Subject: Re: Anvil making Process

From: [email-masked] (Dan Wold)
Date: 23 Mar 1995 00:37:27 -0500

ErnieLeim ([email-masked]) wrote:
: I've had so many request for the specifics of my process that I thought
: I'd just post it here and save some time. My main inerest in promoting
: this is to see more good anvils out there for people to use rather than to
: sit in antique stores with outrageous prices on them. I don't realy price
: these to make much money . I basicly cover my costs by charging $2.00 /
: lb. for unfinished and $2.50 -$3.00 / lb. for finished anvils.

:  Okay 
: The process is actually rather simple in concept; it just deals with
: really thick steel in a rather nasty way.

: cents per pound. New steel costs  between 90 cents and $1.50 a pound.
: Layout your pattern on the steel and cut it out . Trust me, I have done a
: lot of oxygen cutting and I was unprepared for just how nasty cutting 4
: inch plate could be. It takes a steady hand and a very regular speed to
: get a cut that is even remotely nice. This process was so unpleasant that
: after cutting my first anvil I immediatly looked for a company with a
: computer controlled cutting torch.

I certainly agree that cutting 4" plate is tricky. However, since you're
going to be welding and grinding in later steps of the project I suggest
cutting 4 identical pieces out of 1" plate and welding them together. It not
hard at all to get a smooth accurate cut on 1" plate. Just use a large tip
and plenty of oxygen pressure. Prior to welding the slabs together you could
cut in a 1" square hole by slotting a middle slab.

 I decided that if I was going to do
: this for any o   ne else there was no way I would hand cut another anvil.
: After you have the cut blank  profile, you have to do a couple of bevel
: torch cuts by hand to give the shape to the horn. Also don't forget the
: hardy hole. The pritchel hole can be drilled (thank god). As well to start
: the hardy hole torch cut you should drill a hole to start the cut in.
: After all the torch work is done, knock off all the slag and scale .
:  Hence beginneth the grinding .

(lots of stuff snipped)

Ernie, 

If you went through this to create your own anvil I believe you deserve some
recognition or award. Perhaps "Metal-Smith of the Month"! :-)

-Dan
-- 
[email-masked]
Daniel Wold                               239 City Island Ave,Bronx,NY,10464
finger [email-masked]
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From: [email-masked] (ErnieLeim)
Date: 20 Mar 1995 19:15:21 -0500

I've had so many request for the specifics of my process that I thought
I'd just post it here and save some time. My main inerest in promoting
this is to see more good anvils out there for people to use rather than to
sit in antique stores with outrageous prices on them. I don't realy price
these to make much money . I basicly cover my costs by charging $2.00 /
lb. for unfinished and $2.50 -$3.00 / lb. for finished anvils.

 Okay 
The process is actually rather simple in concept; it just deals with
really thick steel in a rather nasty way.
Start with a pattern for your anvil . Either trace an existing anvil or
design your own. Next decide how heavy you want it to be. In general 4
inch plate yields an anvil of around 200 lbs., if you go by a 1905 anvil
pattern. So 3 inch yields 150 lbs.and 5 inch yields 250 lbs.
You will need an oxy acet. cutting torch capable of cutting the plate 
thickness you choose and 2 - 240 cu. ft. tanks of oxygen.
Go to a scrap yard nearby and find a chunk of steel that is big enough for
your pattern . Say about 30 inches by 18 inches by 4 inches. If you buy
new steel you will pay through the nose. Scrap runs between 10 and 20
cents per pound. New steel costs  between 90 cents and $1.50 a pound.
Layout your pattern on the steel and cut it out . Trust me, I have done a
lot of oxygen cutting and I was unprepared for just how nasty cutting 4
inch plate could be. It takes a steady hand and a very regular speed to
get a cut that is even remotely nice. This process was so unpleasant that
after cutting my first anvil I immediatly looked for a company with a
computer controlled cutting torch. I decided that if I was going to do
this for any one else there was no way I would hand cut another anvil.
After you have the cut blank  profile, you have to do a couple of bevel
torch cuts by hand to give the shape to the horn. Also don't forget the
hardy hole. The pritchel hole can be drilled (thank god). As well to start
the hardy hole torch cut you should drill a hole to start the cut in.
After all the torch work is done, knock off all the slag and scale .
 Hence beginneth the grinding .
Use a large right angle hand grinder to grind the rough shape of the
anvil. The better your torch cut was , the less grinding you have to do.
Don't worry about getting a perfect finish yet.
After you have all the rough grinding done you will need to hardface the
face of the anvil and also the top of the horn . To do this you will
either need a stick welder capable of at least 200 amps or a mig welder
capable of 200-250 amps and able to push .045 wire. .045 is the smallest
hard facing wire made due to the difficulty of drawing it any smaller. 

If you are stick welding it is best if you preheat the anvil to about 400
degrees F. This will help to prevent cracking of the hardface due to
cooling to fast. The weapon of choice is a propane weed burner since it
can't get it too hot. To check the temperature you should get a Tempilaque
stick . It's a kind of crayon that can be purchased in sets of temperature
ranges. When the crayon melts on contact you have reached the temp marked
on the stick. I believe you can get these from centaur forge. It is best
to lay down a layer of whats called build up rod . It's not as hard as the
true hard facing and acts as a kind of cushion . Also it's best to not to
build the surface too thick too fast. About an 1/8 inch at a time with a
thorough cleaning between layers. Once you have the desired coverage you
should bury the anvil in Lime or vermiculite to let it cool down slowly.

If you are using a mig welder, you can skip the preheat and slow-cool-down
stages since the hard facing wire is much more forgiving than the stick
rod. Also if you use a mig you can actually see what you are laying down
since there is no layer of slag to be chipped off between passes. But
still don't lay down too much in one place at a time. It's best to do
about 2 layers over the whole surface than try to lay it down all at once.
 
And the grinding beginneth yet again. Yeah verily.
Once the anvil has cooled down , grind , grind , grind  and , oh yes ,
grind some more, until you have the anvil of your dreams.
If you use a cup wheel on a 7 inch or 9 inch Right Angle grinder you will
find it easier to get a flat face . For the final polishing of the
surfaces invest in some "flapper" style sanding wheels of say 40, 60, and
100 grit . On a 4-1/2 inch right angle grinder they are just great for
finishing.

All that is left is to weld on a couple of feet to stabilize it and
possibly to mount it to your block and there you have it . So simple and
quick ( sarcasm).

Really it is a lot of work but you will get a really great anvil and there
aren't too many people who can honestly say they have made a real anvil.(
Rail road track doesn't count.)
 Good luck 

***********************************************************
*                    Ernie Leimkuhler                     *
*                 Stagesmith Productions                  *              *
               Custom Metal Fabrication                 *                 
   
*    ABANA   SCA     AWS    USITT   IATSE local 15, 488   *
*                      Renton, WA                         *
*"Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind" the bard  *
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From: [email-masked] (ErnieLeim)
Date: 24 Mar 1995 01:58:54 -0500

>cut in a 1" square hole by slotting a middle slab.

Nice idea except that it defeats the purpose of using a single slab.
Unless you have acces to a 20 ton press and can effectivley raise the temp
of your pieces to welding heat you will not get a solid anvil and it won't
ring. You may find that to be esoteric but I beg to differ. Most smiths
that do a lot of work will agree that the ring of an anvil directly
affects the amount of energy necessary to work the metal.

>recognition or award. Perhaps "Metal-Smith of the Month"! :-)

 I did go through this and while I admit that I am about as crazy as they
come my main incentive was to avoid payung $1600 for the only good steel
anvil available from europe.

As for the award .             I would like to thank the
academy...........................