Fatfudd Posted February 1, 2015 Share Posted February 1, 2015 I was basically given a 350 lb Fisher anvil a couple of days ago. Before you get all excited about what a great deal it is, you have to understand this sad anvil's problems. Overall, it looks beautiful . On closer inspection you will see where someone tried to weld a big chunk of the face plate that had been broken off That is kinda sad for sure but on even closer inspection there are a number of other problems. The face plate has de-laminated in the area between the chalk marks. In addition the heel has a crack running to about midway down the hardy hole.. Its obvious this anvil wasn't used much because there is next to no marks on the face, the edges, or the horn. Its possible that the face plate wasn't securely attached at the factory. Its probable that when put to some heavy use the face simply cracked and broke. The other interesting thing about this anvil is that the face plate is pretty thin as compared to my 400 lb Fisher. The face is about 7/16 " on the broken anvil and its over 3/4" thick on my 400 lber. I have debated what to do about this anvil and I have had a good discussion with Robb Gunter. He wasn't terribly enthusiastic about repairing it but at the same time said it maybe possible. So Robb doesn't want to take it on but maybe I will. At the worst it'll make a nice yard art sculpture which was my initial thought. I'll post my progress on this project but it'll probably take at least 6 months working on it part time. Here is the initial game plan- 1. Remove de-laminated face plate and clean up the cast iron right up to the portion of plate still holding. 2. Grind out the crack in the heel and drill the ends of the cracks. 3 Drill 3/8" holes and thread them about 1" apart across all of the cast base that is to be repaired. 4. Insert threaded mild steel(?) rod in all the holes leaving around 1/4" sticking out above the cast base. These will serve to further anchor the finished face plate. This is an old trick used to repair cast iron parts that were to be put to extreme use. The question that still remains is whether to heat the anvil or not. The rod That Robb Gunter uses for cast iron repairs is Certanium 889 which is advertised as not needing a preheat. Once that's resolved I'll proceed as follows. 5. Fill the ground out the heel crack with Certanium 889 in short beads, peening with a needle scaler after each short bead. 6. Lay an initial covering over cast iron base and the threaded rods. 7 Finish with stoody 1105 or equal rod, Hopefully it is all holding together at this point??? I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts about wasting some time and a whole lot of money in this effort. Someone really liked this anvil because they went to a lot of trouble to put small levelers on the underside of the feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Good luck with your Fisher. Being in the condition it is in, you can hopefully only improve what you have. A few facts about this one and your other one: 1. The 'leveling' feet on the Fisher are factory cast. Not all Fisher anvils had them, but some did. They were not added later. 2. The face plate on this anvil is about 7/16" thick. That is correct. Your 400 will have a very similar thickness faceplate, maybe 1/2". What you think is a much thicker faceplate is the patternmaker's trick. What you are looking at is faceplate plus iron. They designed the patterns to have this overhang to fool people into thinking they have a much thicker faceplate. Look at the heel end or where the cutting table meets the face. You should be able to see the faceplate thickness there. There is not such thing as a Fisher with a 'double thick' faceplate. Is there a date on the anvil? When our local club did some anvil repair, they did heat all of the anvils, including the Fishers. And also post heated them, then wrapped them in insulation overnight for a slow cooling. If you have the time, and the money for the materials, it might work. Risky any way, but it might save an anvil. Personally, I would not attempt it. I think this one is a good candidate for paint and mounting as a sign outside your shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 Thanks Josh You are basically expressing the same feeling about repairing it that Robb Gunter did, ie, makes a nice piece of yard art. The date on it is 1919. How successful was your club repairing the fishers? If I can get the materials cheap enough I'll give it a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 The repairs did work, although it left the tell tale weld mark of different color material. The repairs were primarily edges extending in about 1/2" or so. None of the repairs were as extensive as what your anvil needs. It would be interesting to know what caused the cracking and delamination; whether cause by abuse or if it was a defective anvil from the beginning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I sort of think it was defective from the factory because of the overall condition of the face and horn being nearly perfect.It couldn't have been used much. Maybe I'll be able to tell more when I take the broken face off? I believe I can secure the welding rods to do the repair for around $200. If that doesn't work then it'll get painted black and used as an advertising emblem for my business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Or the damage could be from someone hitting it with a heavy sledge either on a missed hit or deliberately very early in its life. The damage/cracking ruined the anvil for all subsequent users. It will be interesting to see if there is rust/contamination that runs completely under the top plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 I'm pretty sure there will be rust under the plate but I'll let you know. In the pics I posted you can see the water remains within the cracks after a rain. I have a few projects to finish before I can start on the anvil. When you were repairing the Fishers did you get down to the base cast iron? I was wondering what you used for the welding rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Yes, they did extensive grinding on the anvil, and they ground out the chipped area down into the cast iron. I will have to check with the welder members to find out what rod was used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 I'd love to take on a project like that. It would be really satisfying to save that old girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatfudd Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share Posted February 4, 2015 VaughnT- In the evening I have been out sitting on it(with a beer in hand) and thinking I have to bring this anvil back, its just way to cool to let it turn into a yard art sculpture. It kind of calls to me. If I can't get it fixed the first try I don't intend to stop. I guess money may be the object that holds me up but I think I'll go ahead and invest in the old girl, she's worth it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 VaughnT- In the evening I have been out sitting on it(with a beer in hand) and thinking I have to bring this anvil back, its just way to cool to let it turn into a yard art sculpture. It kind of calls to me. If I can't get it fixed the first try I don't intend to stop. I guess money may be the object that holds me up but I think I'll go ahead and invest in the old girl, she's worth it! Please post pics once you take the broken top off, and as you go along. It will be an interesting adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Fudd, I know what you mean about her calling to you. It's no coincidence, to my mind, that she ended up in the hands of someone with the knowledge and skill to save her. From a financial standpoint, since she's in perfect condition otherwise, if it costs $1500 to repair the top you really haven't exceeded the cost of buying a new anvil. I don't think it'll cost that much in time and materials, and you'll end up with a true beauty unmatched by anything being made today. Rest assured that the task is worthy. I'll drink a beer in your honor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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