Flint, they don't necessarily have to be "big and heavy" (although it certainly helps when trying to make pattern-welded steel!). A lot of it has to do with how it's mounted. A smaller one also has the advantage that it can be moved (relatively) easily. I have a couple of 56 lb anvils, and I keep one on the end of my bench so that I can hit things on it instead of using the vise. (My bigger ones are too far away, in another shed).
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Aluminum Anvil?
- Thread starter Flint311
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Sorry for the cut & paste but all my relevant reference material is stashed away. RR track is made with dedicated alloys rather than an off the shelf alloy.
"Steel rail is composed of iron, carbon, manganese, and silicon, and contains impurities such as phosphorous, sulphur, gases, and slag."
" Carbon, up to a maximum of 0.82%, and manganese, to a maximum of 1.7%, are needed to produce hard, wear resisting rails."
"Their average yield point is greater than 60,000 PSI, while actual tensile strength normally ranges from 100,000 PSI to 130,000 PSI. This high yield point means rail steel provides ample stiffness, enduring heaviest demands with little deformation."
"standard rail steel for section weights 121 pounds and over is as follows:
carbon 0.72-0.82%
manganese 0.75-1.05%
phos. max. 0.035%
sulphur max. 0.035%
silicon 0.10-0.35%"
"Steel rail is composed of iron, carbon, manganese, and silicon, and contains impurities such as phosphorous, sulphur, gases, and slag."
" Carbon, up to a maximum of 0.82%, and manganese, to a maximum of 1.7%, are needed to produce hard, wear resisting rails."
"Their average yield point is greater than 60,000 PSI, while actual tensile strength normally ranges from 100,000 PSI to 130,000 PSI. This high yield point means rail steel provides ample stiffness, enduring heaviest demands with little deformation."
"standard rail steel for section weights 121 pounds and over is as follows:
carbon 0.72-0.82%
manganese 0.75-1.05%
phos. max. 0.035%
sulphur max. 0.035%
silicon 0.10-0.35%"
Rick Son
45 Cal.
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When i worked for the county roads we had rails as as crash gaurds on several large ditches in the country,we had to replace them with updated raila guards with give.We all had the forman make us each one right quick...
Will trade for horn~ :grin:
Will trade for horn~ :grin:
Billnpatti
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I can think of absolutely no use for an aluminum anvil except as a decoration. It would never stand up to actual use. A few blows and it would have dents all over the top and soon be useless........well, actually, beyond being a decoration it is already useless.
It is probably a tiny decoration, but I could see the possibility of it being a full size salesman anvil. Maybe the type that a traveling salesman would have taken out to show different styles/sizes without having to exert too much effort in the process. Can't say I have ever seen one, but they could have existed and would probably be rather valuable to collectors if in good shape. Certainly wouldn't have been difficult for a foundry to make a few as needed.
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They pay you to take away?....... :stir:
Billnpatti
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Good thinking. :thumbsup: You may be right about it being a salesman's sample. If so, it would be relatively recent since back when metallic aluminum was first made, it was quite expensive. Except for the weight, it might have been less expensive to have made it from silver a long time back. :haha: Yep, if it actually is a salesman's sample, it probably is not much earlier than the 1930s. Just guessing based on the availability of relatively inexpensive aluminum.
Billnpatti
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The value of a piece of railroad track as an anvil would be based on the price of scrap steel plus the cost of having it cut. I have a railroad track anvil that is about 18 inches long. It didn't cost me anything. A friend was cleaning out his shed and asked me if I wanted it. I have no idea what it would have cost to buy such a thing. I'd guess it would weigh 25 or 30 pounds. So, figure on paying for about 30 pounds of scrap steel plus whatever it costs to have it cut to length.
Aluminium anvil, well that's a first for me, can't see it having any practical use other than ornament. What use would it even serve as a sales mans sample. Many years ago anvils where made of wrought iron with a steel work face welded, and by welded I mean "shut", to them, but for many years now they're made entirely from steel.
I could be wrong, but I think the process to extract aluminum in large quantities was developed in the 1880's and by the turn of the century it was in fairly widespread use and not particularly expensive. It is true that before this it was extremely rare and probably one of the most expensive metals.
Billnpatti said:
Pete G
76 Cal.
An aluminum anvil should be easy to move around. Use it with a rubber hammer and it will be pretty quiet also.
FWIW Harbor Freight has a small 15# tabletop anvil for about $20 and a larger 55# for $60. My small one came with a warning label.....
"Warning: Use only for intended purpose"
FWIW Harbor Freight has a small 15# tabletop anvil for about $20 and a larger 55# for $60. My small one came with a warning label.....
"Warning: Use only for intended purpose"
Leopard cur
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Aluminum anvils are made for the farrier trade. The base is aluminum, the striking faces are steel. You really don't need much for an anvil to fit shoes, especially if you hot fit shoes. Lifting a hundred pound anvil in and out of the truck all the time gets old. These anvils have been around for at least 15 years now. They used to be very expensive when I was shoeing, I don't know what they bring now. Not something I'd get for real forge work.
A piece of heavy Railroad Rail make a really good anvil. It is really super tough & you will not find a flaw in it.
Also, ya know why ya don't see it allot as anvils ?? because it is so dang Expensive. It is the #1 steel the scrap dealers want to buy, & they sell to the casting plants. It always sells for Double what any other scrap steel does. It has all good specific amounts of ingredients in it & it is strictly monitored when it is made, it is super tough steel. It has to be, look at the weight & abuse it takes ever day.
Don't know what it sells for right now, but it was up to $ 800.00 a ton for clean scrap rail last time I asked about it. They also monitor it closely & do a thorough check on you if ya bring it in to scrap some. :nono: You best can prove... you really own it. :wink:
Keith Lisle
Also, ya know why ya don't see it allot as anvils ?? because it is so dang Expensive. It is the #1 steel the scrap dealers want to buy, & they sell to the casting plants. It always sells for Double what any other scrap steel does. It has all good specific amounts of ingredients in it & it is strictly monitored when it is made, it is super tough steel. It has to be, look at the weight & abuse it takes ever day.
Don't know what it sells for right now, but it was up to $ 800.00 a ton for clean scrap rail last time I asked about it. They also monitor it closely & do a thorough check on you if ya bring it in to scrap some. :nono: You best can prove... you really own it. :wink:
Keith Lisle
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Birddog6 said:
(emphasis added)
ff had a fellow up here in southeastern Vermont who came up from flatlands to ski one weekend, only to find that his place had been broken into ... they took his TV (duh) but left an expensive stereo system and went for the copper pipes instead. Had a bunch of wiring stolen from a substation which was about to do an upgrade ... scrap dealers are all looking over their shoulder.
