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Heating big pieces


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I just obtained a 1 1/2" round bar. I am hoping to make some anvil tools from it. My question is in heating a piece of this size or bigger, does the internal temperature of such a piece vary much from the outside? Any other considerations need to be taken with larger stock that I might not be thinking of?

Thanks in advance
James

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For a solid fuel forge: rev up the fire, insert the large piece into the hot part and then stop adding air to it and go visit the facilities, or get a drink, or sweep the shop, etc to let it soak.

When you come back start the air back up and bring it the rest of the way to forging temp. You will be able to work a large piece longer and may actually put it back in the fire when still glowing as you may run out of hammering energy before you run out of heat!

Large hammers. large anvils and a striker is suggested too!

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Bigger stock takes a bigger fire.

1/2 inch square will take a certain amount of time to soak up heat and become all the same temperature from the skin to the core. 1-1/2 inch square is 3 times wider and 3 times taller or 9 times the volume of the 1/2 inch square and will take a lot more heat to become all the same temperature from the skin to the core. Soaking up heat is not fast, give it time.

A word of caution, big stock has a lot of radiant heat so do not sit on the anvil while you put the stock back in the fire and take a second or third heat. (grin)

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Another word of caution, heat conducts much faster in large stock than small so be careful when touching it. What would be a good hand holding length for 1/2" will be hand searing length for 1 1/4".

Frosty

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Thanks guys I truly appreciate the input. Now to get the time to work again. The time I had reserved for forging this week got taken by an uprooted tree at my inlaws... good news is no damage to their home, and a new anvil stump for yours truly. Next week is scout camp again so it may be a couple weeks but I'm gonna soak that bugger and see how much metal I can move.

James

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