AZtrapper Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I am in no position to buy a real anvil. I'm sure there are, however, some alternatives. I noticed a large section of I-beam, about anvil sized, and about 1/4" thick, in a friend's yard the other day. Would this perform like an anvil substitute? Maybe if I welded some support columns in the gap? Other homemade alternatives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 What your "hammer" sees is all the steel between it's face and the support. So an I-beam is 90+% air. Just a big chunk of steel is MUCH superior and generally much quieter. Take a look at this one http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html all steel all the way down! And I'm sorry to tell you but "alternatives" are real anvils---A basic cube of iron has been used as an anvil over 2000 years while the London Pattern anvil only dates back around 200---which is the *real* anvil. Seems like this discussion has taken place every week for years on this site and I heartily encourage you to seek out previous ones rather than ask everyone to repeat their posts yet again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZtrapper Posted February 10, 2012 Author Share Posted February 10, 2012 My apologies, I did a few searches on this site concerning I-beams and did not find the answer I was looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 There is a whole section on IForgeIron devoted to just anvils, 1849 topics and 20,568 replies. May I suggest What do you need to get started in blacksmithing which explains the basics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Well that's sort of due to the fact that I beams don't work well---it's like deciding you want to build a race car frame out of wood and finding out that all the race car forums have no mention of doing it that way. It's absence indicates that perhaps it's not the way to go. If instead you ask "how can I improvise an anvil" instead of "how can I make an anvil from an I beam" you might get a lot more answer. Don't limit your materials!. Now if you have a good sized hunk of I beam already it can make a good vise stand or be saved until you decide to build a treadle hammer. Or trade it to a scrapyard for a more solid hunk of steel to use as an anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry H Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Its not the best choice....... BUT...our whole thing is to make do with what we have , right ?. Use your idea of bracing, close together, Then the important part.....take a piece of old snow plow blade and weld it to the top, thats adds 3/4 inch of hard steel to the top,....also they have sq. holes for the bolts and that makes a 3/4" hardy hole. Bolt it down tight to something heavy or weld it to its stand, it will only good for small stuff but I think it will work, after all a RR track is I beam shape is it not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 In reality (with modern shop) a piece of " I " beam or " H " beam or other stuff could be made into a bottom tool, radius ground and welded to a base that fit in the hardy hole or on a piece of angle to fit in the vise. Just more tooling for more needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Just about any large solid hunk of steel will work for an anvil however there are some choices tha are better than others. Take the "I" beam and stand it on end and then add some 1" to 1-1/2" plate to the top of the "I" would server you better than trying to reinforce the web of the "I" to create a surface to forge on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffro1205 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 I cannot disagree with anything said so far. When I started all that I had was a 1foot section of rail road track that a friend had and gave to me. Maybe not the best thing but better than a rock and a stick... I just mounted it on top of a couple of 6x6 wood blocks and it worked just fine until I found a real anvil.... Every once and a while we still use that rr track for somethings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZtrapper Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 I found this RR track anvil on ebay. $20.00http://www.ebay.com/itm/Old-Stove-Works-Advertising-Cast-Iron-Anvil-Montreal-Canada-/370583227277?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56487b4b8d#ht_500wt_1104 Think it would be worth bidding on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 that link is to a very very small salesman sample anvil that would not work for you it would fit in the palm of your hand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Everything in these photos may be used for an "anvil alternative". They include a piece of I-beam, elevator counter wieght, block mild steel, piece of fork lift tine, mild steel plate, a piece of railroad rail and a round high carbon steel bar mounted in concrete and even the head of a hammer can be used. Use what you have and replace it as soon as you can, when you can - that is IF you don't like what you have or it isn't meeting your needs. Through out all of this site there are examples of alternates to London Pattern anvils. In fact, it seems that most people working metal have several types of anvil . . . use what you have and worry about the details later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 that is one fine looking post anvil you have there tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJames Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 As a complete rank beginner, I bought a Harbor freight anvil on sale for less than $40..not a bank breaker... I know it will not last long, but is serviceable for now. I also found a piece of I beam that i use as well. Alot of the time, I turn the I beam on edge to use it as a fuller or swage (inside corners). A cheap alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Thanks Big Red ... once I have it completed I'll post photos in it's own thread ... about 3 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigred1o1 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 good stuff tim i will be looking forward to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 On the other hand that same $40 could buy you a bigger chunk of scrap steel that you could use forever! http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html 120#, good carbon steel and total cost was $25! (Given that I had first found the forklift run off a bluff into a spoil pile near the river many years ago---good sized tree growing through it!...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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