Or even a board. As a matter of fact, my son has a blacksmith book which suggests just that for hammer practice. In your case, it'd cushion the blows somewhat, but at least the 4140 chunk won't get dinged up. Plywood ought to take a pretty good pounding. The other option is just use it, and fix it later if it breaks.
Pete
Pete, forgive my ignorance, what happens to real anvils when they get banged by hammers? Do they get dented also?
i
Not if they are being used properly! An anvil is a tool; not unlike many they can be damaged by improper use. The top surface of a 'real' anvil is hardened. How that is done is an art in itself. The surface of an anvil is designed to back a piece of red/white hot steel that is being shaped with blows from a (weight and speed depending on application) hammer.
That is an EXTREMELY simple explanation. A more complete explanation may be found by a lifetime dedication to the art of blacksmithing! Note the word 'dedication'. Note the word 'lifetime'. There is no substitution.
Ken.
Often times the makers did it that way. I saw it at a range before I made a set
- Thought it was one thing (upon hearing) and saw it different. The weld was there, but the pre-tempered steel was softened due to zonal heating.
Such is life. But is often the same issue when welding a trailer, a chair, a .... we all have to remember this one!
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net NRA LOH & Endowment Member NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member
Gunner wrote:
Yes, they can get dinged. And if they're dinged, every time you hammer something on the ding, it gets an imprint. A little of this is normal. Nobody buys blacksmith stuff because it looks machined. It's generally considered serious anvil abuse to whack it with a hammer. Beginners tend to miss, hence hammer practice.
Of course, this is all in theory to me. I built a propane forge and got tools and an anvil for my son who expressed an interest, along with some books. I'm not about to start with my arthritis, busted fingers, and carpal tunnel.
I love to watch blacksmiths work. I'd guess it's a muscle memory thing. I bet a good one doesn't even think about aiming his blow, he just sees where he wants to hit, and how hard, and it happens.
Pete
Remember, I am not a welder by trade and this was one of my very first projects.
- Gordie
And there are some who maintain that even Jesus Himself appeared only as spiritual, and not in flesh, but presented merely the appearance of flesh: these persons seek to rob the flesh of the promise.
Nice anvil, and that's how i would like my yard to look.
i
Indeed.
Its amazing to see yards you dont have to climb over stuff to get from one side to the other.
Gunner
Political Correctness
A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.
Gunner - I have more than enough grass to mow. Just not enough shop space for the toys!
My neighbor with 4 horses has a bit larger place, but has stacks of steel beams and sheets - he is keeping for ever - might use it some day... (Rats!).
He has a tractor with forklift tines on front to move/clean.
He took in a trailer, moved it into a creek and set it ablaze. After the fire burned the hasmat out - he was able to get to some stuff he wanted... Old School method.
Mart> >
School method.
You know how filled with s*it my place was..you were over. It looks much better now..but Im still going through boxes and bins
Gunner
You're just going to have to get busy, Ig. :)
Eatchur heart out, Ig... I don't even have a stupid lawn to get in the way of my good stuff! :) I got him beat all to hell.
(girlfriend is holding up the cardboard so nobody will see all my good stuff and come steal it)
Alvin in AZ
Yeah, I let things go this time of year. Usually is lots of snow and can't work outside with the welder anyway. My welding table is at the corner of the deck. I made a small box of steel sheet for the plug-in and mounted it with the open end down so that rain sheds without ever touching the receptacle. Just bring out the welder and plug it in. Have a similar set-up for 110V for the MIG too. These boxes are under the deck at the back of the bench.
My father in law was a welder. He helped me with the idea and turned me loose. Three legs was his idea but I only had enough pipe for two so he gave me some channel. This anvil is all I really need around here.
PS - Some of the rest of the yard is worse :)
- Regards Gordie
An old guy that had a fabrication shop here in town years ago had the reputation of no matter where in his yard you wanted to do some arc welding, inside or out, you had an earth. The earth clamp was hooked to a bench inside his shed and that's where it stayed, that much scrap steel laying on the ground througout the whole yard was "LIVE". OH&S wasn't heard of then! Rod
Good plan.
Around here there are backyard and places 'cops' that turn in people with to much stacked around. Often it is a trash yard (dumping trash) but sometimes it is a private junk yard and both of those get trashed by the police. Water pollution......
Builders, so I hear anyway, buy larger plots of land so neighbors are not bothered... :-)
Martin
Mart> >
School method.
And how much stuff in the backyard would be "too much"?
ibothered... :-)
for the toys!
School method.
I'm not one of the 'backyard snoopy cops' - that both help us and cause ill towards a neighbor.
In some places, so I have seen on the TV, a flag on a flag pole or a car on the street or one in the back yard or anything that has grass growing in or through it...
Martin
Mart> >
bothered... :-)
for the toys!
School method.
There was this gentleman (that's spelt prick btw) that lived next door to my dad, and he was building a house.
He asked my Dad if held like some wood left over from the construction.
Dad, being Dad, said okay.
The "gentleman" then called the local council and complained that my Dad had an unsightly yard.
The "Universe's Biggest Used Tampon Award" is awarded to this "gentleman".
Regards Charles (who is still bitter) P.S. The genltleman then truely wondered why the neighbours didn't like him.
Mart> I'm not one of the 'backyard snoopy cops' - that both help us and cause ill
Yeah. I used to have to be "good" when we lived in town. Now, we live 30 miles from city limits and have 15 acres. Some of the neighbors have worse yards than us and nobody complains. One of these days (maybe) I'll clean up the yard.
- Regards Gordie
... we discussed how to test anvils ...
I used this anvil this Thursday to straighten a piece of sheet metal (I would say under 1mm thick sheet metal). It was a body panel from a
5 HP breathing air pump. The pump works, but the top cover panel in question for some reason looked like it was run over by a truck.The result is that the sheet is now relatively straight, and the anvil is not too beat up, so, I think, it will work fine for my limited needs.
i
Glad it worked. Regards,
Pete
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