[TheForge] Preheat your anvil

[Ralph Sproul]

	Martin, I take mine up to 250 degrees (using tempil marker and weed
burner).  This drives the moisture out and warms the metal for welding.  No
matter what you do to wrought iron below the top plate - it will bubble and
have perosities, just grind and re-weld to get as good as you can (if that
area below the plate is slightly damaged).  Then weld the plate edges,
damage, etc.  I find 7014 rod on straight polarity to give the best results
in building up over wrought as compared to penetrating rods and polarities
which just bring the impurities and silicoln in the wrought up into the weld
puddle.
	I don't know how knowledgable I am - but I just use the 7018 wire to patch
and anvil..........I don't bother with the track build up rods or multiple
pass hardfacing rods as I hate the dam discoloring of that chrome bubble gum
look on the anvil - and the extra grinding is not worth the effort in my
opinion.   I find puting the anvil back to shape with a milder rod/wire is
repairable by spot heating and welding instead of the entire preheat and
weld thing due to the hardfacing and build up rods needing more of it.  The
track build up rods also yield this highly red colored rust that stands out
like a sore thumb - so if you want to make it look like your anvil has NOT
been repaired - I find this method I use very workable.......and less
grinding - did I tell you I hate to grind?
	If you don't hit the anvil cold or mis-strike while hammering
.........you'll never have a problem with this method.  If you do, you just
preheat the ding, weld it, grind it, and be done with it.

Ralph

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of mpaietta
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 1:40 PM
To: Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: [TheForge] Preheat your anvil


I have heard people say that they have heated their anvils
so that the piece they are working on does not cool down too
quickly. I have hesitated because I have not wanted to
damage my anvil. I know it would take a crap load of heat to
get a 450# anvil up to that temp. I just figured that I
would ask you knowledgeable people so I didn't damage
anything.

Thanks
Martin

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