Non-Anvil Anvil Options?

[Plantagenet Ironworks]

I am just starting my anvil search and I am looking to educate myself on a few of my options 'on the cheap' as it were.

 

I am already aware of the idea of turning a 2 foot piece of rail track on its side as a sort of 'poor mans' or beginners anvil.

 

I was wondering about something like this round 'anvil' would work well?

[HWooldridge]

12L14 is very soft and has enough lead in the alloy that it might yield some hazardous residue during use. OTOH, that size drop out of 4140 or another plain non-leaded steel would be a good choice.

[Quarry Dog]

  Until the early-mid 19th century most anvils were just a solid lump of wrought iron.  With that in mind I would say even a block of mild steel would work great.  I've seen quite a few lumps of mild used as striking anvils, because they're fairly cheap, still do the work, and you're not too upset if they get messed up a bit.  If I ever get an anvil with good clean edges, I doubt I will ever do any striking jobs on it. I'd get a lump of mild steel first. 

  

Edit: Oh yeah, leave that 12L14 alone.  That spec for that stuff states somewhere between 15 and 35 points (hundredths of a percent) of lead.  Supposedly the only really good thing about it is that it is easy to machine.  Thank the Heat Treating Society APP for the info.

[jmccustomknives]

I've built a modified RR track anvil that has served me for years and a post anvil that I built from a pair of fork lift forks.  Don't be afraid to think outside the box.  While that stuff with lead (doesn't desolve in the iron like other alloys, but forms pockets) isn't a good candidate the scrap yards are full of good stuff.  Good luck in your hunt.

[Marksnagel]

Longer piece of RR track stuck into the ground standing straight up gives you plenty of mass but a small area. On its side gives you a larger area but less mass.

RR train coupler knuckle works great as it has multiple shapes and a flat face. Finding one requires a friend or contact with the railroad.

Forklift forks.

A trip to the scrap yard will reveal many options.

 

As Grant Sarver (RIP) told me, "Tell everyone you see that you are looking for an anvil. Tell your barber, your relatives,  your friends, co-workers, the guy on the street. If you don't tell people you will limit your options."

 

Worked for me. I have a RR track, a coupler knuckle and an anvil all because I told everyone that would listen.

 

Mark <><

[ThomasPowers]

And note that the proper name for a "non-london pattern anvil" is an "anvil".

[Plantagenet Ironworks]

Thank you for the info about the 'type of steel' in these things... being as green as I am I didnt even consider that.

 

The seller... and several others have multiple types of steel in various shapes. Price and availability for me I think this might be my best option.

 

So a 10inch long piece of 4 inch 4140 would do nicely? Or should I look for a different type of steel.

 

Also, once I do get it, should I do anything to the face you think?

[ThomasPowers]

If it's rough, smooth it.  then USE it!  BTW 4" x 10" cylinder is 35.7 pounds.  6" would be about 80 pounds.and a better size.

 

I know a smith that demos with a piece of shafting as his anvil.  Has it's stump carved to fit it laying flat or up on edge so he can use the curve for drawing out.

[Charles R. Stevens]

Longer would be better (more mass) but as Thommas is fond of pointing out a 4" block of steel is a fair approximation of an anvil used by smiths from the beginning of the Iron Age. So yes a 10" piece of 4" would work nicely. 4140 will work pretty well, often smiths make hammers and anvil tooling from it. If you use a square, you can grind different radiuses on the edges to use as fullers (leave one sharp). Build a bick (broken over the road truck axle) and your in business.

[Michael]

I have a foot long section of 3 inch square bar that makes a fine little nailing anvil for the one or two nailing demos I've done, About 30 lbs and stood on end in a wooden box with a wide base.  Bring a flashlight to the scrap yard and look under things and behind things.  These little shorts fall off the racks and get lost.

[ThorsHammer82]

Don't forget it doesn't have to be a drop. finding things like rail car couplers, or large excavator teeth and such work just fine. Weights a big deal. get something heavy. 70+ minimum. otherwise you're either fabbing up something to hold it down onto something larger, or chasing it all over the place as you're pounding on it.

[Quarry Dog]

  If you end up using a piece of round stock, another good idea is to take some tubing with the same inside diameter as the thickness of your stock, weld that tubing to a plate or even to a tripod stand (look around this forum for ideas on that) and fill it with sand until you're about 4-6 inches from the top.  Slide in your piece of round stock and you're in business.  The sand adds to the effective weight of the anvil and also reduces the ring that steel has. 

  If you find a big piece of that same size stock, you could just use that as a weight upgrade, which can make working bigger stock noticeably easier. I'm sure you could figure out ways to mounts hardie holes and horns to it, although you may want to make them so that they slip on over the top of you anvil.