess to a 275 amp stick welder but not sure i should make this my first big welding job??? thanks for looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 not many places on there you need to grind bevels, most look like straight fillet welds. Lots of tacks and jump around, don't well too much from one side at a time. Looking good! Nice job on the hardy hole! Most non-pros have trouble with anything over 5/23 (4mm) rod. Be nice if you could tack it all together and build a small fire around it before welding. Probably best to use low-hydrogen rod, but jet-rod (7024) would go quicker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyshackleford Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Looks like a great start! The forklift specials are becoming more and more popular. How much of a pain was filing that hardy? Did you use a specific method? Mind taking a pic of the underside of that area? Please keep us updated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Most non-pros have trouble with anything over 5/23 (4mm) rod. 5/23 rod? Wonder if my welding supplier carries that size. (grin) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I would bevel pic 6 the feet to body(top & bottom) and the seam down the middle of body as deep as you feel confident filling 1/2"+ Grind flat weld that sticks up. Maybe the upper body could be beveled all around top& bottom if you wanted to make it more solid. It would depend on your access to a large grinder. That is fast work with a 9" and a soft wheel. If you use 7024 it is only for flat so you must angle it a lot but it is east rod to use. I would run the welding machine at max and size the rod accordingly and do a little practice first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Very nice job. That's a chunk of steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Maybe 5/23 is metrinch? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 hi JosephPrivott yes big job on hardy new file make sure it has a safe edge so you dont dig in to the face next to were you are working on,just hard work.i drilled 9(8mm broke my 10mm)times then managed to get a hacksaw blade in then cut as much as i could a lot of very shallow cuts,cutting a peice the size of a match stick is easier than filing same i think.i was going to cut area under the hardy off but thought i could use it,it gives mass under the hardy and another point of contact to the main body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Maybe 5/23 is metrinch? I think he may have meant 5/32 rod it is a little more common and easier to run than the 5/23 dia rods that are out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 That is going to make a really fine anvil. Glad I'm not doing the welding though :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreed Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 That is gonna be cool. I look forward to seeing it all welded and finished up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russfelix Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Mat, Two things, I would take Nakedanvil's advice and get the whole thing hot before the initial welding. I got in a hurry hardsurfacing an anvil without preheat and got a nice crack. Ideally a firebrick wall around it heated with propane till carbon doesnt't stick to the surface of the joint. Not having that many firebrick I would probably cut the ends out of an oil drum and place it over the anvil and fill it with charcoal and wood. It would take 2 people to get the hot drum off after the fire died down. the second is that you will need an good contact between the top and the base. Any space at all will give you a hollow anvil. Its a bad feel. I would spread some rouge compound on the two pieces and rub them around on each other then examine the contact surface. If there are any high points knock them off before going further. I would actually weight the top down while doing the tack. Good Luck, Russfelix Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caotropheus Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Mat, The authors of the previous replies know much more about metal work than I do. I do not have much more to add. I am also on the process to building my anvil and what I've learned so far is first of all to bring the material to a professional welder or bring the welder to make you the work; use only type, quality and size suiting electrodes and welding machines; bevel all those joints; make sure all the faces have a perfect contact not to make a hollow anvil; warm up the material previously to weld; tack all the pieces together first; make the deep wide welding at small lengths at the time and jump around the anvil every time you start a new welding; if you weld on one side of the anvil, the following weld should be on the opposite side; Let your piece and your welds cool down slowly to make them resistant to shock; if needed harden the top of the anvil later; last and probably most important, get a couple of beers so you and the welder can enjoy while your new anvil cools down. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Waite Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 hi all hear is my take on a scrap build.the small blocks are 24cm*12cm*6cm,the big block is 37cm*41.5cm*8cm,face(forklift tine)is 44.5cm*10cm*4.5cm.over all height 31cm or 12",i dont know the total weight should be around 70kg ish.hardy is 1"(drilled/hand filed).i already have a london pat anvil so i dont need a horn but i may add one later?,i am a very novice welder what advice would you all give. ie should i grind bevels for better penetration?what rods,i have acsess to a 275 amp stick welder but not sure i should make this my first big welding job??? thanks for looking. Hi Mat, first of all, I believe fork tines are HIGH carbon steel so some thought should go into what rod you use to weld your top plate to the middle upright section. your other pieces of material are most likely low carbon steel. I would bevel the upright section on both sides at the top and bottom. I suggest you ask a local welding supply shop for the right rods, also they will be able to tell you how much to pre-heat/post-heat and whether you will need to wrap the weldment to slow the cooling and prevent cracking. With the bevels and the size of materials this welding job will be time consuming so taking it to a pro might cost quite a bit. There's no reason why a novice couldn't weld this, you just have to have the right procedure, enough time and enough rods. Goatee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Best advice,find where the local blacksmith club meets and join it,then tell them about your project.I`m betting you`ll get all the help you can stand and learn a ton to boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 When people say preheat the anvil, they mean to a certain temperature. This is so the weld flows better and there is less thermal shock to the metal. It also effects the HAZ of the metal. You need to find the suggested temperature and use a pyrometer or temp stick to see if your in the right neighborhood or heat range. After welding you want, Ask others if they suggest a slow cool down after welding. Ask others about keeping the face section of the anvil cool at all times rather than having to re temper the steel. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fosterob Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 If it needs a long cool down you may need Post heat. And the other one is do not let the interpass temperature get to high. The pre heat does little or nothing to helping the metal flow it is as Glenn said though to not shock the metal. Think of welding cast iron- the whole part needs to be close to welding temp to reduce the chance of failure, steel is much more forgiving but it is possible to tear large pieces apart by welding both sides with a lot of weld and improper temperatures. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thank you, thank you all. Great advice and more than I could ever poke a stick at. I think I will hold off on the welding as I am currently in a rental property and don't have the ability to do the pre and post heating required. So I'll put this one on the back burner. I am quite keen to see the job through myself though but that might be a year or so away. I'm a patient man, I was prepared to file my own one inch hardy hole. Thanks again all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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