mongler Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I know these anvils have a massive carbon content so there's a high risk for cracking, but it's only $15 and I'd get a lot more out of hardening it because these things dent like you're hitting pine. What color should I heat it up to? I know to hold it at that temp for 15 mins before the quench, but I'm not too knowledgeable about cast iron, I only really know about mild steel. Is it possible to just heat up the hitting surface and keep it at that temp for a few minutes before quenching, or does the entire thing need to be that temp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Not much you can do, sorry bud other than very expensive special welding what you have is a door stop. you might want to look at picking up a solid funk of steel to use. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52308-a-collection-of-improvised-anvils/ Maybe this will help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 You can't heat treat cast iron and make a better anvil; also 15 pounds is too small for blacksmithing ESPECIALLY when cast iron. What you "know" is erroneous too. Soak times for heat treating are generally based on alloy and cross sectional area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 you have an over size paper weight, sorry do NOT water quench that, it wont be pretty, cast prefers air quench Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charcold Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I have one of these as well. I "forged" on it for about a week before I got a proper section of rail to use. Which I then graduated up to an improved powerhammer bottom die anvil. Which I then graduated from to my current vulcan anvil. I'm determined to trade up all the way to a mousehole! One advantage of that lump of cast iron is that it shows marks, it will be a visual guide to your mistakes when you miss hits. It also has a hardy hole. which is too small for real tooling and the body is too soft to strike on. It will however, i've found, make for a perfect little bench anvil for finishing your hole punching. I have mine sitting on a little sheet of mild steel and have used it a few times to knock out the slug when punching holes. You could possible use it for chisel work or something. Another bonus is when your friend asks if he can come over and try forging you've got an anvil to set them up on without them chipping an edge on your good anvil, and if they really like the hobby you can loan them it until they get set up. Point is even non-ideal tools can be a lesson for you, and even if they don't fit their intended purpose they may still be usable for something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 5 minutes ago, Charcold said: Point is even non-ideal tools can be a lesson for you, and even if they don't fit their intended purpose they may still be usable for something. In which @Charcold demonstrates an admirable ability to see the silver lining... 6 minutes ago, Charcold said: I'm determined to trade up all the way to a mousehole! ...as well as a high degree of taste and discernment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Mongler, use the cheap anvil to learn on with the mindset of saving for a decent anvil. Charcold has a path many of us take in graduating up to a decent anvil. It makes you have a deeper appreciation for a good anvil you will possess someday. I've only been at it for about a year but started with a old and small subpar anvil. It's hard to move metal on an anvil that doesn't have a hardened steel face. You don't really realize how hard it is until you move metal on a good anvil - it's night and day. My advice to newbies just trying to get into forging is to buy the right tools if you can before you start. Take time to research what you need here on IFI. All the knowledge you need is here in the threads. It's too tempting to start with subpar equipment just so you can get forging, but I think your experience learning will be a lot less frustrating with a good anvil, a good forge, a good hammer or two, and a few pair of useful tongs. There are a lot of threads here on how to find a good anvil. I put the word out to friends and through a friend's friend's nephew I located a guy who had 8 anvils. Craigs list isn't too bad of a place to look, but ebay is a last resort IMHO. Just don't overpay. If buying a good anvil just isn't possible, there are also a lot of threads here on decent anvil substitutes that will work much better than your cast iron anvil. You don't need a full shop of tools to forge, but the right basic tools helps tremendously. Heck I was just outside forging last night with temps in the 30's. I'd love a dedicated shop someday, but I'm working up to that. It takes time and you won't be sorry investing some time and hard earned cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 For US$15 you could buy a 75 pound piece of steel at my local scrapyard that could be used as a decent anvil the rest of your life. I can even find pieces with sq 1" holes in them. (picked up a 50# piece with two 1" sq holes my last visit and have it sitting by my side door; stop by and I'll sell it to you for US$15....) I have a "Y1K anvil" that weighs only 25 pounds but I can sledge on it as it is made from steel.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charcold Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Just as a note my post was meant to advise someone in the situation of "I've got this 15 lb anvil, what now" rather than an endorsement for buying one. I came by mine as a gift from a relative who heard i was getting into the trade and had used his one time for straightening some metal. As thomas said 15$ can be well spent elsewhere, and the 50-60lb models of theirs should be avoided 100%. Like tell your family to stop suggesting you buy one (if they're like my family and ask "why r u still using rail"). @JHCC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Ling Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I cant seem to find the video, but a while back it was either C1toolsteel or Tubalcian2 that posted a video of him hititng the horn of one of those anvils and busting it off...just sayin Littleblacksmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Here ya go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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