[TheForge] Steeling a GCI anvil

[jim wallbridge]

>From: "Jerry Frost" <frosty@customcpu.com>
>  > To: <theforge@mailman.qth.net>
>>  Sent: Friday, March 28, 2003 1:48 PM
>>  Subject: [TheForge] chinese ASOs
>>
>  >
>  > > Something I've contemplated and will try one of these days is putting a
>  > > steel face on a cast iron chinese junk anvil.It shouldn't be 
>too hard to do:Grind the existing face smooth and make a matching 
>steel plate.Build a heavy steel stand to hold the anvil upside down 
>a foot or so off the ground.
>Put the steel plate on the stand, flux it, lay either brazing rod or a
>  > thin sheet of brass on it, flux it and lay the anvil upside down on it.
>True it all up and build a big fire under and around it.
>Watch closely when it starts hitting bright red. When you see brass
>  > running out of the joint rake the fire away and extinguish.
>After the braze is cool enough to hold, flip the anvil over and start
>the quench/temper.

-- 
One problem with this (assuming that the steel plate is something 
like O1 or W1 or 2) is that IMHO the time between the start of 
cooling and the transformation will be too long to get martensite and 
also the "austenizing" process is such that less than ideal 
properties will result.  A better approach  would be to use a high 
nickel brazing alloy having a liquidus above 1800 F and then doing 
the heat treating as an separate step.  I would also suggest using a 
steel with greater hardenability than O1 or W..  Would the maximum 
hardness capability of 4340 (HRC 45 with a temper of 400 F) be 
acceptable? Alloys that would be better as regards hardness are 
50B60, 5160, 51B60, 6150, 6160 or 9260 but none of these is readily 
available.  The mass of grey cast iron (GCI) hanging off the steel 
will significantly reduce the cooling rate of the steel strengthening 
the need for higher hardenability than the first choice of oil or 
water hardening tool steel.  The air hardening tool steels would also 
be suitable but I have not included it in the above because of their 
cost.
Hope this is of assistance - e-mail me if you have any questions on this.

jim
(James ME Wallbridge P. Eng.) Libertarian, Metallurgist, Wood & Metal 
Worker, Fly Fisher,  Resident of Calgary,  Canada's new head office 
location of choice.   Permission is hereby given to use any or all 
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