clenceo Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) Hello everyone. I'm Adrian and very new to this forum and looking forward in learning a lot. A bit about myself...I was a mechanic and business owner. Now a reservist and a public servant. Working with my hands has been something I've always done since I was young. I've always been interested in working with steel and thought it would be a good time to start, as well as to show my son that learning skills never ends and we have to start somewhere. In my short journey, I have spent a lot of hours on youtube and reading on basic blacksmith techniques. I did find a chunk of railroad and 2 chunks of steel out on the highway. Also, a friend didn't know what to do with this huge plate. I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction in helping me make these extra pieces of steel usable as an anvil. I do know the RR chunk works well & it's known as the "poor man anvil" My question is...can I harden the 2 chunks of metal and the plate? Should I just heat them in a forge and see what happens? Any direction in advice will be appreciated.Thanks Edited September 7, 2015 by clenceo Trying to insert images Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo7 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Welcome to IFI mate, stand the big block up on it's end on a stump, same with the smaller one, theres an anvil for you and one for your son, bith more than good enough and heaps better than the rail, leave the plate on the ground for upsetting and make a hot cut on one end of the rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clenceo Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Welcome to IFI mate, stand the big block up on it's end on a stump, same with the smaller one, theres an anvil for you and one for your son, bith more than good enough and heaps better than the rail, leave the plate on the ground for upsetting and make a hot cut on one end of the rail.Thank you my good sir!! I appreciate the feed back. I hope to post some progress very soon!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Welcome Adrian, if you put your general location in your profile so it shows under your name it will help us help you. You may have another IFI member living nearby. I grew up in Fairfield, but moved to the desert outside of Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada back in 05. As mentioned above, the plate is fine as is for an anvil. As to heat treating, that will take some testing. If you have a torch you can heat a corner, quench it with some water,and see if it gets harder by testing with a file. It may be plain A36 which means it won't get any harder than it is now, or you may have lucked out and got something that will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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