Anvil: Protecting the bottom from rust?

[Andy98]

Hi, I've read lots of posts about how to keep an anvil body and face rust free, but nothing that talks specifically about the anvil bottom.

In my region a standard construction rule is: Don't put wood and steel in contact. Most of the wood anvil mounts seem to do just that.

Should I be doing something to protect the anvil bottom? I think a thick coat of paint would seal it, but I know most people do not like the idea of painting an anvil. Other options would be to slather it with grease, or varnish. 

Any suggestions?

My anvil will be unsheltered outside through 4 seasons, so I want to make sure I do whatever else I can do to protect it.

[JHCC]

A lot of people bed their anvils on a layer of silicone between the base and the stand, locking the two together and reducing the noise of the anvil. That would also serve to protect the anvil bottom from moisture coming up from below.

The bigger question, though, is: "unsheltered outside through 4 seasons"? Umm...why? Will you at least be covering it with a tarp or something when you're not using it?

[bigb]

Whatever you do be careful not to do something that will hold moisture in.

[Andy98]

44 minutes ago, JHCC said:

The bigger question, though, is: "unsheltered outside through 4 seasons"? Umm...why? Will you at least be covering it with a tarp or something when you're not using it?

..at least 2.5 seasons it'll be outside. I could bring it in for the dead of winter until mid spring. Due to the exact nature of my work area, its impractical for me to move the anvil in & out more often than seasonally.

That said, I would prefer to pack it up for winter instead of bringing it inside.

During "operational" months I intend to keep the anvil misted with WD40 with an oiled cloth covering the face, and then a waterproof cover over that (likely with some spacers to allow airflow. I'll adjust based on observations (and good advice). 

During storage months, I thought I'd do the same (WD40 and oil) plus wrap it up more snugly, and throw a descicant pack inside the tarp. I'd also consider slathering something on the anvil like paste wax or vaseline. I havent started to fully figure this part out. Again, suggestions welcome.

Regarding the silicon, I'm suprised that doesn't reduce the anvil rebound. I guess it's not a thick enough layer to count as a shock absorber..

 

[ThomasPowers]

One fellow built a movable dog house that he would pull up over the anvil as needed for storage.  Kept it dry but allowed for air flow and discouraged strangers from investigating the "large" dog possibilities...

[WL smith]

How much material do you think you will lose to rust each year? ( Asked by someone in Arizona whose humidity was 19% today)  Here we worry about wind blown sand erosion!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

My anvils sit outside all year, and I have no worries. When you only get 4.5" of rain a year you don't worry about rust.

Cast iron,and wrought build up a natural patina that helps slow rusting, so I just leave the patina on, and use them as is. 

[Andy98]

19 hours ago, WL smith said:

How much material do you think you will lose to rust each year? ( Asked by someone in Arizona whose humidity was 19% today)  Here we worry about wind blown sand erosion!

I intend to lose no material, but some trial and error might be needed to ensure that.

Where i am, metal will not rust due to humidity - it will only really rust where liquid water has been allowed to remain in contact with the metal. So its not so humid or salty that the metal will errode just sitting there, but it is humid enough that if water does land on the metal it might not dry for days unless it is exposed to direct sun.

Another way to say it is that my garage has roughly the same temperature & humidity, but no condensation or precipitation. Plain steel does not rust in my garage at all.

[Frosty]

Andy: I'm afraid you're falling into a version of a beginner trap. Absolutes don't really apply to blacksmithing except in very limited number like touch hot get burned. Intending to not lose any material isn't possible. Well, you can INTEND to but iron is very reactive and is only happy as rust. The best, BEST you can do is limit how fast the universe reclaims it's own. No finish is forever, check out the finish section and see what experience says.

I like carnuba paste wax as a preservative on my anvils and other tools. Applied to things about fresh cup of coffee hot it is very liquid and a superb penetrant, fills even really tiny nooks and crannies. When it cools it's so hard thick areas will chip like resin. I like "Trewax" another top brand is "Bowling Ally Wax". As the second product's name implies this is the stuff they wax bowling allies with and have to sand it off to strip. Applied to my anvil at coffee heat and wiped off with a rag lasted better than 25 years before my accident left it alone and a dusting of rust has shown up.

There are a lot of products to limit corrosion, paint is a good one blacksmith work and tools have been getting painted since the stuff was invented. No paint on the stuff is a modern philosophical choice and means just that. Polymerizing oils are popular and work well. then there are all the home brews. My main reason for much preferring carnuba to oils or bees wax finishes besides being tough as the hinges of that place all politicians are destined for, is it won't rub off or stain. A hand rail finished with Trewax only god shinier as the years went by till someone mentioned it wasn't so smooth on one spot. It'd worn off after a couple decades so I wiped a little on for them, let it dry for half an hour and polished it with a clean cotton cloth. The lady of the house bought a can of Trewax and I haven't heard from then since.

Of course that's just me.

Frosty The Lucky.

[Lou L]

If Mother Nature claims enough of my anvil (decently cared for but not waxed or painted) to make it unusable in my lifetime then I've lived way too long.  I just let the patina do the work and hope my children will as well.  Heck, it's already near 200 years old and doing fine.

[Smoggy]

I've just installed a woodworking vice on a bench I've made that will live in the back garden, it's a vintage Parkinsons Perfect, I did consider painting it prior to instalation due to the rain fall the rest of the world holds us famous for. I didnt bother in the end, I've just coated the vise and bench in a liberal coat of 'teak oil substitute' that came free in a used gear box......If I recoat regularly as needed and maybe sheet it over during the worst months.....they'll certainly out live me!