Spark test and an "anvil"

[Gwinnydapooh]

Well, I tried the spark test on a piece of metal I want to use as an anvil, and got relatively few, yellow sparks. Fairly bright, but not that zinger yell--more brass-colored. Do I have cast iron here? I think so but I don't really know how to interpret sparks. There are some pictures of the piece at the link below. It looks to me like a mount for some kind of pole or rail--maybe a guard rail on a bridge?

http://www.geocities.com/gwinnydapooh_2000/anvil1.html

 

[L6steel]

Isn't scientific but drill a small hole someplace where it won't matter, not too deep, just enough to see if the metal comes off powdery. All the cast iron I've drilled a hole in did that.

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Take care!! Michael

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Cooper Custom Knives
Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms!!!

 

[Gwinnydapooh]

OK, thanks. I can't find any casting flash or seams, but it has that grainy surface. I'm going to use it anyway until it breaks, but if it's steel I want to harden it and if it's not I want to mount it right away since the forge is almost complete.

 

[rotor]

sense the one end is aready broke i would set it up where its stable and hit that end with a good size hammer use some force if it cast iron it will break fairly easy. i had a 40lb cast iron vise that had an anvil was straightening out a piece of metal and the anvil cracked

 

[mikeS]

Looks like cast iron to me, by the shape of it. I think You have a guard rail stanchion from a bridge. Rail car coupling and forklift forks, chunks of mild steel at least 4" square or round would work.

I know one guy that used a sledge hammer head for a light anvil.

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Sola Fide