Ethan the blacksmith Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I remember one on my first post on IFI was about advice for building a striking anvil. I have now put that info to good use. I got me 3! for Christmas I got a 3" by 5" by 12" block of steel with a 1" hardy hole in it, and so last night we put a base on it. probably the best striking anvil I have ever seen. I am extremely happy and greatful! I got a couple hammer orders I got to get done, so this will make them a lot easier! at the beginning of December I also got two 2" plates and I drilled a 3/4" hole in them. I will be drifting them soon, and I will post plenty of pics. here are some pics of the anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 That's one serious piece of hardware Ethan. How's it work? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Nicely done Ethan. It looks great. How did you get the square hole in there? I've toyed with the idea of making a striking anvil a few times but simply haven't got round to it. With my limited space it's a project that was just put on a back burner. - What would you say are it's benefits over say, an actual anvil mounted low? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan the blacksmith Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 6 hours ago, Everything Mac said: Nicely done Ethan. It looks great. How did you get the square hole in there? I've toyed with the idea of making a striking anvil a few times but simply haven't got round to it. With my limited space it's a project that was just put on a back burner. - What would you say are it's benefits over say, an actual anvil mounted low? Andy Well I should probably make a video about this but anyway... there are two ways of putting in a hardy hole: drill and drift( I have 2 more striking anvils in which I with have to drift) I will probably make a video of all this. the second to get it water jetted, which this one is. now for your other question: I learned the value of a striking anvil for making tools when I went to England. The striking anvil was all we ever used( apart from when we made bottle openers). the advantages of a striking anvil are mostly about the hardy hole. if you have ever hit an anvil on the tail, or horn, you will know it's very loud. Now imagine two strikers, swinging as hard, and. Fast as they can over the hardy hole, not loud at all...... i have seen to many anvils with tails and/or horns Broke of. There is little chance you will break a tail of on a striking anvil, because there is non. lets say you are upsetting something in the hardy hole like a cupping tool, and you have taken multiple heats. This would start to run colors around the hardy hole, loosing some of its temper. Finally, striking anvils are made of mild Steel, so if a striker misses, and hits the anvil, it will sot send a hurdling chunk of steel into somebody's face. so these are most of the advantages I know of for a striking anvil. Hope this helps. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- frosty, this anvil really needs to be bolded down because it dances all over the place! i will be making a couple of hammers soon, so we will see how it hold up! Ethan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 what about broaching and EDM? Many ways to skin that cat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan the blacksmith Posted December 29, 2015 Author Share Posted December 29, 2015 Sorry for my ignorance, but why what is broaching and EDM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JME1149 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Broaching is a cutting method where a shaped bit, square in this case, is pushed through a hole creating the shape. Think like a punch but it shaves the metal off. Usually has many steps of slightly increasing size per step, each step taking off just a bit more metal. EDM is electrical discharge machining, could be plunge type where a square electrode is pushed thru the block, electrically burning away the shape, or wire edm where a small diameter wire is charged and travels thru the part cutting out the shape in it's path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Thanks for that Ethan. Very interesting. Cheers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I once visited the "home" of an old used machinery company that made it big in the post WWII surplus market. Unfortunately a lot of stuff was still left in a massive series of unheated unmaintained warehouses-----in the cold dark gloom I still remember a 5' *pile* of broaches sitting under a hole in the roof with snow drifting down on them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basher Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 That is a nice looking little anvil you have made there. I find it strange that these striking anvils are so small, I can see that from a north American point of view buying a big anvil and low mounting it could be an unrealistic expense. In the Uk big anvils designed for striking come with double hardy holed anvils are plentiful (soho pattern comes to mind) and they are often 500lb and up, would you not be better off with a much, much bigger block. By my calculations that block only weighs just under 50lb, which for me would be too light as a normal anvil let alone one made for use with a sledge hammer. anyhow I am sure you will make the most of it and make some nice stuff with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clinton Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 I used a drill press, cutting torch, die grinder and a flat file to make the hardy hole in my striking anvil. Basher- the smaller striking anvils are handy when you want to move them, one man and a hand truck and away you go. Mine weighs around 150 pounds after filling the legs with oil sand. And the mild steel is forgiving for all those late night drunken nail- heading