ABuggeln Posted March 17, 2018 Share Posted March 17, 2018 Hi all - I just acquired this anvil with a bunch of other scrap steel from a retiring farmer for $50. It's obviously had a rough life - heal snapped off, cracks all around the horn, significant chip out of the face. The reason I bought it was so that I had another beater for my scout troop when we do blacksmithing - I didn't realize it was a mouse hole until I wire brushed it! The question is what to do with it. The cracks concern me the most - I don't believe they can be repaired; certainly not by me. Is the horn likely to snap off with continued light to moderate use? Last thing I want is a 40 pound horn dropping on a foot. Any suggestions on how to extract to most use out of it? Pretty fun to find a mouse hole in a pile of scrap, even in this shape! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 I would just use it the way it is if i didnt have anything else to hammer on. That big crack is the forge weld failing. Its kinda interesting to see it like that and still have the horn attached. They were welded together from several pieces. I just sold one not too long ago with the heal snapped off but it still had good rebound. For what you paid for it and some steel i would say you got a good deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 As it has -zero- collectible value in this shape, it is a prime candidate for welding. Finding someone local who has a clue about welding wrought iron is the tough part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Why not just use some big chunk of scrap with the scouts? Probably one of the best things you could teach them is that you don't need a London pattern anvil to shape steel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlblohm Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 This was posted on bladesmithsforum.com by Owen Bush im sure its here somewhere. I figured it would help if you decide to weld it up. http://www.anvilmag.com/smith/anvilres.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Hey JHCC, Now I can see why you like Mouseholes so much more than Soderfors. The multi-piece design is obviously much more durable. Sorry, I couldn't help it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judson Yaggy Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 14 minutes ago, Tubalcain2 said: multi-piece design Modular design- if you don't like the shape of the horn or heel, just break it off and weld on a different one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubalcain2 Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Brilliant! Using that logic we should start building anvils from Legos. Call up the patent office! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABuggeln Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 Thanks for the inputs. I'm going to look for a talented welder to fix it up a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABuggeln Posted March 18, 2018 Author Share Posted March 18, 2018 Another question - I'll probably do any grinding prep prior to welding. I've read over Gunther's process, and I'm still wary of those cracks. My feeling is that I should grind down to the crack tip to ensure it's completely repaired, but that might be a long way into the wrought iron base. Is there risk from replacing too much wrought iron with weld? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John McPherson Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 No, but there is a risk of leaving any crack un-filled. Cracks have a way of propogating. And have someone do a proper repair job on the face while you are at it.. If someone feels REALLY ambitious, fabricating a new heel at the same time would complete it. Knowledgeable welder time is a bargain at $25/hr, buddy rate on the weekend. Specialty rod is $10 - $25 per pound. You will end up grinding a sizable percentage away. Call it an 8 hour day, and 20 pounds of rod. Don't forget the cost of the propane weedburner, and cereamic blankets. All totaled, it could be done commercially for the low, low price of not much more than two new anvils would cost. Which is why major anvil repair is usually a labor of love, ignorance, arrogance, despair, or some combination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 That anvil is what it is. Use it as it is. Personally I'd maybe paint the body on the horn side of the cracks so your scouts will know where NOT to strike heavy blows. Treat the kids like they have a brain and explain WHY and HOW to be careful. What caused the damage and how to use what's left. Believe me, even 10 year olds are smart enough to understand that reality of life. If an anvil still has life in it even after heavy abuse. THAT is a life lessen they can understand and use! Don't underestimate them! Set up a station with an anvil that has a good horn and heel for them. Being a Scout is ABOUT taking turns with other Scouts and non-Scout citizens. It's ABOUT learning how to use tools, how to care for them and preserve them. Stop underestimating your boys, they have just as much brain as adults. Help them learn to use them. If YOU really MUST TRY to repair that glorious old survivor. SAW off the broken section and grind out any remaining flakes, cracks, etc. Use 1/2" spacers that can be welded with 100% penetration from both sides by a PROFESSIONAL WELDER and PAY THE BILL. That kind of weld WILL damage the hardened anvil face in the HAZ. Will anyway. Fill the face with a good quality hard face build up / filler rod rather than a hard face rod. Hard face build up rod is designed for impact resistance and you're only talking a 1/2" wide space that will have considerable mixing of the existing high carbon face and the medium high carbon build up rod. I do my rough grinding with a stone cup on my 7" Milwaukee right angle grinder while it's still hot from welding. Then I bury it in perlite. Seriously I can do more effective grinding on red hot hard facing in 5 minutes than a couple hours on cold hard facing. It also imparts less stress and in fact in some cases stress relieves the welds. That's a different situation but the principle is the same. That's just the way I do this kind of thing. Frosty the Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 There is usable face on that anvil. one idea to use it as- is (and keep the possibility of the horn falling on a foot) would be to drill in from spots on the horn side into the body and tap and bolt it. another is to drill and tap some holes on either side and bolt brackets on. Both cheaper then a full face and horn resto., and will make what you have there more safely usable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 Agree with McPherson; you can't hurt junk. Torch or gouge out the cracks, weld with 70 series MIG of at least 250 amps. Use CO2 to help deal with the silica inclusions. Way faster than grinding, stick welding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 If it was mile I would see if one of the chunks of forklift fork I have was wide enough as a new face. Gap it off the old face 3/8" and weld it on with 7018 starting from the center out. 7018 has a non conductive flux so it would be easier to reach down into a slot with. Plus it is a low hydrogen rod which I have had good luck with in the past for other projects with higher carbon materials. Keep the fork under 350F to keep the original heat teat and be done with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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