I am finally going to get my anvil done, I convinced the manager at work to let me do it there when we are slow. I am wondering if anyone has ever used a pressure washer for the quench on an anvil. I have seen it mentioned before but only as theory. Do you guys think it will work or should I go another route.

If you do some searching there is video of Brooks - I think it was brooks - hardening process. It was basically a large torch heating the surface followed by a high pressure water spray. If you can the video it may give you a place to start from.

Are there any near by lakes or ponds? If you know someone with a lake you could always quench there. The quench bucket should be big enough then and you have plenty of water of a relatively consistent temp as long as you don't drop it too far down.

I'll check out that video, the anvil is 207lb so the pond probably wouldn't do it, there needs to be enough pressure to break the steam pocket.

Got any firefighter friends?  If you could convince them to hit the anvil with the firehose for a few minutes that would probably give you a better combination of pressure and volume than a high pressure washer.

Yes the anvil makers tended to use a good sized flume and drop the water a good distance to break the steam jacket; a pond or lake won't do it.  Most pressure washers I have seen don't have the volume needed.  The Fire department high pressure hose is a good choice and is what Charles McRaven mentions using in "Country Blacksmithing" when he re-heat treated an anvil.

Greetings TJ,

As TP said a lake or pond won't work. I was at a demo many years ago and an attempt was made to re-harden an anvil that was in a fire by quenching it in a large swimming pool.The result was when finished I tested it with a ball pien and it dimpled like 1018.. I would go the fire hose method or just find another anvil.

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Now that's gona be a sight to see, a nice Lg coal fire in the local fire department parking lot with the fire crew

in Full dress holding the fire hose & drinking a beer & waiting for the go single LOL now that's local new's 

yep I could see that here LOL they would just wright it up as fire training

I think he has it planned for after the 10th (i'm out of town and I'm seposed to oeep him out of troubl...)

I've already talked to the fire chief and he agreed to come spray it for me. I was just wondering if the pressure washer would work because I'm doing the heat treat at work in the wash bay. Just thought it would make things easier. Charles, I'm going to go ahead and try to get it done next week since we have nothing going at work. I just hope all goes well and nothing catastrophic happens to all the work I have in it so far.

And we have machinery at work to move the thing

Or rent a 2" trash pump and set up next to a decent size lake or BIG pond. Set the outlet hose a way above the anvil so it hits with enough velocity to wash off any steam pockets.

Never done it but it's plenty of fast moving water. I've used 2" trash pumps a LOT of the 20 years I drilled. Be advised though do NOT lay the suck hose on a sandy bottom it will kill the impeller blades and cost YOU a bunch in abuse repairs.

Frosty The Lucky.

Every VFD I have known would have been happy to do that service for beer and Pizza; or even just beer, or free.  It also makes a bond between you and the fired department which can be very helpful in the future if folks try to get your forging shut down by the fire department.  I try to recruit fire folks and police into free smithing classes; makes a big difference in how you get treated...

City fire department, but they are seriusly redneck

Hopefully I can get it set up this week and get it done.

Sweet

Got your tempil sticks for getting the temps right?

True words Thomas I guess I packed a trash pump around for too many years. I bet the FD would LOVE to be involved in an anvil heat treat and someone would be there to put the fire out when you're done.

Complainers would look like fools complaining about a fire when the FD was participating. You could buy a lot of beer and pizza for a day's rental on a trash pump, heck BBQ over the fire the anvil's in.

Sounds like a block party to me.

Frosty The Lucky.

I hope this happens I/we wanna see...PICTURES.

I'll try not to forget pictures

It's finally done!!!! It took 4.5 hrs to heat treat. Then after a 400 degree temper the top averages mid 60s exept a small spot at the corner of the heal at 35.

Was there a decarb issue with that corner or did it overheat during tempering due to it's thinner crossection?

I'm guessing just a cool spot cause its only about .75" and the other corner is fine and it was the same before the temper.

Looking at your heating picture I wouldn't have guessed it was a cold spot---unless there was a bit of time for cool down before the quench hit it.

Putting on the handling rings looks like a great idea, did they help?

There was a couple min of cooling time getting it off the forge and inside. The rings helped alot. I used 1" rod in the to move it around by hand and with the lift.

cool...