What is this?

[NathanMiller]

I picked this up at the salvage yard, but I'm not sure what it's from. None of the numbers on it seem to connect with anything when I search for them. It must weigh 150lbs or so (I'm afraid I'll break my wife's nice scale if I use it). The steel takes a dent from a hammer, so it's not exactly anvil material as it is. There seems to be a copper ferrule through the center of the hole at the top. I'v e attached pictures. Can anyone recognize this thing?

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

Just a guess from the wear marks but it kinda looks like something that used to be connected to a hydraulic ram. Sorry not much help. 

[Frosty]

No telling beyond  general type. Does it matter what it was? What are you going to do with it? Do NOT put it in a forge until you strip the plating off! Breathing toxic fumes isn't the way to enjoy years of the craft. RIGHT?

Frosty The Lucky.

[NathanMiller]

Thanks guys! Hydraulic ram would make sense. No worries, Frosty, even if I wanted to forge this monster, I'd need some crazy, industrial-sized induction forge or something! No, it's massive and solid enough that I had thoughts of angle grinding off a small section off the top and welding on a small piece of tool steel for hammering on. I figured if I could identify it, I could get a better sense of how to treat it.

[George N. M.]

I'd say that it held a bearing for some sort of large piece of equipment. The hole in the top looks like it is for lubricating a bearing.

If it is about 150 lbs a bathroom scale should handle it fine, most household scales go up to 300# or so.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[NathanMiller]

Thank you, George! You're no doubt right about the scale being able to handle the weight, but it's one of those nice, glass-topped scales, which might not be very forgiving if I slipped and dropped the thing too quickly.

[Frosty]

I wouldn't weld tool steel or anything to it. The arc will generate hexavalent chrome for your breathing enjoyment and grinding it off isn't much better. Maybe you can find a piece of reasonably heavy bar that'll slip through the hole and wedge. Hmmm, you could have interchangeable dies: horn, bridge, heel, left handed glotanga, etc. 

I'd look for something to bolt or screw it down to, tipping it over on your toe might not make your day sunny and bright.

Frosty The Lucky.

[NathanMiller]

So it's pretty likely that it is chrome-plated then and not stainless? Either way, it is not likely to hold up on its own as a post anvil. I should definitely take a file with me to the scrapyard the next time I go. I think that your idea is doable, Frosty, but that left-handed glotanga sounds like something found during a colonoscopy. Possibly scarier than chromium poisoning!

[JHCC]

It's the right-handed glotangae that you really need to watch out for.

[Frosty]

15 minutes ago, NathanMiller said:

that left-handed glotanga sounds like something found during a colonoscopy.

Nah, that's a myth, if you can, get the doc to position a monitor so you can watch your colonoscopy live. The remote control, spring, polyppopper is something to see in action!

That cylinder connecter is just begging for a selection of two sided reversible bi-glotangas. Maybe flippable whacker backers. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Buzzkill]

38 minutes ago, NathanMiller said:

So it's pretty likely that it is chrome-plated then and not stainless?

It looked stainless rather than plated to me due to the fine machining marks that would probably be covered, or at least not as defined, if it were plated.  However, at least one of the wear surfaces appeared to have rust, so I'm reserving judgment.   If it is non-magnetic it is almost certainly stainless.  If it is magnetic it could still be either plated or stainless, depending on the alloy.

[NathanMiller]

40 minutes ago, Buzzkill said:

It looked stainless rather than plated to me due to the fine machining marks that would probably be covered, or at least not as defined, if it were plated.  However, at least one of the wear surfaces appeared to have rust, so I'm reserving judgment.   If it is non-magnetic it is almost certainly stainless.  If it is magnetic it could still be either plated or stainless, depending on the alloy.

It does not have the mirrored look I've come to expect from a chrome finish. While it is still dirty, I am pretty certain that some of the spots are oxidation. Some of the dents seem to have a faint reddish hue, so I don't think it's just imbedded grease, but there is no out-and-out crusty rust. It is magnetic, but somewhat less strongly than a nearby piece of 1095.

[edited for inappropriate language] So apparently I can't use proctological phrases for willful ignorance that make humorous reference to the thought of getting a close-up view of my own colon via televised colonoscopy. Good to know, I guess. Wouldn't want to shock a bunch of blacksmiths with mild anatomical references. You know how sensitive they are!

As far as Frosty's "two sided reversible bi-glotanga" and "flippable whacker backers," I have a suspicion that the newbie is being hazed...

I like you guys. Thank you for all of the help!

Edited Thursday at 04:00 PM by NathanMiller
Edited for inappropriate language

[Irondragon ForgeClay Works]

It's not so much about shocking a bunch of blacksmiths, but having to explain to the kids that frequent this forum with them. You might want to google the definition of "Family friendly". When my wife read the part that was edited out she said "That was rude" and she doesn't shock easily and  I wouldn't want to explain it to our 5 yr old granddaughter.

1 hour ago, NathanMiller said:

Wouldn't want to shock a bunch of blacksmiths with mild anatomical references.

 

[NathanMiller]

5 minutes ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

It's not so much about shocking a bunch of blacksmiths, but having to explain to the kids that frequent this forum with them. You might want to google the definition of "Family friendly". When my wife read the part that was edited out she said "That was rude" and she doesn't shock easily and  I wouldn't want to explain it to our 5 yr old granddaughter.

 

Well, when I'm wrong, I'm wrong; and I apologize. My family is probably very different from the definition used here, which should come as no surprise to me. I hope I can be forgiven.

[ThomasPowers]

Some of us here are survivors of TBI and probably won't remember your previous issues if you don't keep bringing it up.  exp: I just don't remember names without a lot of reinforcement; so I can be describing in great detail a blacksmithing process while at the same time arguing with the same person in a different thread.

[JHCC]

Generally speaking, if you have an issue with how something is moderated, take it up with Glenn and the moderators. Airing such disputes publicly almost never ends well.

[Irondragon ForgeClay Works]

Getting back to your original question. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out where I've seen something similar to that. It finally came to me. It looks a lot like an intermediate propeller tail shaft support on a ship.

[rustyanchor]

Could be, but it would be an awful small shaft for a cute little boat.

[NathanMiller]

8 minutes ago, Irondragon ForgeClay Works said:

Getting back to your original question. I've been racking my brain trying to figure out where I've seen something similar to that. It finally came to me. It looks a lot like an intermediate propeller tail shaft support on a ship.

Wouldn't THAT be an interesting find?! Whatever it is, there were I believe 3 others in the same pile. One of them seemed to have been fitted into another piece (wish I would have taken a picture of it at the time) and at the time it reminded me of a connecting rod for an engine cylinder. I dismissed the idea because of the size and because I know very little about combustion engines.

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

That’s a good idea irondragon i didn’t think about it holding a shaft, I was just looking at the top and it looked like something has been wearing on it back and forth so I thought something hydraulic used to be connected but maybe it’s just scuffed up, anyways if there are several available maybe you could use them to hold a home made lineshaft to run older machines? 

[Frosty]

I'm thinking it's a connection to a pivot pin whether from a hyd cylinder or as an anchor in another area. Think of a loader bucket there are two axes that pivot: the hinge directly attached to the arms and the lift ram(s). One axis is constant with the arms the other axis is connected to the bucket and back to the arms so moves in an arc to the loader arms.

I'm not saying it's  part of a loader just that it looks to be that type of female pivot connection, the bushing and oiler hole says it doesn't rotate like a drive shaft, that'd take better lube or it'd have seals and none are indicated. 

Frosty The Lucky.