Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 well, I went to the steel yard today. As i was poking around i saw this hunk of steel and at first thought it was just a pipe with one end covered since it was with a bunch of pipes. taking a second look and trying to lift it yielded a 120 lb steel bar about 36 inches long and 4" diameter. I found out from the guy cutting it that it was a hydraulic ram shaft or ram. It took him a lot longer than i thought to cut the end off it(around 15 mins) and he was going to cut it down to 30 inches but he just gave the rest of the bar (i payed for 104# already) and told me that it would take too long and his motor on the chop saw wouldn't hold up to cutting the bar. So i came home with the bar which i will have to make a support and also make a platform to stand on to make it level with my hand. I feel like this anvil will work very well and i probably wont ever need another. My reasoning behind getting this one and replacing the one i have is that it has a bigger face and is much heavier. And its also a very tough steel being a hydraulic ram shaft. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38243-anvil-side/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38242-anvil-height-refrence/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38241-anvil-face-size/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38240-anvil-face/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 ionicmuffin Posted Today, 07:54 PM I feel like this anvil will work very well and i probably wont ever need another. Maybe... but I somehow doubt it. It seems that this addiction to heating and beating metal comes with side effects such as an ever increasing hoard of tools; tongs, hammers, vises, anvils, punches......etc. Nice find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Your probably right. I will likely acquire more anvils. For now though I'm sure it will be great. I was wondering, the face should be about 50-60 RC hardness right? I'm thinking about taking it to a local CnC shop that will flatten the face and could heat treat the face. Any ideas on a ballpark for price, I'm giving them a call tomorrow morning to find out exactly what ill have to pay but I don't imagine it costing a ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 That's a beautiful anvil! I don't doubt that shafting of that nature is going to be very durable. I wouldn't make a platform to stand on, though. My everyday anvil is set at wrist height and I absolutely love it. Everybody always recommends knuckle height, but I've found that a higher anvil is far more serviceable and comfortable. No back pain at all and I can better see the work a lot better. Try it as-is and I think you'll like the height for everyday forging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 That's a beautiful anvil! I don't doubt that shafting of that nature is going to be very durable. I wouldn't make a platform to stand on, though. My everyday anvil is set at wrist height and I absolutely love it. Everybody always recommends knuckle height, but I've found that a higher anvil is far more serviceable and comfortable. No back pain at all and I can better see the work a lot better. Try it as-is and I think you'll like the height for everyday forging. Ill have to try it as is, and if its too hard to work with then Ill make changes. Im excited to use this anvil because there is a ton of mass to it, so i imagine that my blows will be a bit more solid and the anvil wont bounce as i strike it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Who's this "everyone"? Most folks nowadays advise a higher anvil save for heavy striking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I use a square post anvil for just about all of my forging. It's set to hit me just above the wrist and I love the height. I put mine on a base (3/4" plate) and welded a tube to the base. The anvil sits in the tube and a couple of wooden wedges keep it from bouncing. That way, if you want to make changes, the anvil is not fixed to the base. Mine can be lifted out with a chain hoist. Nice find. If it were me, I wouldn't worry too much about HT'ing the steel, Even a mild steel post has a lot of rebound, just get a nice squared end on it and you should be ready to go. If you could shave 2 sides so that it looked like (__) this, that would be even better. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 I took it to a machinist shop today and he shaved the face to a completely flat surface. I know i couldn't have done it myself because he had a huge metal lathe to do the work and even then it took about 45 mins. The outer 1/8" is about 60-65 Rockwell hardness and the inner stuff is around 50-60. Thats what the guy at the shop said, and he also told me that it has been induction hardened. He also said that the scrap price on this piece is around 150-200$ or more. Here is the anvil face, I'm probably going to sand it further unless it looks good but i can feel the small grooves. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38246-smooth-anvil-face/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 even without sanding it will improve with use, so get using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastRonin Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Looks great to me. I have a chunk of 4" square bar about 17" long set end on into a stump so that it's top is at my wrist height. It isn't as heavy as my mousehole, but has better edges. Between the two, I'm happy... for now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Looks great to me. I have a chunk of 4" square bar about 17" long set end on into a stump so that it's top is at my wrist height. It isn't as heavy as my mousehole, but has better edges. Between the two, I'm happy... for now. :) The problem Im having is that when i go to set it in the log i need to cut the log in half and hollow out a section down the middle, then ill probably take bands and bind it so that its stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Use dimensional lumber to build a base around it. It's a whole lot easier and gives you more options for the design and functionality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 The problem Im having is that when i go to set it in the log i need to cut the log in half and hollow out a section down the middle, then ill probably take bands and bind it so that its stable. There are other options than halving the block. You can forge a spoon bit the same size as the bar. You can drill a series of holes in a circle and chisel the remainder out. If you dry the block thoroughly then shrink the band on it, oiling the block will expand it and the band will be pretty permanent. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Keyes Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Is there some reason that you want to use a stump for your anvil? There are lots of other ways to mount this piece. You could build the base out of lumber. You could then use construction adhesive to hold it, or a couple of wedges (which is how mine is held in place). You could place it in a bucket of concrete, I know several people who have used that method. I got a piece of pipe big enough to fit around the post, welded that to a piece of plate for a foot, and put the post in the pipe. I cut some wedges from some scrap oak and hammered them in between the post and the pipe. That was 3 years ago, I'm still on the first set of wedges. Just my .02 Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 Let scale polish out the face---the more hammering you do the better it gets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Sounds good. Ill be making a punch and tongs today so that i can pick up work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 Here is the anvil in its stand. Im going to do some smithing right after this post. It doesnt wobble much at all and it certainly wont fall onto my toes, which was the point of the stand in the first place. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38269-close-up/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38268-anvil-stand-and-step/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/38267-4x4-and-2x4-with-nails-and-wedges/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin) Posted June 13, 2014 Author Share Posted June 13, 2014 Ok. So i tried out the anvil and attempted to make tongs as well as a punch. I got the punch done, but then i broke what i had been working on in terms of tongs...guess its going to take more time to adjust to the skills needed. I thing the anvil worked out very well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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