April 2, 200818 yr Right now, the best working surface I have is a 3 inch section of RR track. I have an "Anvil Like Object" that works for rough work. And that is about it. What about a granite block, like what a tombstone would be made from? What kind of things have you used, or are using now?
April 2, 200818 yr IForgeIron > Lessons in Metalworking > Blacksmithing > LB0005 Blacksmithing Anvils
April 2, 200818 yr I read in a knife making book that the author had used a scrapped grave stone piece with good results. I have used the teeth from some of the excavators I have run and of course RR rail. A lift arm off of a D8 dozer and the cutting edge off the same D8 welded to the top of a section of rail or the pads off of that same D8. Heck when you are cutting up a machine that big everything looks like a good anvil. And off road forklift forks. I do have some factory anvils ( hay budden, fisher, peter write and a trenton) some real nice others not so good. the fisher is missing the horn:( but yard sale $10.00 paid $5.00:D They all came from barn sales, yard sales or auctions.
April 2, 200818 yr Right now, the best working surface I have is a 3 inch section of RR track. I have an "Anvil Like Object" that works for rough work. And that is about it. What about a granite block, like what a tombstone would be made from? What kind of things have you used, or are using now? Also look at the Thread Show us your anvil. There is some good ideas on that thread. Also where are you in East tennessee I may be able to help you . Thanks,Chris
April 2, 200818 yr The strangest thing I ever used was the counter weight "ON" a bob cat loader. We used it to straiten a tie rod for another tractor. forge was a hole in the ground, blower was a shop vac and the coal was at least 50 years in the coal shed behind the barn. I must say the "anvil" did not have much of a ring. Down on the farm blacksmithing at it's best.
April 2, 200818 yr Author I'm in Madisonville, best I remember Wartburg is about an hour and a half from here. I used to hunt near there years ago. Actually , I got lost in Catoosa and walked out in Wartburg... it took a while. I remember I was walking a gravel road, it was freezing rain, and so foggy I couldn't see more than a few feet. I came across a small brick building that wasn't locked so I slept the rest of the night in there. It wasn't untill the next morning I realised it was a campground bathroom. No wonder it smelled. I found another section of RR track, but it is much too large for me to lift. It would probably take about 400 hacksaw blades to cut!
April 2, 200818 yr Ok ! LOL . Get someone to cut it with a plasma( BIG PLASMA) or a oxy -fuel tourch. What co. is Madisonville in?
April 2, 200818 yr I found another section of RR track, but it is much too large for me to lift. It would probably take about 400 hacksaw blades to cut! Naw, rail cuts easy if you start from the flange. (bottom) I've cut lots and lots, usually get around 8-10 per blade on my bandsaw, more if I wire brush it really clean first. The contact area on the rail's face is induction hardened for a few thousandths and work hardens as it wears. This keeps the rail from becoming brittle while maintaining a hard working surface. This means that if you cut from below the induction hardened face the saw teeth will chip the hard steel out without dulling. If you try cutting from the rail face all you'll do is eat blades and polish a little groove. Frosty
April 2, 200818 yr Author Monore , co. There was a train derailed in Sweetwater ,several years ago. I know the mess hasn't been cleaned up yet. I may drive down and see what's there. About three miles south of town on Hwy 11, there is a pile of gravels mixed with all the usual RR hardware, if anyone is near that area.
April 3, 200818 yr Frosty, thanks for the tip on cutting rails. I never thought about that part of things. I cheated and went with a cutting blade on my skill saw, but had to hack throught the rest of rail that the saw wouldn't reach.
April 3, 200818 yr My pleasure Paul. If you need to hand cut it you can make blades for a swede saw, bow saw, etc. from bandsaw blade. If it's too hard to drill for the mounting pins. Put a finish nail in your drill motor and spin it on the blade where you want to drill till the blade turns blue. Now it'll drill easily. It's not as much work as you might think. With the proper TPI blade even hand cutting a rail will only take 7-8 mins and some elbow grease. Frosty
April 3, 200818 yr Bowsaw with a bandsaw blade stays in my truck behind the seats---poor man's cutting torch and what I used to cut that large round stock sticking through that forklift fork. I generally punch the holes, one trick is to punch them slightly closer together than a wood saw blade so it's under a bit more tension. Sandvik makes nice frames for bowsaws. Just like RR rail when you cut bandsaw blade you cut it from the backside and let the hardened edge just break off rather than mess your snips up. I also use that set up for hot sawing as the blades are free.
April 4, 200818 yr Frosty ,please Write A Book I'll Buy 2! Thanks Pete but I'd have to split the proceeds with all the other guys who've answered my questions, even when I didn't ask. I have given doing a cook book consideration though. Frosty
April 5, 200818 yr Hey Guys and Gals, This is my first post on the forums... good to be here... I have been using a 4" x 4" x 14" block of 1045 steel burried in sand screening (that chalky fine gravel)... it deadens the ringing and has work hardend a bit with use. I ground a radius on one edge. Its mounted in a poultry feeder.... Ha! Rick
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