sessions. My anvil had several good dings in it after the midnight madness at the CBA spring conference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bud in PA Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 On 12/28/2015 at 6:28 AM, Everything Mac said: Nicely done Ethan. It looks great. How did you get the square hole in there? I've toyed with the idea of making a striking anvil a few times but simply haven't got round to it. With my limited space it's a project that was just put on a back burner. - What would you say are it's benefits over say, an actual anvil mounted low? Andy Everything Mac google Green Bay Manufacturing, They sell inserts that are round with a square hole in the middle. You drill a hole of the appropriate diameter, place the insert in it and weld it into the hole, from underneath. I have no personal experience with them, but it sounds like it makes life easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yesteryearforge Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 I made one for Brian Brazeal and I drilled a hole / made a drift from one inch square hot roll / heated up the 3 inch thick plate and drove the drift thru. Only took two heats to complete but it was good and HOT The hot roll being slightly oversize made the one inch square hole about dead on size when the block cooled down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy seale Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 i still need a base but years ago, i aquired a pony rod from a F- 1000 mud pump, cut off the broken end . but it's 4 1/2" dia. abbout 17" long, with a flange on the end for bolt down. and besides that most of the shaft is chromed and purtty looking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forging Carver Posted January 1, 2016 Share Posted January 1, 2016 On 12/28/2015 at 11:41 PM, Ethan the blacksmith said: I remember one on my first post on IFI was about advice for building a striking anvil. I have now put that info to good use. I got me 3! for Christmas I got a 3" by 5" by 12" block of steel with a 1" hardy hole in it, and so last night we put a base on it. probably the best striking anvil I have ever seen. I am extremely happy and greatful! I got a couple hammer orders I got to get done, so this will make them a lot easier! at the beginning of December I also got two 2" plates and I drilled a 3/4" hole in them. I will be drifting them soon, and I will post plenty of pics. here are some pics of the anvil. Nice work! Did you make that hardy hole or did it come with it? If so, where do I take the thing to get water jetted? Also, very nice stand! Did you weld that yourself? If so what kind of welder? I think I have seen a video on you making a rounding hammer but I am not sure if thats you. Good work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethan the blacksmith Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 On 2015-12-31 at 2:40 AM, basher said: That is a nice looking little anvil you have made there. I find it strange that these striking anvils are so small, I can see that from a north American point of view buying a big anvil and low mounting it could be an unrealistic expense. In the Uk big anvils designed for striking come with double hardy holed anvils are plentiful (soho pattern comes to mind) and they are often 500lb and up, would you not be better off with a much, much bigger block. By my calculations that block only weighs just under 50lb, which for me would be too light as a normal anvil let alone one made for use with a sledge hammer. anyhow I am sure you will make the most of it and make some nice stuff with it. the anvil's stand is bolted to the concrete. it will not move! therefore, its the same as using a very large anvil. 23 hours ago, Forging Carver said: Nice work! Did you make that hardy hole or did it come with it? If so, where do I take the thing to get water jetted? Also, very nice stand! Did you weld that yourself? If so what kind of welder? I think I have seen a video on you making a rounding hammer but I am not sure if thats you. Good work! my dad welded that for me! as you can see he is very good at it! all the welding was done with a MIG welder. as for the hardy hole, it was water jetted in Edmonton, at metal supermarkets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 I have a couple of blocks of an unknown steel, a bit harder than normal mild and got hardy holes machined in them with the intention of making a couple of these, so far have not needed to use one so have not made up the legs yet, big one is over 18 inches long, 4 inches wide and 3 inches thick, the others are 13.5 inches long and also 4 by 3. I must get one made up when I get time and space Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 Just the thing to hang on a chain around the "bad apprentice's" neck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 O Lord, iron dwarf, please tell me you're not using a gas tank as the base for a striking anvil! "Come strike for me! It'll be a blast!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted January 8, 2016 Share Posted January 8, 2016 that was just something to put the block on to get a picture, will make a base before it is used, my press is better for heavy work and even minion has been using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
House of D Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I dig the striking anvil. I am going to make one. I happen to have a piece of 3"x12"x5" just laying around waiting to be mounted on a 1" plate. I would rather wail away on that than either of my Refflinghaus anvils. My anvils are 180# and 500#. The striking anvil will be lighter, but I won't worry about smashing the face with a 30 pound sledge. Which is a good thing. I like the idea of a striking anvil. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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