NoGoodWithUsernames Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 Greetings everyone, this is my first post on this fine site though I have been avidly reading for the past few days now. I have been interested in smithing since I was a young boy at Sutter's Fort (historic museum that commonly has living history events) and the smith there "Mr. Biscuits" let me hammer on some sort of soft alloy for a bit while he was actually being productive. Late last year I spent some time in a friends shop making a set of BBQ tools for my FIL as a Christmas gift and have been playing with the idea of getting my own setup going since then. Previously mentioned friend knew I was on the lookout and sent me a craigslist link to a local anvil listed for $800 (hopefully okay to discus pricing on here??) that included an anvil stand, and another stand with small vice and arbor press. Stopped by to check it out with some guidance as to what to look for as far as face condition, and checking for repairs etc. and promptly purchased my first anvil. Yes it was a bit of an impulse buy encouraged by a friend and so far tolerated by the wife, as long as I get some stuff knocked off the "honey do" list prior to piddling around with it too much. Anywho, got it home and, over the weekend, had a little bit of time to clean the paint off and ID the anvil. The face is pretty dang clean as is the horn, though the waist has been rather abused and possibly used for some .22 target practice?! The only marking visible prior to cleanup was the stamped number by the front handling hole. After I cleaned it up I found "Broo" on the side, "205" under Broo, and "51760" on the front foot, with lots of marks and dings and gouges covering the rest of the logo unfortunately. Between all the clues we deciphered it to a 200# Hay Budden, which I'm very pleased by. As far as I can tell, it's a pre 1917 version based on having the handling hole underneath the anvil, and having a serial number that does not start with "A" (from what I can tell it's 51760, rather dinged and difficult to read) Is there any way to tell what the actual year of manufacture is? (or at least closer than somewhere between 1892-1917. It would be super cool if it was before the turn of the century. As it is, I think it's really cool that my anvil is already a century old.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gavj75 Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 Hi there. I just wanted to tell u that I'm mega-jealous of that anvil u just got. Im certainly not any kind of professional smith so my opinion doesn't really mean anything but it does look like a mighty fine,even sexy, anvil and I reckon it's a great foundation to build up your forging skills from. Gav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 According to AIA your Hay Budden was made in 1900 and the pock marks were caused by a previous smith testing the hardening of the punches he made (common practice). A fine anvil indeed, hope you have read about not doing any grinding, milling or welding on the hardened face. How is the ring and rebound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGoodWithUsernames Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 That seems to be a strange practice, like you wouldn't test out your welder settings on the welder case? Why on an anvil? I suppose they were viewed differently back then huh? I have read not to do any work on the face, however would it be okay to touch the spots that look like weld spatter to bring them down flush to the face? If even that is not recommended there is still plenty of smooth working surface, but it would be nice to get rid of the couple bumps there are. (Also attached a few new photos, at least on the classic VW and Porsche forums I am on everyone loves photos so I figured some new photos since most of the paint is removed wouldn't go amiss.) Ring and rebound: Ring sounds reasonable to me. It's certainly not dull, and is fairly consistent across similar areas (all areas of face are the same, and areas over the heel, etc.) at this point I have not acquired any ball bearings to drop on it but when lightly tapping with the hammer it feels like the rebound test will have very good results. The hammer, even with the gentle blows to test sound, springs back very easily. Now granted I am a complete rookie so I don't really have a frame of reference, but as far as I can tell from reading about the tests and sounds on here it seems to be in good condition. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 The spatter would hammer down and blend it but a sharp chisel will shear them off easily and you won't have to listen to the howl if you take a grinder to it. A little grinding just to remove the spatter won't do much damage if you don't try to grind them out completely. Still . . . Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGoodWithUsernames Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 Thank you for that feedback, that sounds like a much better idea than taking a grinder to it and risking removing too much material or gouging the face. I think it will take a little bit of a mindset change as I start forging coming from welding and machining, so thank you all in advance for bearing with me as I'm sure to have more dumb questions along the way. But I promise not to try and forge a sword on my first go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 Closing with a snarky promise!?!? You're going to fit right in. Like puns? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 There goes his chance to work on a mosaic damascus greatsword using Wylie coyote cels for the pattern ideas for *years*! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 Only as a learn to forge project. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 On 6/2/2020 at 5:21 PM, NoGoodWithUsernames said: But I promise not to try and forge a sword on my first go! But they make it look so easy on Forged in Fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGoodWithUsernames Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 I love puns And Damascus of any sort will be quite a ways off. First I’ve got to get the basics and then make some tongs and hardy tools and the like. Now off I go for a while until I get my forge up and running and have more questions. Cheers guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Love the punishment, always looking for another player, IFI has some real master punsters. Once you learn to weld making pattern welds is as natural as playing with fire and hammers. Off you go UNTIL you get your forge up and running?!? I'm SURE you can think of lots of things to ask before getting up and running!! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 I actually consider billet welding easier than the common blacksmith welds---everything is lined up in a compact bundle that is easy to heat evenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 SHHHH! You're blowing one of our special secrets! If that gets out everybody will be doing it! Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 I'm still waiting for a pattern welded car body for my flying car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Winged or reactionless? Have you thought about the pattern? Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Pattern: Micro grooving to reduce drag of course. Definitely non-winged---makes for much easier parking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 No wings. Well there goes the feather pattern wings and tail. I'm thinking I'd like a flow pattern from inconel, titanium, mokume gane. I'd want something that looks like it's going fast parked and be able to take fast reentry. Of course reentry heating wouldn't be as much of a problem with a reactionless drive. I do like to go fast though. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Relating to things that look fast no matter their actual speed, my mother-in-law referred to a particular color of car as "Hello, Officer Red." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 But I didn't want a red flying car George. It is a good point though I should pick a slow looking pattern, Anybody know how to do a jelly fish or parachute patter? Oh oh grass. Yeah, that's the ticked my reactionless flying car will look like a lawn. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 We always called it "arrest me red", then when i had my Mitsi that was blue it became "bust me blue", i got many a ticket in that thing. Did not help that it had a tricked V-6 running NO2. Frosty, how about doing a chia pet flying car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoGoodWithUsernames Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 Dang I go away for a couple days and all of a sudden my first project went from a pair of tongs to a triple-alloy Damascus flying car, just one question! What's the tempering process to get the clear Damascus for the windshield?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 Well, you start by hardening until a file skates across...with a glassy sound. Are you sure it's punsters? We also have a lot of ham-sters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 6, 2020 Share Posted June 6, 2020 I figure looking like a mini van will deflect law enforcement's attention though a Chia minivan has an appeal, I really like green. The wind screens will probably be the same or similar transparent ceramic as used on the shuttle and our Jutul wood stove window. However if I went Jetsons bubble canopy I'm thinking transparent aluminum is the ticket. AKA clear Sapphire, controlled trace inclusions will provide desired color patterns, also transparent. The windscreens will be tinted to a reasonable and legal degree regardless of course. To quote Red Skelton, during an interview, when accused of being a ham said, "Oh heavens no, a ham can be cured." Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Special Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 If you have to consider looking like a minivan, perhaps it's time to switch to salads? A ham can be cured, but can you imagine the veterinarian bill? If wer're blue skying damascus wish lists, I'd love to see a full size anvil done in it. Raindrop pattern for choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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