Well...  I just made my first rail anvil.  Hope to buy a real one some day but this will due for now.  Thoughts? Opinions? 

 

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Depending on what your doing you may want to round that horn more as you progress.

Very nice I've got one similar so I understand the work involved lol and it does the trick Purdy good as far as I can tell. I have one both horizontally and vertically and cannot at this point really tell the difference in efficiency. I prefer the surface area I have to work with on the one sitting horizontally though.

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

 

Looks like a real anvil to me, a little too shiny maybe. A heavier one is necessary if you want to work heavy stock but I used one only a little different for years and it worked a treat on stock up to 3/8" sq. It was made from rail too and didn't look near as nice. A couple years ago I passed it on to someone just getting started and don't know where it is. Getting the stuffings beat out of it I hope.

 

I need to make another though, I don't have a good bench anvil right now and they come in really handy.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks Guys. My next step is to build a forge and start pounding steel. Frosty I took your advice and updated my location.

Do a site search for TPAAAT.  

 

Look at the forge section for ideas on types of forges that you can make.

I just started making my first rail anvil. So far so good, with the limited tools I possess. I'll post pictures when complete.

I just started making my first rail anvil. So far so good, with the limited tools I possess. I'll post pictures when complete.

 

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. A word of advice about making a rail anvil, don't try making it look like a London pattern anvil. It's really unnecessary and a LOT of work. It doesn't need a flat face either, you can true things up just fine by working them lengthwise. AND the radius on rail really makes drawing much easier, think fuller.

 

About the only thing I use the horn for anymore is as a fullering die or occasionally truing up a ring. You can turn virtually any ring or scroll on the face and it's frankly easier than turning one on the horn.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

I just assumed the radius of the rail would be a disadvantage. Oh well.... It's square now. Hopefully it'll work alright. The downside of being a newbie.

I just assumed the radius of the rail would be a disadvantage. Oh well.... It's square now. Hopefully it'll work alright. The downside of being a newbie.

 

It'll be fine, don't sweat it, it's not even a mistake. Being new at the craft just means you have a lot to learn, personally I love the learning curve, it's a good place to be.

 

Let us see what she looks like when you're finished.

 

Frosty The Lucky.