resurfacing an anvil

Re: resurfacing an anvil

Jack Guzman from Maine

>I don't know alot about anvils but I imagine it's not too hard a steel.You're definitely gonna need a power tool though.Maybe a hand held grinder. Don't take my word for it though. I'm only guessing here.---Jack

Re: resurfacing an anvil

Joe Rogers, Northern Virginia

>I would bet the best way is to raise the low spots rather than lower the high spots. Maybe tig weld to build up the worn area?

I bet Todd Hughes weighs in here. He would know the most useful way to repair it.JR

Re: resurfacing an anvil

Todd Hughes

>This is one of those jobs that at first looks to be pretty simple....but might not be. First your anvil is probably wrought iron with one or more steel plates forge welded onto the top.These plates can be pretty thin esp. if they have been hollowed out some from use. If you take it to a machinest to have the top ground flat there is a chance that in doing so they will grind though the plate into the iron body...then you are screwed. I have seen anvils where the tops were ground flat right to the same surface as the cutting table! You no longer have a hard face and are working right on a soft wrought iron body which will not hold up. I think any anvil that you could "fix" with a hand held grinder probably doesn't need fixing. Have seen more then a few anvils that were pretty well ruined by owners that tried to flatten them with a grinder like this and I believe they probably came out looking worse instead of better. I have known a few guys that had experance with filling in the tables of anvils like this by welding, not easy and takes a very experanced welder. Not the job for Gomer down at the garage who's a wiz bang at welding up mufflers.These guys anvils looked good....but I don't know how they would hold up. Have seen anvils that had the top ground down and a new flat steel plate welded on. Again a job for an experanced welder. Personaly I would never buy an anvil that I knew had any of these things done to it unless I got it cheap...and knew that the guy that did the work knew what he was doing.....My advise is to get in with a local blacksmith group and ask around for somebody that may be able to do this work. Also unless very bad it may not even need it ,[I don't know]..... Lots of people really Like Peter wright anvils but I have found them to be rather soft with many having tops like yours sounds like......Todd

Thanks Todd; another question

Frank D. in Montreal

>Thanks Todd,

I was hoping you'd answer my query. I'm not so sure it's worth the trouble though. Looking at it again it doesn't seem too bad (I'm sure it's useable) but still it could be better. I'd appreciate to know what you think about a $75 anvil in this shape (I don't want to use it as a book end):

Re: Thanks Todd; another question

Dan Clermont

>Hey Frank,

Ship it to Todd and have him fix it for ya ;)

Have a Good Long Weekend

Dan Clermont

Re: Thanks Todd; another question

Frank D. in Montreal

>Jee Dan,

Wish I'd have thought of that ;). I guess Todd can always rub three anvils together. BTW, if you ever need the soles of any of your planes flattened, just send 'em out to me, I'll get 'em done in no time with a flat anvil. :)

You have a good one too.

Frank

Re: Thanks Todd; another question

Todd Hughes

>First a 200 lb Peter wright anvil even in this condition is a very good buy for $75...Always hard to tell from a photo but I would rate it's condition as kind of low, looks like it has a pretty good sway back to it.If this will affect it's use depends on what you are going to use it for.No trouble if you are going to make garden plant crooks or hangers. If you are going to make knives or chisels you got your job cut out for you. Personaly I would buy it with the ideal of selling it for a good profit [I think you could easly double or even triple your money] and taking that money and buy a better condition anvil....well thats how I would "Fix" it!.....Todd

Thanks Todd and everyone

Frank D. in Montreal

>For your responses. I'm going to pass on this one since a friend has offered it to me at a friendly price (the same price he paid...several years ago when he found it cheap). I wouldn't feel good about selling it for a profit (he has already refused several hundred for it), nor about ruining it, so I'll just keep my eyes open for one in better condition, or make one from a chunk of steel and some concrete.

Late to the party

Jim Reed @ Tallahassee

>Even though I am late to the party here, I thought I would add some info from another on line forum. The thought among most blacksmiths and metalworkers on that post was to forget *fixing* an anvil. Even if you get the patch right, you will probably negatively affect the rebound. Guys who pound on anvils all day depend on the spring to save their muscle. A *dead* anvil with poor rebound can cut the workday short.