[TheForge] Anvil repair workshop in NJ (was: Old tools)

Thu Oct 14 13:53:57 EDT 2010

Harbor Freight occasionally gets in some Russian made ones around 100# that
are semi-functional, they are at least cast solid and have treated faces for
a bit of rebound. They ain't great, but if they are all you can get, they
will work in a pinch. The Chinese made ones are just truly ASO's though, the
only use they have is as a door-stop.

Jason Nass - MacTalis Ironworks
me at wargoth.com

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jeff Wilson
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 1:39 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Anvil repair workshop in NJ (was: Old tools)

Son bought a  Horrible Freight 55lb ASO about 10 years ago.  When we cleaned
the heavy paint off the horn we found bondo type filler in large casting
sand pits. I've heard that some of the larger ones are better quality now. 
(you get what you pay for) Your results may vary.
Jeff in Poulsbo
Blue sky today!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Freeman" <freemab222 at gmail.com>
To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Anvil repair workshop in NJ (was: Old tools)

> Jason,
> Very interesting.  I suspect, however, that the Chinese anvils I've 
> seen are not lead-filled.  There's no sign of it, anyway.  (No Bondo 
> on these anvils!)
>
> Peter,
>
> To set the record straight, NJBA has had VERY GOOD results with our 
> repaired anvils.  This will be our fourth or fifth anvil repair 
> workshop, and I've heard of only some very minor problems with the 
> anvils -- minor chipping of re-welded edge, too-soft repaired areas -- 
> and those on only a very few anvils and probably since corrected by 
> change in procedures.  One of my anvils was repaired significantly 
> (small piece broken from tail) and has shown no problems since.
>
> I'm no welder, but it seems that considerable study has to go into the 
> rod or wire used.  I understand that cast iron apparently needs a 
> first pass with nickel or SS rod.  Any thick fills must be done with a 
> "softer" steel, and the hard-facing must be used sparingly.  Our 
> welders - one of whom monitors this forum - could better explain.
> This is to say that if you just weld up your anvil edges with hanger 
> wire, you can expect problems.
>
> Also, we do a pre-heat of the anvils, and this is apparently essential 
> for good adhesion.  We'll have three weldors going all day, and a 
> dozen guys keeping a fire going and lugging anvils -- on long-handled 
> carriers -- between fire and weldors.
>
> The long and short of it is that if you get your anvil repaired by 
> NJBA (a participatory experience, by the way) you can reasonably count 
> on it being a good working anvil thereafter.
>
> On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 8:55 PM, peter fels & phoebe palmer 
> <artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:
>> Be extremely reluctant to weld on an anvil that has any life left in it.
>> Many functional anvils have been ruined that way.
>> The HAZ from any welding bead ruins the temper and grain structure of 
>> the adjacent face.
>> In the long run, most welded-on anvils will catastrophically fail 
>> under use.
>>
>> On 10/13/2010 1:17 PM, Bruce Freeman wrote:
>>> Well, in NJ you can get cheap Chinese anvils at Fazzio's any time 
>>> you like. As one fellow asserted: "That's a better anvil than you 
>>> are a blacksmith!" (True for many of us, but certainly not all.)
>>>
>>> Meanwhile, if you have a beat-up anvil that you like, NJBA is 
>>> holding another anvil-repair workshop on Nov. 13 in Howell, NJ. See 
>>> our website for details (http://njba.abana-chapter.com/ then click 
>>> "upcoming meets")
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 13, 2010 at 2:39 PM, Bob 
>>> Ehrenberger<eforge at centurytel.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>> I have never seen a $20 anvil, but I came close. I got my main 
>>>> anvil, a
>>>> 170
>>>> lb HB, for $75 from a friend who got it for $25 the day before. He 
>>>> fell into a great deal and so did I. That was 13 years ago. I 
>>>> sometimes see old beat up anvils at flea markets for under $200, 
>>>> but given the condition, they aren't really that good of a deal. If 
>>>> you keep your eyes open, and have some cash in your pocket you can 
>>>> still find an ocational deal, but they are getting fewer and fewer. 
>>>> I like making tools so it doesn't bother me to spend time on tools, 
>>>> even if it ends up costing me more in time than it would have to 
>>>> just buy it.
>>>>
>>>> In BAM we have some members that like to go to auctions, they 
>>>> frequently by stuff just to bring to meetings and resell. They make 
>>>> a little profit, and the members that don't have time for auctions 
>>>> get some tools at a reasonable price. Like the kick press I got 
>>>> this summer, a friend got it at auction just about for free, and I 
>>>> traded something for it that I just had lying around, that my 
>>>> friend needed.
>>>>
>>>> It's not gouging to make a profit. If the price is too high it 
>>>> won't sell.
>>>>
>>>> PS: I do remember when I would see anvils in the hardware store 
>>>> along with the other shop tools, it's been a while.
>>>>
>>>> Robert Ehrenberger
>>>> Shelbyville, Mo.
>>>> eforge at centurytel.net
>>>>
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>>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Bruce
> NJ
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