Anvil Idea

[WordMan]

I would like an anvil for light “blacksmithing” work. Essentially, heating 1/4” strap, etc., and flattening it, rounding edges, and that sort of thing.

After looking at the used all steel anvils for sale in my area, it looks like most have had the bejeezus beat out ot he hardened steel tops (likely leaving no hardened steel left).

My thought was to buy a cast iron anvil from someplace like Northern Tools, or maybe the cast steel (65lb) Doyle anvil from Harbor Freight, and putting a piece of 2” thick 4140 Alloy Steel Bar (Rockwell C25) on top of the flat.

Thoughts?

 

[Ohio Andy]

I would like an anvil for light “blacksmithing” work. Essentially, heating 1/4” strap, etc., and flattening it, rounding edges, and that sort of thing.

After looking at the used all steel anvils for sale in my area, it looks like most have had the bejeezus beat out ot he hardened steel tops (likely leaving no hardened steel left).

My thought was to buy a cast iron anvil from someplace like Northern Tools, or maybe the cast steel (65lb) Doyle anvil from Harbor Freight, and putting a piece of 2” thick 4140 Alloy Steel Bar (Rockwell C25) on top of the flat.

Thoughts?

If all you need is a flat stunning surface....

Then you should be fine.

 

[Packard V8]

Think about it. If your idea was feasible, professional anvils wouldn't be selling for big bucks. Home shop welding hardened high carbon steel to cast iron and then beating the shite out of it doesn't work.

For no more than what you're doing, just get a piece of main line rail and mount it on a good base.

jack vines

 

[neophyte]

I would like an anvil for light “blacksmithing” work. Essentially, heating 1/4” strap, etc., and flattening it, rounding edges, and that sort of thing.

After looking at the used all steel anvils for sale in my area, it looks like most have had the bejeezus beat out ot he hardened steel tops (likely leaving no hardened steel left).

My thought was to buy a cast iron anvil from someplace like Northern Tools, or maybe the cast steel (65lb) Doyle anvil from Harbor Freight, and putting a piece of 2” thick 4140 Alloy Steel Bar (Rockwell C25) on top of the flat.

Thoughts?

Why not just try using the Doyle anvil and see if it works for you?
Fir extra mass, you might try mounting the Doyle anvil on top of some thick plates of steel, drilled thru and bolted together, with the Doyle anvil bolted on top of the plates.
That should increase the mass, while still giving you a potentially functional anvil top surface, and if the plates are large enough, increasing stability.
If you can find a large truck of dense hardwood to mount the steel plates and anvil on top, that would also “increase mass”, if the wood is something like Oak or Hard Maple, or Hickory, and the plates are mounted on the end grain.

 

[WordMan]

Think about it. If your idea was feasible, professional anvils wouldn't be selling for big bucks. Home shop welding hardened high carbon steel to cast iron and then beating the shite out of it doesn't work.

For no more than what you're doing, just get a piece of main line rail and mount it on a good base.

jack vines

Hence I brought up the Doyle cast steel anvil.

I hadn’t decided on how to attach one to the other, but welding to the steel should be feasible.

And I’m not looking to get into heavy duty blacksmithing (where a real anvil would be worth its weight in coin), but mild stuff where a good, flat, hardened surface would be helpful.

The rail idea is intriguing, but where do you find pieces of rail?

 

[WordMan]

Why not just try using the Doyle anvil and see if it works for you?
Fir extra mass, you might try mounting the Doyle anvil on top of some thick plates of steel, drilled thru and bolted together, with the Doyle anvil bolted on top of the plates.
That should increase the mass, while still giving you a potentially functional anvil top surface, and if the plates are large enough, increasing stability.
If you can find a large truck of dense hardwood to mount the steel plates and anvil on top, that would also “increase mass”, if the wood is something like Oak or Hard Maple, or Hickory, and the plates are mounted on the end grain.

Not a bad idea...

 

[whateg01]

Seems like I've seen a few reviews of the cheap anvils available today and some are decent for the money.

 

[WordMan]

Seems like I've seen a few reviews of the cheap anvils available today and some are decent for the money.

Actually, while doing some more research, I found a Vevor 132lb cast steel anvil for $279 with free shipping. It seems to get good reviews, so what the hell. If I don’t like the surface, I can always try my idea with it.