Bheikes235 Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Forgive me if this isn't the appropriate place for this question, first time posting on this forum (though I've been using it for information for quite some time) Background: So, i've been using the shoddy harbor freight anvil (yeah, i know) since i started. It has, unsurprisingly, developed a big sag in the middle of the work face. "Real" anvils have "real" price tags, and i can't afford a decent one, though i've been looking for a bargain for quite some time. I do however, have plenty of leaf spring lying around. Question: is there a good reason i shouldn't take a chunk of leaf spring, forge it to fit tight to my current surface, smooth it (dress?) Heat treat and pin/weld it to the top? I figure it will give me a fresh, flat, and harder surface and add a little mass as a bonus. To my mind, it's a good, "free" upgrade. Thoughts/suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Is this the HF cast iron anvil you want to perimeter weld a steel face to? (cue maniacal laughter) Why not just go the improvised anvil route and have a *real* anvil made from steel? https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52308-a-collection-of-improvised-anvils/ Stop by sometime and I'll take you by the heavy scrap pile at the scrapyard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bheikes235 Posted April 13, 2020 Author Share Posted April 13, 2020 Cast iron? Maybe, but I doubt it since it moves cold under the hammer like mild steel. Very soft surface, any time i upset anything on it, it leaves a mark/scar that i tap away between heats. Worth testing in advance anyway, good call. Thoughts on drilling/pinning/bolting? As for improvising an anvil, it's not out of the realm of possibility, i just dont have the parts to do so at present. All my local scrapyards refuse to sell scrap, only buy it. I get scrap from auto shops, roadside junk, and "donations". South central PA seems weirdly devoid of good scrap sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 Except for the cast steel Russian anvils HF sold all their anvils are cast iron. Does your anvil have the hardy hole at a 45 deg angle to the sides? Have you done a spark test on it? Ball bearing test? Results? How does it ring? I had a student who tried to machine the top of a soft anvil flat and then drill and bolt a new face on from the underneath. He was not satisfied with the results and I don't know what he ended up doing with it as it "disappeared from sight". If it is a cast iron anvil trying to weld on a HC face is a exercise in futility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted April 13, 2020 Share Posted April 13, 2020 perimeter welds are useless as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bheikes235 Posted April 13, 2020 Author Share Posted April 13, 2020 Hardy hole is parallel to sides. Ball drop test results in ~30% rebound. Not dragging equipment to/from other shop to spark test. Ring is more of a clack, almost nonexistant. How useless is useless? If it holds in combination with a pin/rivet id be satisfied I'm not aiming for a great anvil here, just a flat one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bheikes235 Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 It sounds like this is a Bad Idea and i should abandon it, just not clear on *why*. Ill end up buying a decent one eventually, just thought this might be a stopgap measure til i find a decent one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 30% rebound says cast iron. The whys of your idea not working are multiple.: 1, perimeter welds leave the face unbonded to the anvil, it'll be deader than it is now. 2, A soft body with no elastic rebound will deform under a high carbon face even if bonded it will form a swale. A much better anvil is a length of rr rail mounted on end, it IS high carbon steel and depending on your preferred anvil face height will have a tremendous depth of rebound, think 95%+ rebound and be an efficient metal mover. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bheikes235 Posted April 14, 2020 Author Share Posted April 14, 2020 Ok, thanks. That's the information i was looking for. No access to rr track. Again, most scrapyards wont sell, the one that does only sells angle iron, rebar, flat stock, etc. Plenty lying around near old tracks, but only available at 5 finger discount. Guess ill just deal with the dishing and scarring til i have another option Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Scout around for heavy equipment and big rig truck repair shops and see if a box of doughnuts will buy you enough good will to pick up a piece of steel shaft or a broken axle. Either mounted on end makes a fine anvil. Don't get caught in the trap of thinking an anvil has to have a horn, heel, hardy and pritchel holes. While London pattern anvils are fine tools they are far from the most common. Anything you use to back the work while you hammer on it IS an anvil. Period. Keep your eyes open there are plenty of good heavy pieces of steel laying around that'll make fine anvils. Honest, I used to use whatever was at hand where ever we were camped, boulders work a treat. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1 Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Why not build yourself a striking anvil? All you need is a thick plate say 2"x8" and some 12" long. Build legs as you see fit and Bob is your uncle. Here is a fancy one. https://youtu.be/z4IowHptu9Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Forklift tines or do thy not use forklifts in PA? A damaged tine is not allowed to be reused due to liability reasons so finding a repair shop and offering to buy one cut off for your use might work. An example of what can be done with one: http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stash Posted April 14, 2020 Share Posted April 14, 2020 Hey- depends where you are in SCPA, if you are anywhere near Reading, go a little east to Moses Glick, in Fleetwood PA. He has all kind of treasures and sells them by the pound. Worth a road trip, if he's open. There's also a yard in Lancaster, but the name escapes me right now. I can search it out if you want. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartW Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 That's the reason I keep a whole stack of railroad around... Help me as a striker for an hour, 58 cm of RR. 2 hours; 58 cm of RR with 2 fish plates welded in Sometimes, when people really want to get into this, but really are rock bottom, I'll just give them away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 I've been amazed how folks come tell me they can't find anything and in our same small town I can't haul and store all the stuff I'm finding! I generally find that they are only searching online or not talking to folks that they think couldn't possibly own an anvil. (Or only talking to folks trying to make the most money possible selling stuff---I see US$150 railroad rail "anvils" on a regular bases that are worth at least $20!) I keep a few chunks of steel for improvised anvils to hand as well and will sell them at the same price I bought them at to new folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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