It's been a while since the last update, and times have been busy. So far the winter has been fairly mild here, so that has been enjoyable if odd.
In discussions via IRC chat, a number of things I should have covered but seemed to have missed came to the fore, so this post is a collection of little tidbits about those random topics.
Anvils; The usual rule of thumb is 50 pounds of anvil per pound of hammer weight. Any less than this, some of the power of a blow will be lost to the anvil bouncing. You can easily violate this rule without much major concern, it's mostly a guide for the most efficient work. A more solid mount can make up for a lack of anvil mass, espeicailly in a sand loaded base.
Anvils tend to ring, and this will quickly lead to hearing loss. There are several methods to help deaden this ring; Wrapping loose chain around the base of the anvil can help. The more mass the chain has, the better. By leaving the chain semi-loose, the vibration of the anvil will be somewhat deadened by the chain. Another solution is to mount the anvil firmly, add a raised base to the stand, and bed the anvil feet in sand. A few inches of sand around the feet of the anvil will help absorb a fair amount of ring.
A set of angled mounts that will be detailed in a later article also helps by adding the mass of the base to the mass of the anvil, and helps to deaden the ring at the same time.
Definitely, in addition to wearing some kind of eye protection like shooting glasses, hearing protection is a must. Either shooting muffs (aka “cans”) or ear plugs. We prefer cans, as they are easy to take off and put on if someone stops by.
Anvils are often hard to come by for the hobbyist smith, and several options will be covered here with more in a much longer future article. The anvil is a collection of specialized shapes and tools to aid in the work most smiths will be performing. The conical horn for making rings and scrolls, as well as drawing points. Rounded and square shoulders are used to neck down stock, such as the tang on a wood chisel or knife blade. The hardie hole on the face of the anvil holds tools, and so on. The full use of all the sections and the subtlety of each will be fully covered in a later post. But the main use for an anvil is something to strike heated metal on top of, and a number of substitutes can be found or made to fill in in this role.
A solid block or plate of steel, 1” thick or more will work decently, as will a section of rail track or an I beam. Even a large, solid rock can be use (and has). In a pinch, for a field repair I have had to use such things as trailer balls, large hammers and a massive slab of granite sticking out of the ground as improvised anvils.
For purchasing, a good deal on a used anvil is usually about a dollar a pound (or 2 quid a kilo for our UK readers... some translation will be required for other areas). Any higher a price, look it over well and strike it listening for any odd buzzing sounds that would indicate internal cracks. Any lower price is probably worth grabbing.
Used anvils are often seriously overpriced, so buyer beware.
New, good quality anvils are not cheap. 4 to 6 dollars a pound are not uncommon. Unless you get one of the cheap chinese imports... The less expensive anvil usually goes for about $50-60 US, and is cast iron. Many of these have been found to have serious casting flaws, and many have auto body filler to make them pretty hidden under their paint. The more expensive cast steel anvil typically runs under $100 US, and is a workable anvil, if a bit light. These 55lb anvils are easy to transport however, and make a great starter anvil for someone who has to move their gear in and out of storage to work.
Older anvils are marked in hundred weights (abbreviated Cwt). Usually, you will find 3 numbers on the waist of an anvil, something like 115. The first number is hundred weights, each of which is 112 lbs. The second number is quarters of hundredth weights, and the last number is the remainder in pounds. So in our example, the hypothetical anvil would weigh 112+28+5= 145lbs total.
Often you can not easily see the markings on an older anvil will be obscured with paint or dirt. Try spraying water on the side and let it dry. Often, the stamped numbers will dry last, so the weight and make can be made out for a few minutes.
That about covers the little bits on anvils covered in chat recently, a more complete article is in the works for a later post. Including how to make micro anvils... just cause they are fun.
Other topics included aprons; some kind of leather apron is a helpful safety item, and will help to keep pants and shits from becoming as soiled and ripped (plus possibly burned). Oil tanned leathers work best, and cost less than vegetable tanned “tooling” leathers. Chrome tanned styles also work, and a weight of 5oz per square foot or heavier are suggested. A farriers (horse shoer's) apron is readily available, but is not required. A simple carpenters style apron is more than adequata, and a simple loop or thong of leather to tie it closed is quite functional. Aprons will be another thing covered in a later article, so stay tuned for that.
For improvised tongs; large channel locks or vice grips can be used, along with a good sized set of pliers. These are not nearly as specialized or as useful as a few good sets of tongs, but may work in a pinch or as starting tools. Generally I suggest against wearing gloves because it deadens vibration coming from the tongs. While at first this seems like a good thing, it actually prevents a lot of feedback from your work. A piece of hot stock slipping slowly free of your “tongs” will feel quite different than a solidly held piece. This warning I missed some years back, which lead to some wonderful excitement and several weeks of healing. You can wear gloves, and many professional smiths do.. the choice is yours, but try both versions and see which works best for you. It is worth noting that the longer, springier reins of a pair of tongs will transfer much less shock to your hands and arms than something like vice-grips.
I know there were dozens of other topics... but those will have to wait for another post.
Stay warm!
