Help keeping it pretty

[Gijotoole]

I have a Nimba anvil on order. I live on a military base and can't build overhead cover for my "smithy". How do I keep my new anvil-on-the-way from being rained and rusted in Hawaii? Any ideas? I leave often for work in other countries so it goes for weeks or months of absolutely no use. I was going to throw a tarp or make a kydex cover for it?

 

help.

[Fatfudd]

Tarps work and periodic rubbing with boiled linseed oil will help too.

[Mark Ling]

keep it oiled, and then put an oiled rag on it, and if you wanted to you could then put a tarp over it also. That's what I would do.

                                                                                                    Littleblacksmith

[matto]

Make an aluminum box to cover it with. Make it so it covers stump and anvil put handles on the side so you can lift it off when you want to use it.  Then you can use the top of the box as a small bench for your tools when you are forging. Be for covering wipe the anvil with oil.

[arkie]

When I finish forging for the day, I wipe off the anvil face and horn.  Give it a quick spray of WD-40 (doesn't leave an oily residue next time you forge).  The WD-40 is good to repel any dew condensation that might form.  Then, I have a large Rubbermaid storage box that I turn upside down and put over the anvil and base.  When I'm ready to work the next time, a quick wipe of the top with a paper towel and I'm ready to go.  The paper towel can be used to help start the fire with the other starter stuff.

My smithing stuff is under a tall metal shed, but heavy, blowing rain will still work it's way onto the anvil if not covered.  I have a rubber bucket to put over the post vise.  The forge is on it's own.

[ThomasPowers]

Can you have a doghouse?   One fellow built a wheeled one as an anvil cover and said it helped discourage folks "wandering by" as well.

Before travel I'd give it a wipe with linseed oil.

[Gijotoole]

All excellent ideas. Thanks folks.