Anvil

[woodchucker]

Are you talking about using a spare set of front forks in an automatic transmission flipped around to replace the drum on the back side to allow you to install additional clutch plates and steels?

what????? how did you get there from that question?
it sounded like he wanted to use them to make an anvil.

edit: that was the biggest WTF moment I have had in at least 1 day. Stay off that whiskey

 

[Charles scozzari]

Or are you talking about using a set of forklift forks as material to forge yourself an anvil? If so I would say it’s doable. From what I know about forks is they are not a hard steel.

The reason I thought they would work very well is because they have a very high tensile strength. when they are hit with a hammer they ring like an anvil. I move things using the very ends of the forks with no sign of bowing. Thanks to all. I'm just gunna make one.

 

[Cadillac]

Yeah I would use it. I’ve seen people build a mass of steel then laminate a hardened piece on top for the working area. Are you thinking of forging the pieces together or just welding together?

 

[Charles scozzari]

Yeah I would use it. I’ve seen people build a mass of steel then laminate a hardened piece on top for the working area. Are you thinking of forging the pieces together or just welding together?

No welding just cutting a 18" section out of 1 fork including 4 or 5" of the 90 degree bend in the fork and mounting it on a solid wood stand. I think it would work out well.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

what????? how did you get there from that question?
it sounded like he wanted to use them to make an anvil.

edit: that was the biggest WTF moment I have had in at least 1 day. Stay off that whiskey

I would explain it to you but it would require a white board, graphs, charts and an extensive adult vocabulary..... I just do not have the time and energy currently so you'll have to work it out on your own as I am certain you already have drawn your own conclusions anyway.

 

[GeneT45]

Just about any substantial piece of steel makes a usable anvil. The more substantial, the more usable. Mild steel will work for an awful lot of work and it will take years to wear it out. Harder steel (forklift forks, I imagine) would do yeoman's service, but probably best if they're attached to some other large hunk of steel, though sitting in a bed of sand could work too.

From your question, I assume that you're an amateur blacksmith (as am I, though I have a few years of dabbling under my belt). If you have a hard surface that holds pretty-much still, you've got all you need in an anvil to get started. I'm not speculating - I have used both a bit of steel sitting on the ground as well as the ~#500 lb anvil I lucked into some years ago. To a duffer, there is little difference.

Perhaps someday I'll be good enough to appreciate the awesome anvil that I have, but I can assure you that starting out it doesn't make a difference.

GsT

 

[Charles scozzari]

Just about any substantial piece of steel makes a usable anvil. The more substantial, the more usable. Mild steel will work for an awful lot of work and it will take years to wear it out. Harder steel (forklift forks, I imagine) would do yeoman's service, but probably best if they're attached to some other large hunk of steel, though sitting in a bed of sand could work too.

From your question, I assume that you're an amateur blacksmith (as am I, though I have a few years of dabbling under my belt). If you have a hard surface that holds pretty-much still, you've got all you need in an anvil to get started. I'm not speculating - I have used both a bit of steel sitting on the ground as well as the ~#500 lb anvil I lucked into some years ago. To a duffer, there is little difference.

Perhaps someday I'll be good enough to appreciate the awesome anvil that I have, but I can assure you that starting out it doesn't make a difference.

GsT

Thanks for the reply. I just need s simple flat hardened surface to flatten things or hammer something into a 90 degree. Forks are made and "classed" for the given load and will serve my needs. A good used anvil of decent weight is very costly which is why I am going the way I'm going. I would think the 500 lb. anvil you have may be well $1000/1500 if not more. That was a great score.

 

[benmychree]

For a smallish anvil, a piece of railroad track is the more practical approach.

 

[benmychree]

Thanks for the reply. I just need s simple flat hardened surface to flatten things or hammer something into a 90 degree. Forks are made and "classed" for the given load and will serve my needs. A good used anvil of decent weight is very costly which is why I am going the way I'm going. I would think the 500 lb. anvil you have may be well $1000/1500 if not more. That was a great score.

I'm told that anvils are worth anywhere between $5 and $10 around here, depending on condition, mine is an excellent nominal 300 lb. "Eagle". I think the reason for the high values has to do with hoarding; some folks have hundreds and want more ---

 

[tominboise]

Here's a picture of my "anvil" and the base I made for it. I found a machinery mount in my local recycling scrap steel yard. It cost me $50 and weighs around 100lbs. It works for my amateur blacksmithing. I'd use a forklift fork for an anvil with no issues. If you cut and mounted it at the bend, you'd have an outside radius to use as well.