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I Forge Iron

Aluminum against steel


SoCal Dave

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I want to convert my old anvil hardies, 1"  hardy hole posts, to my larger anvil hardy hole, 1 1/4".  I was going to slip a 1 1/4" OD square steel tubing sleeve over the one inch hardy post.  Unfortunately, they aren't thick enough to give a snug fit.  They come in 11 gauage and that is a hair to thin.  But, the 1 1/4 aluminum sq tubing is .125 thickness and would be perfect.  So, would it cause problems with the alum up against the steel? Is there another way to give a snug fit to the larger hardy hole. 

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Get some 1/8 " steel strip. Bend it around the posts. As to your other question, if the metal is kept dry there shouldn't be any problems, BUT aluminum can bond to steel in so strong a manner as to actually cause the destruction of the steel during the process of separation. So, if your anvil is outside, don't leave a hardy in for long periods of time. 

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Zink chromate primer is what is used in aircraft for this problem. However if the AL sticks in the square hole but not to the hardy there shouldn't be a problem. May need to file the inside of the AL some to make a better slip fit.

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Greetings Dave,

 

Try to fit an 11g angle shim into the ID of your tube..  This will shim 2 sides and your 1in hardie will fit snug... Just tack weld the top and bottom seam...  Works well...   It does not matter if the hardie is not perfect in the center...

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

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Good Morning Dave,

 

I agree with Jim, make an "Angle Iron" shim. Look on the floor for scrap and use what is handy. If your piece of Aluminum is handy, use it. It is a shim for a Hardy!!!! There is no current going through it, there won't be any electrolysis (unless you unleash some from your vocabulary and make sparks fly :) :) ).

 

Neil

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