Sam Salvati Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Hey, my new boss called the steel place, and asked for a price qoute on some 4 inch square, sold, 3 foot long, PERFECT for a bladesmithing anvil or regular anvil. The price?!??! A very GREAT DEAL of $175.35. That's about a 150# anvil, with most likely a GREAT presence with all that mass underneath the striking face, for an incredible price. My question is and sort of pertains to the hard facing question posted earlier goes as, do i try to harden the face using: 1) Super Quench, heating the face with a rosebud or my forge, and pouring about 5 or 10 gallons of it over the face. 2)"hard facing" welding rod. 3)a pressure washer or garden hose. Super Quench supposedly will yeild 40s rockwell on mild steel. Not sure how well "hard facing" rod works, and not sure how well the high flow spray of water will work. WHat do you think? Had I a big enough pair of forges, I would probably try and weld a plate of carbon steel to the top, cause I would LOVE to try that(who wouldn't;)?), but I think my cannedy otto would have a tough time heating both 4 inch square and the 1 inch plate of carbon steel at the same time up to the same heat(though I bet it COULD do it, i don;t think it would survive, or me either for that matter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Murch Posted June 14, 2007 Share Posted June 14, 2007 Is it 1018, A-36, or ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 14, 2007 Author Share Posted June 14, 2007 I can get either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I would look for a piece of 4140 or 4150. 1018 or A36(1020) is to soft for my liking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 The local steel place doesn;t have any. I would, but they don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Try a scrap yard, the steel yard here has 4140 in like 6" round and square. Look around before you commit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 Yeah, I tried the local guys already, they never seem to get big solids like that in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Murch Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Don't even try hardening 1018 or A-36. Either get a better steel, or try hard facing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 Come on Sam be creative it is out there just look a little harder.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBrown Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 iv got a chunk of big hydrolic cylender shaft im gona set up as a portable anvil for a knife hammerin i got to once or twice a year. not shure what the steel is but i would think it should be perty tough stuff consedering its about 5 inch diameter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 Come on Sam be creative it is out there just look a little harder. The closest thing I can get to solids likr that would be a 1 inch plate welded to the top of HEAVY ibeam. Forge welding the top plate on might actually be more plausible than i thought, I am going to see if I can get help from my local blacksmith's association members, and make it a cool group project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 So none of the forklift places had broken/damaged forks that they would give you? I lugged a 180# one out of the woods once to make an anvil from. The old ones are usually around 1050-1070 and the new ones 4340/4140 Take a look at Marco/Krieger Armory - Rapiers and Accessories and look at the link on the lower right for "That Anvil Story" to see what they did with the mate to my tine---though they had it easy. I had already hacksawed the abandoned (ran off a bluff) forklift to get the first one out and they had 2 people to drag it out... Think out of the box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Turner Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 RBrown Hydraulic cylinder shaft is 1045/1050 that has been chromed. I use to work at Gannon MFG, they make tractor equipment we made our cylinders in house. Sam Get out of the box look around there is something out there I assure you. It will take you a long time to get that 4" square to weld temp then you will have to contend with the weight of that bar. Maybe easier to have the bar mounted solid and your plate on top and rig the forge with some handles and slip it over the bar. This way all you need to do is strike it when the forge has been removed. This will take some help, me I would have 1 guy for turning to propane on and off 2 guys to handle the forge and 2 guys to strike the plate. Have fun and most of all be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2007 Share Posted June 15, 2007 I think you'd melt the top thinner HC plate trying to get the larger mild base to welding temp. I think you really need two forges---so invite another smith over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Salvati Posted June 15, 2007 Author Share Posted June 15, 2007 Yeah, I contacted my local blacksmithing guild to see if they would like to make it a group project. at 4 inches, it would seem doable atleast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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