RayJohns
Aluminum
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2009
- Location
- West Coast
I'm thinking about adding an anvil to my garage. Something which I can use for forging metal, etc.
I am considering two options. The first is to buy a Pedding-Haus forged steel anvil.
The second is to just buy a large block of steel from a scrap yard and anchor it down to a stump or something.
My question is this:
What's the best type of steel for something like an anvil? Would A-2 tool steel be suitable? I read that a lower carbon content would be better (A-8?). I also see that there is an S grade tool steel, which is shock resistant, but I really don't know much about metals.
The yard I am talking to has good prices on steel. I'm looking into getting either a round section (about 8 to 10 inches in diameter) that is 7 to 10 inches in length, or maybe some plate steel that is 5" thick (10"x10").
What type of steel would be best to use? They also have some pretty nice 316 stainless, but I'm not sure if SS would be better or worse - as far as banging on it with hammers, etc.
I'm also considering attempting to harden / temper the surface. I was thinking about using my welding torch and some propane to heat up the surface, then dump it into a large bucket of water. However, I'm not sure if my torch will be able to heat up something which would probably weigh about 150 lbs. I was thinking I might try to find someone who could induction harden the surface, but I'm not really sure if I would need to harden it or if I could get by just using it as is. It seems like if it's steel, it would be a better anvil then the older cast ones, such as the Peter Wright anvils, etc.
Any comments or suggestions?
Ray
I am considering two options. The first is to buy a Pedding-Haus forged steel anvil.
The second is to just buy a large block of steel from a scrap yard and anchor it down to a stump or something.
My question is this:
What's the best type of steel for something like an anvil? Would A-2 tool steel be suitable? I read that a lower carbon content would be better (A-8?). I also see that there is an S grade tool steel, which is shock resistant, but I really don't know much about metals.
The yard I am talking to has good prices on steel. I'm looking into getting either a round section (about 8 to 10 inches in diameter) that is 7 to 10 inches in length, or maybe some plate steel that is 5" thick (10"x10").
What type of steel would be best to use? They also have some pretty nice 316 stainless, but I'm not sure if SS would be better or worse - as far as banging on it with hammers, etc.
I'm also considering attempting to harden / temper the surface. I was thinking about using my welding torch and some propane to heat up the surface, then dump it into a large bucket of water. However, I'm not sure if my torch will be able to heat up something which would probably weigh about 150 lbs. I was thinking I might try to find someone who could induction harden the surface, but I'm not really sure if I would need to harden it or if I could get by just using it as is. It seems like if it's steel, it would be a better anvil then the older cast ones, such as the Peter Wright anvils, etc.
Any comments or suggestions?
Ray