possible heel problem

[mat]

hi all i have a i nash and son anvil there is a very thin line /crack? at the heel,there is no sound change when tapped around with a hammer,could it be a weld if the top plate was welded up in 2 or more sections?

so i am weary of heavy work at the hardy,so i thought i would make a stake holder/tool holder/ bolster.all from free scrap,all mild steel except the cog it rings like a bell.i still have to file the hardy(1 in sq)and weld.top plate is 4in sq by 3/4in,under that its 2 bits of 2in by 5in and 1 small bit 1in by 2in sq.the heavy bar is 5in across by 6in tall,the cog is 17in across by 3 1/2in deep.all up 65kg 143lbs.it will be able to take a tool shank 2 1/2in long.i will leave one side under top plate open to help if anything gets jamed.it will be set on a log and some pins driven detween the cog teeth to stop movement thoughts thanks mat

[Dogsoldat]

Looks handy. Any idea what the gear use to run. Don't know that I have seen anything quite that large.

[mat]

Looks handy. Any idea what the gear use to run.
no it was found on wast ground near a big rusted out fly wheel or train wheel?? i seem to have a knack of finding heavy lumps of metal,i should move to the gold fields lol.

[ThomasPowers]

Looks like a weld on the face plate---where 2 of the face pieces were welded side by side to the anvil.

If the ring is good there isn't a problem *currently*. Always a good idea to to shift heavy work off the heel!

I'd drift a hardy hole in the top piece, far easier than filing to me!