I agree with SJS, what you have does look great. My thought on the horn was that it looks perfect for now; I've removed metal from projects and later wished I'd waited.

Are you going to add some kind of "feet" or base to the main part for stability?

Hard facing the anvil was my original intention. But that was not cost effective at that time. If the face is indeed dead and useless them I will definitely be going that route. As for the feet yes aside from the side shelf there will be feet added and I will be building a steel base much like this illustration.

The way you're describing the plan to attach the top plate, you'll end up with a dead anvil.  While the AR400 is tough stuff, you really really need to have to the top plate fully connected with the body.  Plug welds and a perimeter bead just will not cut it.

 

I'd hard-face the entire thing, including the top of the horn.  My Fisher anvil has a tool-steel top plate on the horn and it's rather nice.  

 

You definitely won't be using the cutting table very often.  I've got cutting tables on all three of my london-pattern anvils and can't remember the last time I ever used the thing.  It's never convenient for the work I'm doing, especially being so far away from the holdfast and hardy hole.

 

If you go with the tapered heel, I think you'll really like the finished product.  Putting it on a heavy metal stand will be the cat's meow!

What if you grind the top surface where the plate will be mounted to convex (dome up) just a hair..  Maybe 1/16 max.  Then clamp the top plate down flat, preloading it a bit.  Weld the perimeter.  At that point it will be sprung tight. 

 

hard facing might be a better option though, even with the miles of bead you'll need!

 

~Steve

Funny you mention that Steve, that's exactly what I'm doing except in the reverse. The face has been curved 5/32 over the 24" length so when clamped tight and welded it will be presprung. You don't know if you don't try

I would place a spacer down the centerline like 1/4" square, top plate on top and then weld along one side of the spacer and then the other, remove slag and keep doing it until you reach the edges so the entire surface is welded

I´m with dwarf, and I would place some temporary spacers around the edge, else the top plate could warp and in the worst case close the gap

Pre-sprung doesn't make a good anvil face.  You'll still have "unconnected" metal in the middle and that will give you a big dead spot.  Even if you plug weld in areas, you'll still have dead spots between the plug welds.  This is why a full weld is recommended by the experts.

 

You can space the plate off the top of the body and backfill the gap.  This has been done successfully on at least one occasion I'm aware of, and it produces a solid connection between the two pieces.

I would have just stood the block on end and got to smithing. Seems like a lot of unnecessary work going on here. Get hammering, make some money, and watch for a decent priced anvil.

Not doin this make money, if it's dead I'll remove it and hard face it with rods then peen it to work harden. I'll know this week if it's gonna work or not.

I think its a really cool project but I would not make it any harder then necessary (not talking about Rockwell hardness :) )

The pre-sprung face will not last even if there where no death spots.

every time you hit it you remove tension, every time you place a hot iron on it the top side will expand.

 

Could you share how you did the mark and provide a close up? I guess its CNC made?

 

Regarding the stand- I see you plan to have the horn on the one-leg side, as many others have done it already.

I think about switching to one like you have planed but I cant decide if the extra space under the round horn is worth loosing horizontal stability.

On the square horn I have mostly vertical force, but on the round horn I work often in all directions  

I'm planning on rounding the horn,

Well the face is welded and it's not dead by any means. This video was taken with it sitting on a table. I can only assume that it will be even better after its mounted on a solid base.

http://s447.photobucket.com/user/woodweavilracing/media/2014-02/66F9D2FF-FBCD-4DE8-9263-8FAFE07510DB_zpsrpkrubah.mp4.html

Just picked up the anvil from the machine shop.
385# is the finish weight for now, it'll be well over 400# after the feet are welded on.

The engraving was done on a HAAS Mill

What's the ball bearing test reading for it?

That's some beautiful milling, hoss.  Hard to imagine that so fine a level of detail is possible with a milling machine!

 

She's definitely going to be a dandy of an anvil!

What's the ball bearing test reading for it?

Haven't done one yet but it's got pretty good rebound and a decent ring

That's some beautiful milling, hoss. Hard to imagine that so fine a level of detail is possible with a milling machine!



She's definitely going to be a dandy of an anvil!

I'm pretty impressed with it. Not quite what I was looking for but it looks good

Haven't done one yet but it's got pretty good rebound and a decent ring

So you really have no idea how good the rebound is or whether it is "dead" or not. 

Sorry buddy but the laws of physics didn't change just for you. 

Don't worry about the 10,000 years of combined experience on this site, what could we know that you can't figure out in 10 minutes from a you tube video? 

So you really have no idea how good the rebound is or whether it is "dead" or not.
Sorry buddy but the laws of physics didn't change just for you.
Don't worry about the 10,000 years of combined experience on this site, what could we know that you can't figure out in 10 minutes from a you tube video?

Wow you're a real piece a work!
And you obviously did not read the posts or watch the video. I Never said it would or wouldn't be dead. I just have not gotten it mounted and done ball bearing test yet. It does have rebound and a decent ring sitting on a table. One can only assume it would be better when mounted on a solid base. I'm not an idiot and I posted to get the opinion of "10,000 yrs" combined experienced smiths. So please go troll another post. There's no need to be a jerk.

I'll post the results when I do get it set on its base

What's the ball bearing test reading for it?

 

what a joke.

The great thing about this craft of blacksmithing is that for thousands of years we have been free to innovate and experiment.  Everyone has their own personal ideas of what works, of what might work, and what to avoid.  Go ahead and continue your experimentation.  Nothing to loose except some of your time, but that is more than offset by what you gain in knowledge.