[TheForge] Peter Wright anvil question

Sat Jul 19 22:48:00 2003

I agree that a hardy tool would work, however it is possible (if you know
what you are doing) to square off the edges. If you have access to a stick
or wire feed welder (might make the rods in TIG, too), then the best method
I have heard (mind you I have not done this personally, only talked to
people who have) is to pre-heat the anvil face below tempering heat (weed
burning torch works for this I am told) and then put down a buffer of
stainless steel welding rod. Buffer should be pretty thin, as it is just to
provide sort of a neutral ground between the high alloy and the low alloy
metals. Keep the heat on gently for a few minutes afterwards. Next, take a
hardface electrode and build up with it until it is slightly higher than
the face, and slightly farther out. Some people say to pre and post-heat
for this, some don't. I don't know. Next go at it with an angle grinder or
belt sander and level it out. This part can be something of a pain in the
rear. There you go, a nice, re-edged anvil. THere is also a way to hardface
using an OA torch, using a sprayer type thing that melts powdered metal and
then blows it onto the surface, creating a nice hard edge. I do not know if
this would work for refacing an anvil. I have not tried it. By the way, I
am NOT an expert at this. This is the opinion of others, not my experience.
It should work, but I would advise that you talk to someone who knows what
they are doing before trying it.
Take Care,
Carl Tappan

At 07:23 PM 7/19/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>When I got my PW it was slightly sway backed. At the most it was less than
1/8
>inch For most of it less than that.  I determined this by sighting under s
>straight edge.
>
>The procedure I followed to straighten it out was very simple. I sprayed on a
>light coat of gray auto primer and then scraped the top with a straight edge.
>The low area still had paint the high were shiny. I took an angle grinder
with
>30 or 40 grit sanding disks and went over the shiny areas in a sweeping
>motion. After a minute or so I repeated the paint process. It took me about
>two hours of chasing the shiny spots around the anvil, before all the paint
>scraped off except right at the center of the sway back section, about 2
>inches width.
>
>The remaining section was down just a little bit more than the thickness of a
>coat of spray paint. I decided that was close enough. I went over they whole
>thing one more time with 80? grit just to polish it up. Job done.
>
>I left the rounded edges alone except where there was a small chip. I rounded
>out the edges of the chip and left it be.
>
>For sharp edges I have the end of the face by the hardy hole and an entirely
>separate chunk of steel one edge of which is cut back about 15 degrees. This
>was a simple junkyard find.
>
>Mike Graf
>
>Ralph wrote:
>
>> >
>> >
>> >I also scraped the rust off the little anvil I picked
>> >up - it's a Peter Wright. Around the "3" (in 0 3 15)
>> >theres two words printed in a circle - I can't read
>> >the top word but the bottom is "WROUGHT".
>>
>> Top word is SOLID, Above that is going to be PETER WRIGHT with the word
>> PATENT under that. ( well the 'newer' PW have Patent on them
>>
>> >Fer forgin all the little fittings I need to make for
>> >the cannon carriage and limber, I am going to have to
>> >have a little work done on the anvil. The edges of the
>> >top are badly beat up and the top is a wee bit
>> >sway-backed. I'm going to need a good, flat surface
>> >and relatively sharp edges.
>> >
>> >Can I "dress" the anvil somehow or am I going to have
>> >to work on a different surface? (Good anvils ain't
>> >easy ta come by up here.)
>>
>> The edges can be rounded a bit with a grinder... In my opinion I would not
>> try building them up, as they will more than likely break off.
>> If you need a nice really crisp edge to work on make a hardie tool for
>> that..... As for the sway back that is actually rather useful in
>> straightening stuff. If you can work with it or around it. Grinding or
>> milling the top will remove perhaps TOO much of the welded on steel face.
>> And trying to build it up by welding is not really the best thing to do to
>> an anvil, as it could possibly cause the steel plate to separate from the
>> wrought iron body....
>>
>> Ralph
>>
>> "Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
>> Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision."
>>
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Carl Tappan
(978) 263-7346
867 Liberty Square Rd.
Boxborough, MA 01719

http://www.bluetoadforge.com

"Gold for the mistress, silver for the maid. 
Copper for the craftsman, cunning in his trade."
"Well," said the baron, sitting in his hall. "But iron, cold iron is the
master of them all."