How to make holes while forging?

S

SunnyM

Joined
Aug 20, 2015
Messages
12
Hi all,
long story short I use a railroad track piece for my forging, but it doesnt have a hardy hole (and I do not have the ability to make one). My question is how would I drift holes in pieces without having a hardy hole in my anvil? what substitions are there ?
 
If you can get someone to drill a hole for you in your anvil, do so. Use a hot punch to start the holes on one side - reheat, turn the blade over and tap the indented place over the hole. Otherwise, just tap on one side then the other until a hole opens up. Then make the hole the correct size by carefully drifting it off the front or back of the anvil.
 
You can weld up a "box" from 1/2" thick stock and weld it to the end of the anvil.
 
What about a stack of 3/4" washers welded to the underside of the rail, where it meets the webbing?
If you need to strengthen the washers up, you can weld a brace of rebar into the washers and weld that to the webbing to triangulate it out easily.


Iirc, the webbing is the upright that goes from th rail to the footing of the rail.

If your rail is stood on end, you can use that corner, or the corner between the footing and webbing to weld your stack to.
 
You can also fabricate a "saddle" with a hole (or several different sized holes) that sits over the face. Doesn't need a whole lot of depth clearance unless you're drifting out a whole bunch.
 
this is all wonderful information! The only problem is I do not having any welding equipment. However, I think some square stock that is hollow and buried (mostly) in the ground may do the trick!
 
You could likely bring the piece of track to a machine shop and have them cut some holes in the webbing so you can mount some "U-bolts" to hold your choice of material.
 
Just take a thicker plate of steel and drill a few different size holes in it. Set it ontop your track anvil and punch away!
 
I have used old brake disks from cars in the past. An old engine block can be useful too.
 
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