Basic Anvil for Forging
- Thread starter HHazeldean
- Start date
What would tools would I have to get other than an 'anvil' and a hammer.Would I need to get some tongs or is there an alternative to using them too??
harry, why didn't you ask when you were in a workshop surrounded by odd lumps and anvils!?
Anvil - any lump of steel that is bigger than your hammer and can be secured to a log. best case is a 'proper' anvil, but the scrap yard you told me about should have some lumps around. It doesn't need to be good steel, mild steel is fine. find a 5kg lump of mild at the scrappy, or see if they have any fork lift truck spikes that can be cut up (my best teaching anvils are made of them). Avoid cast iron anvils like that machine mart one, it will break in use. Also if possible avoid the I (or H) beam as an option:they ring like a bell which is bad for the ears and the noise is a symptom of all that wasted energy from bouncing and flexing! If you find a sledge hammer head, bung it in the oven at the highest temperature you have for a couple or three hours, let it cool down and then secure it.Anviul blocks can be made by cutting a recess for teh anivl in the top (like mine) or casting a lump of concrete around the anvil whilst it is sat in a bucket.
Hammer - with me you used a 1kg (or 0.8kg) machinst hammer from Cromwells, but any hammer that is that sort of weight will do. Lump hammers are unpleasent to forge with and clay hammers are too small/light really. Car boot sales or even teh scrap yard should have some choice.
Tongs - ebay, carboots, auctions, etc. You could use mole grips or big pliers but they aren't as good, though could get you going. Or try and do as much 'on the bar' as possible (based on what I taught you, you could do all of it including drawing the tang without ever cutting it from the bar, then once straightened you could cut the tang end off and hold kin pliers for heat treating)
chisel - cold chisel from carboot, scrapy,or hardware store
Steel stock - files, old tools, springs etc all have good chances of being good steel but make sure you spark test and test heat treating on each 'new' piece. I say that because some springs etc are rubbish steel but the outer surface has been treated to work well for it's designed application (and won't work once you reforege/grind to shape)
Anvil - any lump of steel that is bigger than your hammer and can be secured to a log. best case is a 'proper' anvil, but the scrap yard you told me about should have some lumps around. It doesn't need to be good steel, mild steel is fine. find a 5kg lump of mild at the scrappy, or see if they have any fork lift truck spikes that can be cut up (my best teaching anvils are made of them). Avoid cast iron anvils like that machine mart one, it will break in use. Also if possible avoid the I (or H) beam as an option:they ring like a bell which is bad for the ears and the noise is a symptom of all that wasted energy from bouncing and flexing! If you find a sledge hammer head, bung it in the oven at the highest temperature you have for a couple or three hours, let it cool down and then secure it.Anviul blocks can be made by cutting a recess for teh anivl in the top (like mine) or casting a lump of concrete around the anvil whilst it is sat in a bucket.
Hammer - with me you used a 1kg (or 0.8kg) machinst hammer from Cromwells, but any hammer that is that sort of weight will do. Lump hammers are unpleasent to forge with and clay hammers are too small/light really. Car boot sales or even teh scrap yard should have some choice.
Tongs - ebay, carboots, auctions, etc. You could use mole grips or big pliers but they aren't as good, though could get you going. Or try and do as much 'on the bar' as possible (based on what I taught you, you could do all of it including drawing the tang without ever cutting it from the bar, then once straightened you could cut the tang end off and hold kin pliers for heat treating)
chisel - cold chisel from carboot, scrapy,or hardware store
Steel stock - files, old tools, springs etc all have good chances of being good steel but make sure you spark test and test heat treating on each 'new' piece. I say that because some springs etc are rubbish steel but the outer surface has been treated to work well for it's designed application (and won't work once you reforege/grind to shape)
Ear protection is very cheap. Get some. Use it at all times when you're doing noisy work. If you don't, you WILL damage your hearing. A bad case of tinnitus is one of the worst afflictions you can imagine. To get an idea of what it's like, try gritting your teeth for the rest of your life.
