boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 i have the harbor freight 55 pound anvil shaped object right now. i used it once so far (only just got the forge running today) and i can already tell its junk. i knew it was junk when i bought it but i thought it would work ok till i could find a real anvil. now im thinking i need to find one sooner rather then later. right now i have a prospect in my view. Ebay link removed per TOS its a 20 pound steel anvil but the 55 pounder jumps around on my (note to self find proper stand) so basically what im asking is is 20 pounds to light? ill mostly be working steel and would love a nice 300 pound behemoth but its probably best that i actually know what im doing before i start looking into dropping some serious cash on a anvil. budget is a big thing right now hope im posting this question in the right area, im still learning my way around the fourm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 That's not an upgrade. Obviously cast (not forged), so I wouldn't trust that it is steel either. You already have a horn and hardy hole, so I'd recommend that you be on the look out for just a large hunk of steel from the scrapyard. A LOT better bang for you buck!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 how thick do i need? im planing on putting a 1/4 in steel plate ontop of my current aso to help aleviate the problems. think itll help or should i just leave it be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-1ToolSteel Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Leave it be. Trying to add a thin plate will actually make it worse. Usually, we talk about anvils in terms of mass and weight, but I'd say 10 or more inches of solid mass under the hammer would be ideal. The more, the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 worse. got it. hard to imagine it being worse to be honest. but ill follow your advice. but allow me to add another question. where am i gunna find basicly a big brick of steel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 19 minutes ago, boattlebot said: and i can already tell its junk. i knew it was junk Well we told you that. Use that as a horn and hardy hole for cutoff tools and what not for now. LOOK IN THE IMPROVISED ANVIL THREAD! you will find that anvils are all around you for little to nothing. Got a sledge hammer? There is your anvil. Find a fab shop and go in and talk to them. They probably have tons of stock on top of having a large steel block to use as an anvil. All for almost scrap prices because they were already paid for the new stock. Scrap yard you can buy from? Use the TPAAAT. Know what that is? Look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 i will google tpaaat cus i have no idea. but yes the regreat is high. but like you said atleast i have a hardy hole and a horn. ive never bought from a scrap yard only sold. didnt even know they would sell to people off the street to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Twenty pound anvil is too light to do any work, other than a bench top jewelers anvil. I picked up a 110 pound piece of dozer, from a scrap yard for &35 U.S. it serves well for an anvil. The stump was free. 5 minutes ago, boattlebot said: i will google tpaaat No need, here it is. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/3602-thomas-powers-applied-anvil-acquisition-technique/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Ones in my area wont. Worth an asking. But the metal fab shops are easier to work with. Go to fleamarkets. Never know what you'll find. Look at estate auctions. Sometimes worth a go. Heck I've used a chunk of granite that had good rebound and was better than cast iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 2 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: No need, here it is. thanks. so flea markets and ask around basicly? let me add one (hopefully) last question. how to i tell steel from iron? 4 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: The stump was free. wish i could find a free stump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Thanks Irondragon. Bot, you gotta start doing a bit of reading to save yourself headaches that have already been worn. Look up the spark test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 Just now, Daswulf said: Look up the spark test. will do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Look for construction companies or check out dumpsters. Or backs of businesses. Free lumber is to be had. Pallets that companies just want rid of. I'm sure if you knew what you needed and looked around enough, anything you need is extremely cheap or free. Research is your friend. The more you know the easier everything is. Take knowledge to the forge then research again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 yea gotta love when you dont know enough to know what you dont know. atleast my forge works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 When you know more you'll want to improve it. lol. Yeah I didn't know much but I've been working on it and learn more every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 been reading alot of stuff on here and other places. im picking up a few things but im still mostly clueless haha. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 It all comes with time. That's why we suggest going with a proven forge design and post so much about improvised anvils and such. People with money to throw at it do but some dont and there are solutions to that as long as the people wanting to learn dont have the " I cant" this or that attitude. Where there is a will there is a way and we are here to help. Infact there are many old posts about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 besides worn out forklift tines; check out places that repair large earth moving equipment. Dozers are built of improvised anvils! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 if my scrap yard can't help me out. (I really have no clue if they sell to the public or not) I might know a place that can help me out. used to deliver parts to a place that fixes bulldozers and the like. didn't think of that to be honest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Knowing you don't know enough to know how little you know is a HUGE plus. Knowing there is a problem is the first step, next identify it, then analyze it, then devise solutions and experiment. It's a process that can't start till you know there's a need. Any shaft larger around or across than your hammer, mounted on end makes a good anvil. Not okay, GOOD. Large truck axles are excellent anvils, especially if they have bolt flanges as part of the end. LOTS of useful things you can do with the bolt holes in the flange. Remember you want "depth of rebound" in an anvil, in human talk that's how much steel is under your hammer, not weight so much as distance from hammer blow to the other end. A 2" dia. x 30" long shaft on end is a more efficient anvil than a 6" x 30" shaft on it's side. If you can come up with a rail car axle you'll have as good as it gets. Just the thought gets me all aquiver. Don't get in a rush and keep asking us. We're pulling for you. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boattlebot Posted June 7, 2018 Author Share Posted June 7, 2018 ok. so I need thick not big. got it. soooooo uhhhhhhh where would I find a train axle?!? been looking at pole anvils. I'd love to get my hands on a steel post or something. put it in a bucket of concrete for a base and then put that bucket in a bigger bucket of sand so I don't drown out my radio off the reverb of concrete. (altho all the metal dust on the floor might help that some. I really need to sweep) I'm really used to looking for odd uses for stuff in stores. one of my favorite things to do is go to lowes and look for random stuff to some off the wall project I'm working on. love it when the guy helping you find stuff gives me the head tilt puppy dog face that just screams confused. also, what would the holes on the flange be good for? haven't seen much about actual teqnique on here. (tryed looking for a absolute basics type deal but no luck yet) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 rental yards, heavy equipmnet repair/rental, paving companies, etc... look for forklift forks, large bucket pins, hydraulic breaker points, hydraulic rams, etc... all good steel and already heat treated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exo313 Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Holes, depending on size relative to the size of stock you're working, are good for assisting with bending, heading, punching, drifting, and lots of other things more expert people than I am will mention. Plus they can be used to accept tooling that is made to fit the hole and then the sky is the limit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 Spend a full week (40 hours) running the alleys and backs of stores looking into dumpsters. This is a research mission, just a look to see what is available. If you find treasure, then tell the store manager what you are doing and ask if you may have the material. If they say yes, thank them, then put on your eye protection, gloves, boots and etc and collect the material. Be sure to thank them, and I mean sincerely THANK them. Next spend a full week (40 hours) specifically targeting businesses that discard heavy material. Heavy equipment repair, rain road repair, machine shops, junk yards, hydraulic shops, etc. Keep the results in a notebook with names, addresses, phone numbers, etc because you can not remember it all and you will need it for reference later.Look up GTTS (go to the source) thread on the site. Lowes does not handle rail road tracks, you have to go to a rail road work crew or facility, for instance. Rochester NY has a population: 208,880 (2016). That is large enough to have the items you are looking for somewhere. Your job is to find them, be nice, tell people what you want the materials for, and thank them when you finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 7, 2018 Share Posted June 7, 2018 I have often noticed RR axles associated with RR cars; HOWEVER they make a big fuss if you try to remove one! And while searching out sources don't forget the vital question "Where else do you think I should look?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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