My first anvil

[ForgeNub]

I just bought my first anvil for getting into smithing, was about the only thing I paid a decent amount of money for.  It was a matter of affordability as well as knowing I am just barely starting out I bought a 70 lb, NC Tool - Big Face, has a 7/8 Square hardy on the step, a pritchel and a 1 1/2 inch turning hole (don't know what its for yet).  Since I bought it and got my home made forge operational, i've semi-successfully made 1 pair of tongs and constantly struggle making a decent boss that isn't extremely elongated with sharp edges.  Should I take a grinder to one side of the anvil and radius them off? I don't want to like "ruin" the anvil but I'm pretty clueless and am doing almost everything by ear.  I've seen a couple of what I think are cold shuts in previous attempts in my tongs from the sharp edges?  And ultimately they caused breaks in the reins or boss area.  Any ideas on altering the anvil along the sides of the face to make less dings in my work?

[Glenn]

There is no undo button when you modify an anvil. Know WHY you are making modifications, and know how to make them correctly so YOU can use them. 

If you want a radius on the edge of the anvil, weld a hardie post to a piece of plate and radius the edge of the plate. If you do not like the radius, make another one. A year from now you will know what radius you use the most, and can modify your anvil if you choose.

[John McPherson]

You already have a radius or three on that anvil: out by the turning cams, at the step and the clip horn projections, and the horn is one big radius.

Leave the sharp edges at the face alone, they are there to use as cutting edges, and to allow you to make clean, square 90 degree corners.

Get yourself a guru and mentor. Join a local chapter, go to classes and hammer-ins and events. You are not The Martian, you don't have to go it all alone.

And oh yeah, put your location in your avatar. You never know who is right around the corner.

[VaughnT]

Don't try making tongs as an entry-level task.  

Tongs are a safety item in the shop, and good tongs should grip the material properly while being light, well-balanced and comfortable to hold.  If you have no forging experience, making tongs isn't the way to learn.  You can practice the fundamentals by making scrolls, hooks, bottle openers, etc.

For the time, material and fuel you've burned up trying to make a pair of tongs, only to end up with something that looks like a drunk chimpanzee was let loose, you could have bought two or three sets of top-shelf tongs.   Think about that.

V-bit bolt tongs hold round and square stock securely.  They also generally do well holding one size down -- a pair marked 1/2" will hold 3/8" or 7/16" stock with reasonable security.  What that means is that you don't have to buy a ton of tongs to get a lot of work done.

For flat stock, I prefer box-jaw tongs rather than duck bill or flat bit designs because they wrap around the metal in much the same way v-bit tongs do.  Again, it doesn't take a huge collection to get you started.

90% of your work will be with a small range of sizes while you're learning.  1/4" round stock is a staple.  1/2" round and square will make a few thousand different things.  3/8" round and square certainly comes in handy.  Anything larger than that is probably exceeding your ability right now.  Maybe not in a month or three, but for the here and now.....

Same goes with flat stock.

As you're learning by making s-hooks and scrolls, you'll see what you need to move up.  Three or four pairs of good tongs will make your forging experience more pleasurable and rewarding because you're not fighting the tongs.

[JHCC]

1 hour ago, VaughnT said:

<snip>

VaughnT, I think you meant this comment to go on ForgeNub's post about his first pair of tongs; I've quoted it over there.

[ForgeNub]

 

3 hours ago, John McPherson said:

You already have a radius or three on that anvil: out by the turning cams, at the step and the clip horn projections, and the horn is one big radius.

Leave the sharp edges at the face alone, they are there to use as cutting edges, and to allow you to make clean, square 90 degree corners.

Get yourself a guru and mentor. Join a local chapter, go to classes and hammer-ins and events. You are not The Martian, you don't have to go it all alone.

And oh yeah, put your location in your avatar. You never know who is right around the corner.

Never even thought about the different rounded edges I do have to use all over the anvil, the learning curve is strong with this one!

[JHCC]

30 minutes ago, ForgeNub said:

the learning curve is strong with this one!

You've taken your first step into a larger world.

[ForgeNub]

2 hours ago, VaughnT said:

Don't try making tongs as an entry-level task.  .

For the time, material and fuel you've burned up trying to make a pair of tongs, only to end up with something that looks like a drunk chimpanzee was let loose, you could have bought two or three sets of top-shelf tongs.   Think about that.

My thoughts exactly (atleast the tongs looking like a drunken primate made them)  I think I will probably buy a few pairs first and start making projects and learning a bit faster because I won't have to use Channel locks and/or like you said, fight with the tongs.  Thanks for the heads up!

[JHCC]

We had another recent post from a newbie who was using the wrong tongs to hold a piece of leaf spring. It flew up and hit him in the face, and he needed four stitches. Proper tongs aren't just about comfort: it's about safety!

[D.C.]

I'll second that JHCC....

[ForgeNub]

48 minutes ago, JHCC said:

We had another recent post from a newbie who was using the wrong tongs to hold a piece of leaf spring. It flew up and hit him in the face, and he needed four stitches. Proper tongs aren't just about comfort: it's about safety!

Actually, I was using them making a chisel out of some scrap, forged it all out hammering out the edge shot off the anvil, straight up while it was red hot and burnt my cheek! Thats what made me decide tongs in excellent working order are a requirement haha.

[gote]

The best tong sits at the end of your left arm. Use stock that is long enough for you to hold without burning yourself. If the heat is creepimg towards your hand, dip that hand with the stock in water to cool that end down again. Do not use your right hand to do that. It will become slippery and that will impair your striking. Do not use gloves. If you hold the stock with a glove and the glove heats up you are in for a problem in getting the glove off and disposing of the hot stock at the same time. Do not dunk a hot glove in the water. If you hit cold stock the chanses are good that the impact will transfer very uncomfortably to your left hand so take a new heat before that happens. Plan your work so the cut off is that last thing you do. Cut off against the edge of the anvil as hinted above or use a hacksaw. 

[Jackdawg]

Nice looking anvil you have got for yourself.

[cedarghost]

 

On 3/15/2017 at 10:37 AM, ForgeNub said:

My thoughts exactly (atleast the tongs looking like a drunken primate made them)  I think I will probably buy a few pairs first and start making projects and learning a bit faster because I won't have to use Channel locks and/or like you said, fight with the tongs.  Thanks for the heads up!

I have to disagree with not making tongs when you are first starting. Worst case scenario you will learn something. If you burn up a 5 gallon propane tank and ruin a couple bars of round stock you're still out less than a new set of tongs would cost. 

The important thing to me is to use the forge and anvil and learn. I'm not giving you advice. These other guys are much more experienced than I am. I am just stating my opinion. 

These are the first thing I forged besides beating a few knife blades into shape. Yes, they are ugly and they took forever and could've been done a lot better, but they are functional and I learned a ton while making them:

 

[ThomasPowers]

last BBQ propane bottle I had refilled was about US$4 than the most expensive pair of tongs I have ever bought---(and the tongs were Ti so I was willing to pay the $10!)

I like starting people out on things they will succeed with---sort of setting the hook...