[TheForge] ranite hardfacing rods

Tue May 23 22:43:35 EDT 2006

Luke:
An anvil's face is carefully  forge welded to the body and 
elaborately heat treated to make it extremely hard( ideally).
When you lay down a weld bead, it changes the properties of the 
metal adjacent to and under the weld ( look up HAZ).
As a consequence, the steel right next to the weld will be coarse 
grained ( weak) and brittle. Just out from the brittle zone will 
be an area where the extra heat from the weld draws the temper 
out of the face, creating a soft zone. Both are undesirable.
Laying down beads of very hot steel ( an expanded state) causes 
the steel adjacent to also expand and consequently rise, compress 
and settle into place. When it cools it contracts with teriffic 
force and induces stresses. Sometimes those stresses are enough 
to cause a separation between the face and body of an anvil and 
the anvil goes dead.
There are other reasons not to weld on an anvil as well.
Think long and hard about it. If you must , weld over as small an 
area as possible and do it right. This is no place to practice!
Do the right procedure for large expances of tool steel with 
exactly the right rods and a skilled hand. Too many anvils are 
ruined by moderately experienced welders as it is.....Pete F

Luke Thomson wrote:
> After reading your reviews I am doubting that my anvil needs to be 
> refaced, just repaired. I plan on getting some sticks or maybe wire if I 
> can today. I've posted some pictures on photoaccess under tools and 
> tooling ( it wouldn't let me create a new album...)  My pictures show 
> the gashes but I was unable to show the sway very well.
> Does anyone know any reason why not to run tig beads across the anvil? 
> Seems like that would both reduce the amount of grinding and, more 
> importantly, give me some more practice with TIG.
> Thanks for all your help,
> Luke
> 
> On 5/20/06, Rob Fertner <rfertner at cox.net> wrote: That's good. You can 
> become an anvil rancher raising vast herds of anvils to
> supply the growing market of blacksmiths. :-)
> Rob
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net ] On Behalf Of Chuck Robinson
> Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 4:49 PM
> To: Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] ranite hardfacing rods
> 
> Then you will end up with a pregnant anvil.
> Chuck
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rob Fertner" <rfertner at cox.net>
> To: "'Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 9:04 AM Subject: RE: [TheForge] ranite 
> hardfacing rods
> 
> 
>> No, no, what you need to do is get a friend with a huge hydraulic 
>> press to
>> flatten the face after you get it real hot. That'll cost you a lot 
>> less beer. :-)
>>
>> Rob
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>> [mailto: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Michael Horgan
>> Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 8:12 AM
>> To: artgawk at thegrid.net; Sponsored by ABANA
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] ranite hardfacing rods
>> Hey! We're blacksmiths... How about getting it hot, get some friends
>> over with long handled sledges, and hammering it flat.  Use a (long
>> handled) flatter to smooth for final clean up...
> 
>  >
> 
>> Nah! I couldn't afford that much beer.
>>
>> <Removing tongue from cheek>
>>
>> At 05:57 PM 5/19/2006, you wrote:
>>
>>> Umph.,
>>> First, refacing an anvil is a last resort manover for several 
>>> reasons. One is usually better off working with what you have trading 
>>> it in
>>> on what you want. Spend your time and effort on something more 
>>> productive.
>>> Sorry to be less than encouraging, but i think that that's the 
>>> reality.....Pete F
>>>
>>>> thank you for any and all help, and
>>>> God Bless,
>>>>  Luke
>>>> __________
>>>
>>>
>>> Michael D. Horgan ,  lughaid at earthlink.net
>>> http://members.aol.com/lughaid/
>>> posting from
>>>  A BRAZEN FORGERY
>>> Blacksmithing and Metalwork
>>> Claremont, Ca.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge theforge mail list 
>> group photo site is
>> http://www.photoaccess.com
>> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com password:  anvil
>> ___________
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
>>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
>> theforge mail list group photo site is
>> http://www.photoaccess.com
>> Login:   blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
>> password:  anvil
>> ___________
>>
>>
>>
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:   blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:   blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Manage membership or unsubscribe at:
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/theforge
> theforge mail list group photo site is
> http://www.photoaccess.com
> Login:  blacksmithblacksmith at hotmail.com
> password:  anvil
> ___________
> 
> 
> 
> 