stovestoker Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Well my search for something better that RR track took me to the scrap yard again this morning. I still haven't found a proper anvil but I saw this and thought it would make a good stump anvil. the larger top is hard and the ball bearing bounced a foot off the top. It was in two pieces but mated it seemed like it was meant to be. The base has some cracks in the bolt hole, but I think I can weld them after burning out the grease. I cut the bearing collar off. The whole thing weighs 127. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted January 18, 2014 Author Share Posted January 18, 2014 If I had a question it would be. How did I do as far as usability? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Usability: Kind of depends on what you plan to hammer and make. The dimple in the middle of the gear might be a problem. It can always be filled and ground level. Also, you do not have an edge. If you need an edge, perhaps you could torch off a few teeth and go at it with a grinder. Keep us informed as to what you do to the gear, and how it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anachronist58 Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 That Anvil got 13 Horns! I see up to 12 Swage Profiles! And what njanvilman said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 I still have my piece of RR track. I was thinking about a saddle of some kind for an edge. My fear is that I heat up the top too much cutting and grinding it will lose its bounce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 If done correctly, 0/A cutting should not affect that mass of steel. And grinding can be done slowly, with careful cooling with water or a wet rag. I would not be concerned if you have the correct tools and skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humphreymachine Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I'd think a nice heavy section of RR rail would make a better anvil for general forging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 You did fine, that's a dandy anvil. I'd caution you about striking it with the hammer close to an edge it may be hard enough it'll chip. I wouldn't get fancy, I'd screw it to something to adjust the height and put it to use. The dimple in the center is more cosmetic, just don't do any forging over it unless you want either that as a positive on the under side of the work or maybe as a bolster for punching. I'm looking at a group of fullers and swage-like features. I wouldn't take a sledge to it but otherwise I've used a lot worse. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 What a wonderful anvil!!! I'd gladly pay you $50 to mail it to me if you find yourself wanting in any way!! Post anvils are the "original" anvil, and what you've come up with is simple spectacular. Remember, the vikings were making awesome pattern-welded knives and swords with far worse anvils than you've acquired. Now, you have no excuse. The only part of the anvil that matters is that which is directly under the hammer's face. You've got that covered, so you should be good to go for everything from the most basic to the most complex. Rock on, hoss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I'm with Frosty and VaughnT, that is one really cool piece of metal. I have found several different shapes( unfortunately none that cool) to use for anvils. I have one really large gear(350lbs) that has a 90% rebound so they are really great tools!! That one one would be more than useful for making complex shapes and odd angles especially because of its size. You could cut or grind down a few of the points to make a sharp edge and that wouldn't be a bad idea. The dimple in the center could also be useful as you progress into blacksmithing art. You could shape a few of the other cogs to make make different forms. Good score! Go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Thanks all for the encouragement. I have been to the scrap yard hunting a dozen times now with no luck.. This thing was calling my name, I had to bring it home.. I have an idea for getting a flat side. Not sure if it will work. I'll keep you all posted. I'm going to do the fit up and before I commit ill post and you guys can tell me what you think. Thanks again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Could probably make some little EDC's out of those bearings. Cant tell there exact size from the pic. They are probably 52100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 im sorry I dont know what an EDC is? but I was wondering what I could do with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 EDC is an acronym for "every day carry" referring to knives that are a legal length to carry on your person in public. I second that motion and suggest you forego the debating and carry on to posting pics of the finished product! :D -Crazy Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefflus Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 quint, I was told Ball bearings were 52100 because of the higher pressures involved, and Roller bearings like these were most often some kind of case hardened low-medium carbon steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I have an idea for getting a flat side. Not sure if it will work. What does that mean? Surely you're not thinking you need to do any modification to the piece, right? You've got a fantastic post anvil as it is. No need for "getting a flat side". Just stand it up on end like in the first picture, secure it to a stump, and go to hammering. The center divot won't interfere with your work as long as you don't hammer over top of it, and you have plenty of clean, flat face around it to make anything your heart desires. Worst case scenario, I might find a competent welder to fill the center hole so the entire face is uniform, but even that would be something on the far end of the 'need to do' list. You've probably got a hundred years worth of work you could do before that little divot became problematic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 VaughnT, your saying leave it with the big juicy side up right? im thinking I can work with it as is without changing it. ill probably keep my piece of track next to it for an edge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Thanks Ivan forgot how that term is only used in one specific area. Steff that could be true thanks. I am