Anvil outside?

[intrex]

I am almost finished with my first rudementary smithy. I have a 125# sisco superior swedish anvil to a cut off stump (temporary stand). I am planning to move my forge and tools into the garage when not in use. Is it ok to leave the anvil outside covered with a tarp?

[HWooldridge]

You'll get condensation and it will likely rust a bit but that's about all - the worst risk in my view is having someone walk off with it... Spray it with WD40 and go to tarping.

[Dogsoldat]

uhmmm...   lost my thought.  but Might be best to cover with a canvas tarp then it breathes and less condensation collects,  same as keeping old cars in bars an such. 

[Frosty]

If you're not concerned with theft, a tarp and oil will keep it just fine. I prefer LPS-3 to WD-40 LPS-3 leaves a wax film and is intended as a rust preventative. WD-40 is a Water Displacer and penetrant, good stuff but not so much as a lubricant or rust preventative.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[philip in china]

It is very humid here so rust is a permanent problem. So I paint the sides of my anvils and then just grease the working surfaces if I know I am not going to be using them for a while. I would use grease rather than WD40 for longer term preservation as I think it works better.

 

A bit of rust just doesn't matter. I have a Brooks which rusts fairly quickly. The other 2 are a couple of US made Rhino anvils. Those seem to rust less readily. I think there is some nickle in the alloy of those so maybe that is why.