ThomasPowers Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Stewart; you forgot the "Paint it hot pink"--- and put it on my front lawn, just to annoy my next door neighbor... Perhaps with a pink flamingo mounted on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 If it does turn out to be a bust the $50 investment isn't too big of a loss. You certainly have some grinding ahead of you before you will know if you got a gem or a clinker. The notion of spending extended periods with an angle grinder doesn't thrill me, ugh. I would ask your friendly neighborhood machine shop if they will mill the top flat for you, then grind just the sides yourself. That probably wouldn't cost very much. I expect the portions of weld below the face where the wrought body is will fall away. If you come out on top then you have a beautiful Fisher. If not put it out in front of your shop with a potted petunia on it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 If you do have it milled, talk to the machinest. Have the existing face shimmed to space it off the welds, then mill the feet to level them. Then have the welds milled until the cutter is just skimming the existing face. I expect unless you find a fellow blacksmith or have a friend in the shop the abrasives will end up costing less. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted November 10, 2012 Author Share Posted November 10, 2012 Luckily it is at my family shop. Luckily my brother is a very experienced machinist that has a lathe, mill, MIG, and a TIG among other things at the shop. He was the head machinist for a shop of a division of NASCAR, and now runs his own racing performance shop. Along with that we are close friends with a racecar builder that CNC's the Tungsten blocks for NASCAR weight balancing. So basically the only piece of tool I do not have access to is a power hammer :) My brother is ready to mill the weld down (I'm buying him a bit) and I have an Aluminum Oxide Cup on its way being shipped for finishing touches. I also went to my local NAPA (we're also friends with the owners there, lol) and they have a pack of Nickel based welding sticks (10lb box) and are willing to sell me a partial box at their cost. Since I am not experienced with welding, my brother will be doing the stick welding for free if it absolutely needs to be welded. I really liked the idea of turning it into a striking anvil though, so we will see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Forget milling the face to flat, if you have family connections with a mill have them cut a dovetail thru the body and key in a smaller, harder, pristine block of tool steel with whatever edge radius or face profile you wish to have. Search this site for Grant Sarver's Omnianvil. Like a power hammer die but for hand work. Along the same lines it would make a great anvil for a treadle hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 Got a lead tonight of a family member cleaning out his girlfriend's deceased father's barn who was a machinist. He swears there is an anvil in there and is willing to sell to me for scrap price. Cross your fingers that its not a China knockoff!! Also I am still waiting for my cup grinder wheel to get here through shipping to see what ive got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted November 18, 2012 Share Posted November 18, 2012 At scrap rate a china knockoff has utility. You can always use it as a glue weight for clamping... Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted November 18, 2012 Author Share Posted November 18, 2012 This is true. It is also true what they say when you buy one anvil you can't help but buy more. It is literally an obsession, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielC Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 Finally got my cup grinder in, and did some work. It took 2 or so hours to get it to this point. Ground the weld on the face down and the welding on the side of the anvil. I also smoothed out the edges to match the tool face that you see in photo 2 since I took it. I think I'm going to use it until it breaks off before I go dumping a small fortune in rods to re-weld. Either way, so far a $72 investment total. EDIT: Btw, I accidentally gave my thread 2 stars using my Kindle (touchscreen), any way to undo a vote? Haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Very good job! The face plate looks very good, and I"m confident that you'll get years of service out of it. Keep us updated on her performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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