monomoit Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Just how lucky can one man be??? I mean, seriously?!? Less than one week after scoring the WONDERFUL Hay Budden Anvil (plus extras) that I shared in another thread here:http://www.iforgeiro...ay-budden-anvil I uncovered THIS one today!! And "uncovered" is the operative term: It's another Hay Budden - a 155 pounder - and even through the heavy scale, I can read the markings. This is the story of how I found it... I buy and sell antiques for a living. Today, I had occasion to be on a house call to look at some items that turned out to be of little consequence. While leaving the home with the owner, however, and walking down a pathway heavily bordered by English Ivy, I spied, peaking out from underneath the vegetation... the heel (and pritchel hole) of an anvil. After asking for permission to perform an inspection (and expending no small amount of effort to clear the ivy!), I pulled out what is shown above. The owner's response: "Hmmmmph! I had no idea THAT was there. I have no use for it, it's in the way. If you want it, take it - it's yours." Free. Nada. Zilch. Mine for the taking... As can be seen above, some of the ivy is still attached. It had been sitting there for goodness knows how long. Ants were crawling all around the back of my truck, and I didn't care. My prediction: it will clean up beautifully. I'm leaving shortly to go buy some lottery tickets. I'm feeling lucky :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Please send some of that rain my way! Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old N Rusty Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 There it landed after the anvil shoot! If you would return it to this address... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Sask, thank you very much! The amazing thing is that, the past several days, I've been wishing that I had an anvil that I would be less reluctant to use. Then, all of a sudden... ***POOF*** one appears!! I shoulda wished for a yellow Ferrari... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Old N Rusty, I dunno... I think that if it were yours from the last Anvil Shoot, I woulda had to dig a bit harder to get it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 Option a : work some hot metal on it to clean it up. Option b : take a cup wheel on your grinder to it, slap some linseed oil (or wax) on it, then work some hot metal on it to finish cleaning up the face. Looks like the edges are in good shape even. Unbelievable score! (well, almost) Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bentiron1946 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I was thinking the same thing about a lottery ticket after I got a very nice silversmith hammer for a $1 but all that happened was I lost a dollar for the next estate sale. That looks like it wasn't use much, guess cause it was hidden in the ivy for so long. Nice score for sure when it free. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Enough already! You lucky so and so.......... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RGraff Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I was wondering where I left that dang thing. Thanks! Very nice, can't wait to see her cleaned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'm REALLY looking forward to cleaning up this anvil. My plan is to do so using electrolysis - the results achieved with it are simply quite amazing, and the labor component very low. The process is equal parts Witchcraft/Alchemy/Black Magic/Weird Science. I built a setup that I use regularly to clean hand tools and other smaller, rusty items, but I will definitely need to modify (enlarge!) my tank in order to accommodate the anvil. For those who may be unfamiliar with what electrolysis can do, here are before and after photos of a common adjustable wrench I cleaned using the process: One of the ways electrolysis truly excels is in cleaning areas that brushes and abrasives can't reach - nooks, crannies, corners, and inside of moving parts. The above wrench is a great example. The adjuster could be rusted up solid, and afterwards, it would move freely... I'll be sure to document the restoration with plenty of photos, and give members step-by-step details on how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Ok, now what is the ulterior motive that cleaning an anvil by electrolysis enables? The effort of upsizing your equipment vs the effort of using common means of cleaning an anvil are not similar. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Phil, the only thing I'll need to do to accommodate the anvil is to increase the tank size; that's as easy as grabbing a plastic tote or tub big enough to accept it. And the job that electrolysis does on rusted metal is truly extraordinary... I'll post a series of before and after photos, and you be the judge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 The nice thing about electrolysis is that you can put it in and go work on other stuff while it does all the work. Great score by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 You lucky so and so! Well done mate. Post pics when it's clean! Cheers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Anvils seem to lure other anvils. (I think it's that once you internalize the anvil search process you start noticing them everywhere---along with having one on "display" jogging the memory of folks that stop by...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Fantastic find. I need to set up an electrolysis tank to clean my forge blower and see if I can get it to turn, so I'll certainly be watching to see how your new tank holds up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Vaughn, I think you'd be astounded at what electrolysis could do for the blower on your forge. Last summer, I found a pocket knife on the beach, that was absolutely encrusted with rust - barely recognizable as a knife. You could have soaked it 'til the end-of-time, or brushed it 'til the cows came home, and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference. After 24 hours in the tank (and a rinsing in the kitchen sink afterwards), that knife opened and closed with a snap! Was it as good as new? Heck no. The process can't repair damage (pitting) - but the corrosion was completely removed, and the parts "welded" together by rust were once again free to move independently. Each and every time I clean something like this, it feels like magic!! I never cease to be amazed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbieforge Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 A rust removal method that looks very easy, cheap (but possibly slower) is to use a molasses solution. For example: Basically you take a 1:10 or 1:20 solution of water & molasses, and immerse your rusted parts in it for a couple of days to a week. Then you take the part out of the liquid, and rinse, brush or pressure wash the rust off. Repeat if necessary. There are many other YouTube videos showing how people do it. I'm going to try the molasses on a rusty anvil I have, and I'll report back on the results when complete. Markus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Despite my best intentions (and great desire) to play with my new anvil today, I didn't get much done. I did manage, however, to wrestle it out of the truck and into the back yard, and to take a few "before" photos of the markings: I also found the designation "2 - 2", by the hole underneath the horn: I never thought to look here on my other anvil, so I don't know if it's similarly marked. Can anyone tell me what this means? Also grabbed a quick shot (in the dark) of the serial number: All that I can definitively make out so far is "7229". It appears that there may be other leading numbers, but until the anvil's cleaned, it's hard to say. One of the great advantages of electrolysis is it's ability to "uncover" impressed markings, so it should be a lot of fun to compare before-and-after results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sask Mark Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 155 pound Hay Budden. Awesome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Stewart, I hope that your question will be best answered by the "finished product" in a day or so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Why clean off a crudded up anvil? or Why use electrolysis to do so? or Why post about it on the net? Please ask *specific* questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Thomas, in reply to your (rhetorical) questions: a) I like all of my tools crisp, clean and in good working order (anvils included), and this one obviously NEEDED cleaning! 2) Electrolysis loosens and removes rust scale, leaving the "healthy", un-rusted metal beneath unaffected. In addition to saving labor, and doing a better job of cleaning, it yields (in my opinion) superior cosmetic results as well. thirdly) I don't have enough other hobbies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monomoit Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 Came home for lunch and took a couple of quick photos of the cleaning in process: The light wan't the best, but you can get a fairly good idea of what's going on. After about 16 hours cooking in the tank, the heavy rust scale present on the surface just sloughs off, exposing the clean metal beneath. The rusty sediment is also clearly visible, resting at the bottom. Because of the size of the piece, I will probably leave it in for another day or two before removing to check it's progress (it will likely be done by then). The good news is that you can't "over-clean" an item; when the rust is completely removed, it's done - sitting in the tank for a longer period has no effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.