Aluminum Anvil?

[Flint311]

There's one for sale at a local auction. Anyone heard of an "aluminum" anvil? Would it hold up? Just never heard of an aluminum anvil before....thanks.

 

[buffcreekforge]

I have been blacksmithing my entire adult life (longer than I care to admit) and the only aluminum anvil I have ever seen was a 2 1/2" toy anvil and hammer made from aluminum. I can't imagine what you could do with a full size aluminum anvil. There would be no mass, striking it would be useless, the only think I could think of is for decoration. Others may disagree, but I can't imagine a use for it.

I remain your humble servant,

Just Dave

 

[Curt]

Flint311 Delta make an anvil that has an aluminum base ,its a 2 piece affair maybe for farriers.This might be what they are meanin.Curt

 

[Flint311]

Thanks for the replies. Yup, no dimensions on it and it looks small. Got my hopes up I guess :redface:

 

[skunkskinner]

It was probably made for the jewelry trade.

 

[crockett]

If cost is an issue (always is with me :grin: ) I've heard of short sections of a rail road tie being made into sort of a low grade anvil. Depends on the work you want to do.

 

[brubincam]

we used aluminum hammers at work instead of lead--were worst than lead-for wear and tear--junk

 

[Rifleman1776]

If cost is an issue (always is with me :grin: ) I've heard of short sections of a rail road tie being made into sort of a low grade anvil. Depends on the work you want to do.

Not shaped like an anvil but rr rails are very tough steel. I use a two foot section of rail for pounding. And, I swear, rail is, at least, twice as heavy as other steels. Feels like it. :shocked2:

 

[omarick1948]

How big is this aluminum anvil your talking about?

 

[Flint311]

I really couldn't tell from the pic what size it was. It's gone now from the auction. Found another one nearby, "15 Lb. Taiwan" marked on it. Just never heard on of aluminum before.

Rifleman, I had a small section of railroad track, but don't know where it went. :cursing: I have something that may work to fill in during my search.

 

[MSW]

don't know about anvils, but RR track make great andirons for the fireplace ...

 

[Coot]

My grandfather used a piece of railroad rail as an anvil. He had a friend mill the top flat & then cut & ground a "horn" on one end.
Railroad rails come in various weights from roughly 10 to 20 pounds per foot. The heaviest rails work best for blacksmithing anvils. Hopefully you can find a real anvil.

 

[dikman]

I can just imagine holding a piece of yellow-hot steel against it and hitting it with a 4 lb hammer :shocked2: .

If you want an anvil to actually use, keep looking.

 

[MSW]

I can just imagine holding a piece of yellow-hot steel against it and hitting it with a 4 lb hammer :shocked2: .

If you want an anvil to actually use, keep looking.

I agree, can't help but think that this is some sort of conversation piece.

hmmmmm

 

[gearheart]

Yup agreed. The purpose of an anvil is to provide a work surface with enough inertia that the energy of the hammer blow is transferred to the piece being worked. For inertia you need mass and aluminum is not going to provide much of that.

 

[hawkeye2]

The aluminum anvil may have been a "salesman's sample".

RR track is measured by weight per yard going from 75 lbs. to 155 lbs. with some of those sizes no longer rolled. Mainline track is usually 130 lb.. Crane rail is flat on the top which is ideal for blacksmithing and comes in weights from 12 to 175 lbs.. I'm not sure how useful that info is as crane rail is not too easy to find and in any case one is limited by the size piece he can pick up and carry off regardless of the weight/yard.

 

[Curt]

hawkeye Do you know what kind of steal r/r track is made from.Curt

 

[Flint311]

Thank you for all replies. They've been very helpful. I agree, there's a reason anvils were large/heavy, don't want it bouncing all over while working hot metal. Thanks again.

 

[Canute Rex]

Just don't get one from Harbor Freight or similar places. In the blacksmithing world we call them ASOs, or Anvil Shaped Objects. They are made of some kind of randomly alloyed scrap steel and they dent like Play-Dough.

Keep an eye out on Craigslist and local barn/yard sales. If you find one with a rough face you can probably get it cheap and take it to a local machine shop and have them surface grind a few 32nds off of it.

 

[skunkskinner]

EBay has several such anvils. One is 11 inches long and 5 inches wide.

"Vintage Jewelers/Watch Maker Anvil Solid aluminum"