curious if for something this big they would still use the case hardened stuff. that is a piece of metal regardless. I agree with vaughn mount that bad boy and bang on it. Personally I would do it in a way so you can take it off and make it more permanent once you have played with it for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Stove, yep, secure it to a stump with the meaty end up and you'll have a doozy of a 127lb anvil. Even if you use the skinny end, you'd still have a doozy of an anvil. All that mass right under the hammer's impact zone is what dreams are made of! If you can mount a vise to a nearby bench, you'll have the best of both worlds. There have been great works of art forged on far "worse" anvils than you now have. Europeans were using stone anvils for eons, and were able to build all the ironwares a society could ask for, including pattern-welded swords and axes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Coe Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 That will be a great anvil. My first anvil was a 5" dia 24" long piece of drill stem. I welded a piece of 1" ID square tube to the side for a hardy. My current anvil is a 135# farriers anvil. I did not realize how good the drill stem anvil was tell I got the new one. Heat up some some metal and have fun...Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 Ok Some suggested to mount this thing to a stump and get to work. Well here in west Texas large stumps don't grow on trees. That being said I have been scrounging the scrap yard for the last three weeks looking for something to use as a stand. The first pic shows how it looked when I brought it home, the base was cracked but functional. I thought I would mount it as it was but I couldn't find a stump tall enough or big around enough. I came across a large truck brake drum and truck wheel hub. I set the wheel hub on top of the drum and all the holes lined up. going to run some bolts through it to secure them together. I needed a way to set the anvil head in the hole of the wheel hub without falling through. the outside of the hub had a beveled cup for wheel bearings. Looking at the collar on the original part I got with Anvil-ish I thought I could cut the collar down into a shim. There is a part of the shim not shown. Its a small key shim that traps the stem. pics 1-2 Once I got the shim ground down I welded it into the cup. Its only welded to keep the anvil head from shifting out of level. Downward force is trapped by the shim against the bevel of the wheel hub. Pics 3-4 the final pic of it is a little deceptive. The anvil face is not as big as it appears. I will post better pics. After I get it cleaned up and painted. I need to bolt it together. The whole thing weighs about 250 pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davor Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I don't want to be a buzz kill but I know what that is and I’d be careful with it. It is basically back end of gear box on a heavy truck. And I’ve seen those teeth broken off and I’m sure it will chip on the sides. It is not designed to be hammered on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 I have built my own stumps before. The last three were from old oak boards from a horse trailer floor Not in the best of shape to say the least; but they were free at the scrap yard! (actually the nicer ones are a set of shelves in my shop) I cut them to length and clamped them together with pipe clamps and then drilled several holes through them with an extended bit used to drill holes through studs. Then I used nuts & bolts used to fasten guard rails through their wooden uprights to fasten them together, (from the scrapyard of course...). I put them through from opposing sides so to use the extended part as handles to move the stumps. The boards are oriented vertically of course and the end ones are an inch or two longer to act as holders for the anvils. Cost was minimal, time was minimal, tooling was minimal, utility was high, esthetics---well I like the heavily worn recycled look to go with smithing... Even in Abilene there should be guardrails and horse trailers....or 2x6" or 2x8" cut-offs from house/deck building, etc... But then I prefer my anvils bedded on wood to steel; others prefer it the other way around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 I have built my own stumps before. The last three were from old oak boards from a horse trailer floor Not in the best of shape to say the least; but they were free at the scrap yard! (actually the nicer ones are a set of shelves in my shop) I cut them to length and clamped them together with pipe clamps and then drilled several holes through them with an extended bit used to drill holes through studs. Then I used nuts & bolts used to fasten guard rails through their wooden uprights to fasten them together, (from the scrapyard of course...). I put them through from opposing sides so to use the extended part as handles to move the stumps. The boards are oriented vertically of course and the end ones are an inch or two longer to act as holders for the anvils. Cost was minimal, time was minimal, tooling was minimal, utility was high, esthetics---well I like the heavily worn recycled look to go with smithing... Even in Abilene there should be guardrails and horse trailers....or 2x6" or 2x8" cut-offs from house/deck building, etc... But then I prefer my anvils bedded on wood to steel; others prefer it the other way around... the local lumber yard sales heavy ok beams for oil field use. I thought about going that direction. Cost was a factor. Its about 17 a board foot. I probably scrounged something out of wood, but I like the steel option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stovestoker Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 I don't want to be a buzz kill but I know what that is and I’d be careful with it. It is basically back end of gear box on a heavy truck. And I’ve seen those teeth broken off and I’m sure it will chip on the sides. It is not designed to be hammered on. Yeah I am waiting for one of those teeth to sheer off. I am going to try to avoid hitting the head on potential fracture points. I don't plan on doing any heavy pounding starting out. I am making bottle openers, meat turners and small hooks. I will be getting a proper anvil soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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