anvil base

The weight of an anvil is in the mass of the steel. If adding weight to the base would work, all anvils could be considered to weigh the mass of the entire planet (since they sit on it).

If the anvil is firmly in contact with a secondary solid mass, like a block of 6" steel, the secondary mass will increase the anvils apparent mass. If the extra mass is next to the anvil (adding metal around the anvil) is will not affect the apparent mass any at all.

What this translates as is:
Don't cut off any of the anvil unless you want to make a lighter anvil (which you don't). If you want to make it more robust get a BIG piece of steel and weld/mount the smaller anvil to it. A trip to the scrap yard will turn up several candidates. Flywheels, rail road wheels, steel blocks and thick plate, etc.

My 125# anvil is chained on a 400 pound flat anvil. The effect is a 525# anvil. When I want to take the anvil to a hammer-in, I unbolt it and just take 125# with me (mounted on a 2X4 stacked base).
Stacy
 
what about welding it to the side under the face? will that work? or even just welding it to the side of the anvil since it has that thin neck (i guess you can call it that)?
 
It won't help. Might keep the anvil from moving about a bit more, but won't make it work any better.
If you cut it in half and welded one on top of the other, that would make it a bit better, but with a rail anvil, I wouldn't bother. Just weld it to a big plate of steel.
Stacy
 
the reason why im trying to find out where i can weld it to after cutting it off is so that it wont hang over the edge since im flipping it over and using the base of the rail since its already flat.
 
Jacob, Listen to someone who knows a little more about forging than you do.

That anvil is fine as it is. Don't go redesigning the wheel. If you want to take a portable belt sander and sand it down a bit, OK.(Harbor freight has a variable speed 3X21 belt sander on sale right now, item #94748) But the slight roundness of the top is a good thing. It allows you to draw the steel out when forging. A more flattened area on the back 6-8" would be fine, but turning it over won't be as good as it is now. IG's anvil was made that way, not converted from a good rail anvil. It would take some elbow grease, but you could clean up with your angle grinder and maybe a belt sander and have a perfectly good anvil. BUT....YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND DO IT.
Stacy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top