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Joined: Nov 2008
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
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Hello the board,
I've a large piece of steel I'd like to utilize as an anvil, and am wondering if there is a way to harden the surface on at least one side? The piece measures 10" x 19.5" x 3". It is one solid, contiguous piece. It's got enough mass to be solid, and I've used it gently in the past, but would like to be able to use it to really hammer on and shape metal. But it is not very hard, and I can ding it with hammer strikes and corners/edges of work pieces. I'd like to harden one of the large flat sides, as well as one of the narrow sides. Is this doable? Any tips or suggestions are welcome!
Thanks
MAGA
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2013
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The easy cheap and fun way, is to get a steel box that your piece fits in, put some crushed charcoal in the bottom of the box, put your part in the box and cover this more crushed charcoal, put a lid on if you have one, then build one hell of a fire,this should take two men about a twelve pack of non Coors lite beer, I mean a 1/4 of a cord of hard wood fire, after that burns down some add enough wood to set your box over top of the hot coals, and add more wood, drink another six pack and then add the rest of the wood with the intent of getting that box as hot as two drunks could get it, finish your beer and go to bed, about noon the next day your box should be getting cool enough to drag out of the ashes and open the box, drink more beer while it air cools.
Your part should have absorbed enough carbon to become hard,
now you need to temper it.
Writing here is Prohibited by the authorities.
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2003
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How is that process different than annealing? Or are you just trying to carbonized?
It will still need to be heated and quenched.
Mr Gruff Tried RR track?
If you take the time it takes, it takes less time.
--Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice.
--ironbender
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 19,563 Likes: 4 |
I've got a cheap anvil I've had for 10 years or and used the chit out of. But it's only like 60-70 lbs. this chunk o goodness is over 100 lbs heavier. Not going to bother with a hardy hole or horn.
Anvils is pretty damned pricey.
MAGA
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Joined: May 2010
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Get some 1/4 o1 or a2 plate face it. Weld in place
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
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Thanks Rick, I hadn't thunk of that!
MAGA
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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A large solid square beam makes great anvil set vertical. You work off the small square end. It's a Japanese style anvil. If you work off the horizontal long flat side it will ring terribly. Those square edges are great for setting the tang and ricasso steps.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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The easy cheap and fun way, is to get a steel box that your piece fits in, put some crushed charcoal in the bottom of the box, put your part in the box and cover this more crushed charcoal, put a lid on if you have one, then build one hell of a fire,this should take two men about a twelve pack of non Coors lite beer, I mean a 1/4 of a cord of hard wood fire, after that burns down some add enough wood to set your box over top of the hot coals, and add more wood, drink another six pack and then add the rest of the wood with the intent of getting that box as hot as two drunks could get it, finish your beer and go to bed, about noon the next day your box should be getting cool enough to drag out of the ashes and open the box, drink more beer while it air cools.
Your part should have absorbed enough carbon to become hard,
now you need to temper it. I'm afraid all you will get is drunk.
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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With out knowing what kind of steel it is carbonizing has the best chance, as far as welding a piece of A-2 to it the only thing that will happen is the A-2 will likely break on the first strike and the welds certainly will follow, as A-2 is an air hardening tool steel and will become brittle, O-1 being oil quenched to harden just means the welds will break, if you are going to patch a piece onto it then 4140 or better yet 4350 prehard would be better choices.
Beer still helps.
Writing here is Prohibited by the authorities.
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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Posts: 840 |
The easy cheap and fun way, is to get a steel box that your piece fits in, put some crushed charcoal in the bottom of the box, put your part in the box and cover this more crushed charcoal, put a lid on if you have one, then build one hell of a fire,this should take two men about a twelve pack of non Coors lite beer, I mean a 1/4 of a cord of hard wood fire, after that burns down some add enough wood to set your box over top of the hot coals, and add more wood, drink another six pack and then add the rest of the wood with the intent of getting that box as hot as two drunks could get it, finish your beer and go to bed, about noon the next day your box should be getting cool enough to drag out of the ashes and open the box, drink more beer while it air cools.
Your part should have absorbed enough carbon to become hard,
now you need to temper it. I'm afraid all you will get is drunk. Lol...I think in this case one could coin the term "Getting Annealed" as the same thing. 
When I no longer have the right to protect my own person or property...my person and property have become public property in common.
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Joined: May 2010
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2010
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With out knowing what kind of steel it is carbonizing has the best chance, as far as welding a piece of A-2 to it the only thing that will happen is the A-2 will likely break on the first strike and the welds certainly will follow, as A-2 is an air hardening tool steel and will become brittle, O-1 being oil quenched to harden just means the welds will break, if you are going to patch a piece onto it then 4140 or better yet 4350 prehard would be better choices.
Beer still helps. Temper it dumb azz
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Joined: May 2010
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Goat a lot of guys use 7018 rod to reface small section. Kiss blocks on punch press's are mostly made of a-2 or d-2. I have a 200lb Peter wright that was on a wagon when my bunch came to Indian territory. I refaced it with a-2
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Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2008
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Thanks dude! I'll check out Pacific next time I'm in town and see what I can snag. Should I put anything twixt the pieces or just make it as flush and square as I can?
MAGA
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Joined: May 2010
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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The living legends told me to grind flat as possible with a hand grinder. Weld in place
I beat the [bleep] out of mine like most days without a hitch.
Truefully I have 3 English made that all bounce bearing but can't find fault in railroad track
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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I've got a cheap anvil I've had for 10 years or and used the chit out of. But it's only like 60-70 lbs. this chunk o goodness is over 100 lbs heavier. Not going to bother with a hardy hole or horn.
Anvils is pretty damned pricey. Jumped over to Ebay just to check out prices and you are right ... damned pricey for 100+ lbs.
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Sep 2011
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I have a Peter Write anvil, it is a good live anvil, but half the hard layer was broken off before I first saw it.
It does all I need.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o
"May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Prices on darn near everything on eBay have become crazy. I'd check Craig's List or local classified rags Thrifty Nickel and the like.
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Joined: Dec 2011
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Prices on darn near everything on eBay have become crazy. I'd check Craig's List or local classified rags Thrifty Nickel and the like. That's fine but don't buy a cast anvil shaped object.
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Joined: Jul 2011
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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Goat a lot of guys use 7018 rod to reface small section... This seems the best approach. Think of how diesel shovels and bulldozers have their blade/bucket teeth and wear areas reinforced with (high-nickel?) rod.
"There's more to optics than meets the eye."--anon
"...most of us would be better off losing half a pound around the waist than half a pound on our rifle."--dhg
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Prices on darn near everything on eBay have become crazy. I'd check Craig's List or local classified rags Thrifty Nickel and the like. That's fine but don't buy a cast anvil shaped object. The shipping charge is going to be more than the anvil cost 
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much" Teddy Roosevelt
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