I do 95% of my work on a square stake anvil for exactly that reason 
My london pattern is 5 times the weight but the heel and bick make it much noiser to use. The hammer also makes a difference; a claw will vibrate more than a ball peen (I first worked that out when the head of my hammer was a little loose and made more noise as it whizzed past me ear)
My london pattern is 5 times the weight but the heel and bick make it much noiser to use. The hammer also makes a difference; a claw will vibrate more than a ball peen (I first worked that out when the head of my hammer was a little loose and made more noise as it whizzed past me ear)
Cheers Dave, that has been very helpful.
The reason why I didn't ask when I was in the workshop was because I didn't think that doing anything like that would be possible. Now I am starting to think that it could become a bit of a reality.
The reason why I didn't ask when I was in the workshop was because I didn't think that doing anything like that would be possible. Now I am starting to think that it could become a bit of a reality.
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a few pics in this thread might give you ideas
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54175&highlight=comrie+smith+forge
I was using a rail track anvil and a £3 bbq from tesco for the forge (paint on the underside didn't even blister)
the stand for the wee anvil was made from scrap I found around Glasgow - one heavy pallet and some other wood.
but we moved onto Big Andy's anvil for obvious reasons.
I can't emphasise enough the importance of eye and ear protection. I'm often lax with it and my hearing has taken a beating (don't worry I'll give myself a boll*cking in the mirror)
If you use a sledge hammer head make sure to keep it cool - In my limited experience they tend to get quite hot very quickly.
I really do recommend you do a bit of googling mate - a wealth of information for beginners is out there. Though it appears you have had a day with Dave Budd so you should be well on your way.
nevertheless knowledge is power
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/blacksmith/farmshop.html
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blacksmithing+techniques&aq=0
Andy
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54175&highlight=comrie+smith+forge
I was using a rail track anvil and a £3 bbq from tesco for the forge (paint on the underside didn't even blister)
the stand for the wee anvil was made from scrap I found around Glasgow - one heavy pallet and some other wood.
but we moved onto Big Andy's anvil for obvious reasons.
I can't emphasise enough the importance of eye and ear protection. I'm often lax with it and my hearing has taken a beating (don't worry I'll give myself a boll*cking in the mirror)
If you use a sledge hammer head make sure to keep it cool - In my limited experience they tend to get quite hot very quickly.
I really do recommend you do a bit of googling mate - a wealth of information for beginners is out there. Though it appears you have had a day with Dave Budd so you should be well on your way.
nevertheless knowledge is power
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/blacksmith/farmshop.html
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blacksmithing+techniques&aq=0
Andy
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http://www.anvils.co.uk/blacksmithtools.htm they cost a bomb though!Can you not make a set?Hugely satisfying and good practise.So long as they open and close ok i wouldnt worry about rust.
The tongs seem a bit pricey, could I get them for cheaper elsewhere or is that kind of price average.
Cheers
Cheers
Whittler Kev
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Agree with Launditch1 (another new avatar?) better to make them as a first project. I was glad when I had made mine, use them every time I fire up the forge
(another new avatar?) better to make them as a first project. I was glad when I had made mine, use them every time I fire up the forge
keep an eye out on ebay:
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_...w=blacksmiths+tongs&_sacat=See-All-Categories
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_...w=blacksmiths+tongs&_sacat=See-All-Categories
Some of those tongs look pretty good on ebay. Might try some.
Thanks for all of the help everyone - appreciated!:You_Rock_
Thanks for all of the help everyone - appreciated!:You_Rock_
Whittler Kev
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Just bought one similar off evil bay. Don't be tempted to use sledgehammer size for small jobs - seen it done I kid you not) as you'll just get tired quicker and not move as much steel as you think. 2lb'er more than adequate IMHO
Be careful on evil bay as most cross pein are tack hammers (4oz)
This is a better one although a dear starter - £9 inc delivery (and I think the cross pein is too short - ground down from a ball?)
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Engineers-Blacksmith-Style-Cross-Pein-Hammer-/350448605306?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item51985d587a
Be careful on evil bay as most cross pein are tack hammers (4oz)
This is a better one although a dear starter - £9 inc delivery (and I think the cross pein is too short - ground down from a ball?
)http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Engineers-Blacksmith-Style-Cross-Pein-Hammer-/350448605306?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item51985d587a
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I cant sort out how to put pics on here, so here is a link to my post on the bodgers forum. It cost me a pound and the timber wedged into the sides and bolted through takes out all the ringing.
http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1775
http://www.bodgers.org.uk/bb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1775
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