Fraz Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Hey guys, Not entirely sure where to put this but I had an idea the other day. My rail anvil doesn't have a hardy hole, obviously. Was watching youtube videos of various hardy tools in use so I thought to myself that would be handy to have. Rather than have a single use tool...Why not get a half egg milled out of one side, a half sphere out the other. Maybe even some various sized rounded and v notches in the edge. Then you take it out of the vice turn it and use like a limited swage block? How much 'volume' would you need around the hardy hole to avoid breakouts? Basically my local engineering shop is looking for dimensions before they give me a price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 How much 'volume' would you need around the hardy hole to avoid breakouts? Depends on the material you're using. Cast iron is going to need some hefty mass; mild steel, somewhat less; high-carbon, less still (depending on what heat treatment you give it). If you already have a post vise (I'm assuming you're not planning on doing any heavy pounding on a machinist's vise), why not just hold the hardy tool in its jaws? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraz Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 I don't have a post vice, yet..:) I have a Record No 3. Engineers vice I obtained for free. Which was nice..:) The thought being i'll only be using the hardy tools for specific hot shaping tasks so I won't be bashing on it full force. But that's my thoughts, I'm more than willing to listen to others...:) I was planning on letting the machine shop deal with all the machining and hardening, mainly because i'm not fully competent yet..:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 You definitely want to minimize pounding on that vise. Consider a portable hole or a striking anvil with an integral hardy hole. Less expensive, and more appropriate to the task. The mini-swage idea is interesting, but probably more trouble than it's worth, especially when you're just starting out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraz Posted September 21, 2017 Author Share Posted September 21, 2017 What's a portable hole? Does it come with a lid? Honestly, If I could find an decent affordable anvil with a hardy I'd go for it. Wasted too much time waiting, trying and failing to find one. The prices are so high here it's almost worthwhile getting a new Kanca or NCTools one. The rail anvil is enough to have gotten me started..:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 There are a couple of articles on the forum about portable holes. Pro tip: ignore the forum's search feature (which is ... quirky) and use the search engine of your choice with "iforgeiron.com" as one of your search terms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 It's basically a hardy hole not attached to an anvil. Usually mounted on a stump or heavy stand, sometimes with a striking anvil. Various ways to make them. I was recently given a piece of bulldozer wear plate that had 6 1" square holes in it and was thick and heavy itself. I passed it on to a new fellow when he bought a 4"x8"x8" piece of steel to use as an anvil (72.5 pounds) US$20 for all. Don't know where Rosyth is; but is their any ship building/repair or oilfield (I guess gasfield) work that generates heavy scrap or drops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Poet Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 Most Swageblocks have holes that you can put hardies in or even attach vices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasent Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 This is my improvised swage block. Got some radiused ground in it and it has a non traditional hardy of sorts Cast steel tractor weight i just use it on a stump with lag bolts fencing it in. I often flip it over or stand it on edge so I don't fasten it down. Weighs about 110 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fraz Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 Guess I should think harder. I suppose most of the innovations have been worked out in the last couple hundred years..:) Rosyth is on the east coast of Scotland. There is a dockyard but it's a MoD (Ministry Of Defence) property so all the work goes on behind the security fence. No civilian access without a pass..:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 There is a dockyard but it's a MoD (Ministry Of Defence) property so all the work goes on behind the security fence. No civilian access without a pass..:( Got any friends who work there? Or at the dockyards over in Leith? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Are you of an age that you could stand a worker there to a pint at a local pub? Do take care though; it's such a pain trying to explain to the Rozzers why you have a section of ex-warship in your boot...marked with a High Explosive stencil or worse a radiation trefoil... Now if you really want to depress yourself: go down to the Science Museum in London that has James Watt's workshop in it; yes the entire thing in the exhibit hall---including a large number of items they still don't know what they are...Watt managed to change the world in a workshop that most of us have ones that outclass it by orders of magnitude! (I must have 4 postvises larger than the one he had!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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