The anvil is a supporting forging tool on which cold and hot processing metals associated with plastic deformation.
You don't have to buy a small anvil; you can make one yourself, basically from an old piece of railroad rail.
Will need
According to GOST, the face of the anvil must be made of steel grade 45L or 35L, and it must be hardened so that the hardness is within HRC 45-50. Therefore, to manufacture this anvil element, you will need a strip of alloy steel with a thickness of at least 20 mm.We will also need some tools and materials for work:
- grinder with different discs;
- grinder;
- blacksmith's forge;
- welding machine;
- drilling machine;
- Baking oven;
- blacksmith pliers and pliers;
- hammer or sledgehammer;
- marker and square;
- hardening oil and a tin container.
Anvil making process
We mark the anvil with the horn and tail directly on a suitable length and cross section a piece of old rail.
Using a grinder and a cutting disc, we cut out the outer contours of our tool and beat off the excess parts with a heavy hammer.
We get, as a first approximation, the horn, tail and base of the future anvil.
We continue to cut out the transitional part between the top and base of our instrument, while simultaneously more accurately shaping the horn and tail.
We remove rust from all accessible surfaces of the workpiece using a grinding wheel.
We shape the front transition part of the grinder into a semicircle to absorb large and constant dynamic impacts.
We sharpen the horn into a round cone, first with a grinder, and then with a grinder. We also grind the base of the anvil on it.
We mark a strip of metal with a thickness of at least 20 mm and preferably from alloy steel 45L or 35L to the size of the top of the anvil from a piece of rail.
We cut out the future face of the anvil from the marked blank using a jigsaw and a grinder. Drill from one edge of the plate round hole.
We grind all sides of the cut strip on a grinder and measure its dimensions with seat.
Fill in tin can required amount sunflower oil.
We heat the unnecessary piece, cut from the plate, red-hot in a forge and use it to heat the oil in the container. Only after this, using blacksmith pliers, we place it in forge and heat the plate prepared for the anvil face until red hot.
As soon as she acquires Crimson quickly and completely place it in a container with oil and keep it there until the oil stops boiling.
We compare the hardness of an unhardened and hardened plate using filing. An unhardened plate can be easily processed, but a file glides on a hardened one without removing a single gram of metal.
Tempering: place the plate in the oven and keep it there at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.
We again process the plate from all sides on the grinder and weld it to the top of the rail blank, holding it on both sides with clamps, first pointwise, and then with a continuous seam.
We beat off the slag from the seams with a hammer, clean it with a grinder, weld all the cavities and cavities on the face, and finally finish all the surfaces on the grinder.
The quality must be so high that weld between the face and the base of the anvil was not visible at all.
We carefully select the angle between the end of the face and the horn, first with a cutting wheel and then with a grinding wheel: it should be exactly 90 degrees. Next, we subject all parts of the anvil to the same treatment.
Remove the grinder from the spindle grinding wheel and instead install a polishing (felt or felt) and continue circular processing of the anvil until mirror shine, excluding the transition area and the base.
We place the anvil on the face, mark on the sole of the base the centers of the four holes in the corners, cores and make them on drilling machine for attaching the anvil to a chair, for which it is better to choose a wooden block made of hard wood that is suitable in cross-section and height: oak, ash, maple, birch, etc.
Homemade testing
We check the quality of our homemade anvil. We place it on a block with the base down and begin to tap the face over its entire surface with a hammer. A loud blow should be heard everywhere, and the hammer should bounce almost the same amount as the swing and then continue rebounding until it fades completely.
“From the master class presented by the author, you will learn how to make an excellent anvil for your workshop from a piece of 30 cm rails. At the very least, every self-respecting craftsman is simply obliged to have a small anvil in his workshop for processing metal with cold or hot forging. Because today the topic of blacksmithing and the manufacture of all kinds of forged objects and tools is becoming very popular, which is quite well appreciated among lovers of handmade work.
Of course, you can buy an anvil at a hardware store, but the price probably won’t please you)) So there it is great option make it yourself from a small piece of rail, which will require a gas cutter and a grinder. Initially, the contour is marked, and then the final shape of the anvil is cut out with a cutter, and the cutting areas are polished with a grinder. You can also burn holes in the lower part for subsequent attachment of the base to the block.
So, let's take a closer look at the whole process.
Materials
- rail
- block of wood
- wood screws
- graver
- washer
Tools
- cutting torch
- grinder angle grinder
- drill
- wrench
- bus saw
- hammer
The process of creating an anvil from a rail.
An anvil is a supporting forging tool that is designed for hot and cold forging metal by plastic deformation. The anvil is the main and main tool in blacksmithing; it has a large mass and is fixed motionless on a base in the form of a wooden block.
First of all, it is necessary to consider the presented drawings of the anvil. 
Well, we’ve completely figured out the purpose, and now let’s move on directly to the process of making the anvil itself. The author takes a blank 30 cm long. 
And with the help of a gas cutter he gives it the required shape. 
Please note that there is also a hole in the middle. The nose part is sharpened in the form of a horn. 
Using a grinder, the master grinds the surface and removes metal deposits and rust. 
This is exactly what happens. 
Working surface It turned out perfectly even and smooth that you can see your reflection. 
The anvil is ready, now it needs to be installed stationary on the stump and secured with bolts. 
The plane is attached to the block with 3 bolts on each side. 
This anvil also has design feature, and this is the presence of a resonator that dampens the ringing from a hammer hitting an anvil, and it is also made of rails and screwed to a block of wood in a vertical position. 
That's all, the anvil made from rails is ready for its subsequent use. Now the author can forge small metal products in his garage, and simply straighten metal when cold or straighten nails; in general, a very necessary tool for a craftsman. If you liked the material, then we invite you to join our group.
It is known that the main tool needed to set up a blacksmith shop is an anvil. It can be useful not only to professional blacksmiths, but also to ordinary blacksmithing enthusiasts, people who love to create. The anvil looks simple and rather primitive, but it costs a lot. Not all blacksmith lovers decide to buy it for occasional use, so in such a situation a homemade anvil can help out.
What materials are needed?
The workpiece is made from crane (preferably brand KR 120 or KR 140) or railway rails. It is inexpensive, but is massive enough to make a high-quality and stable instrument.
If the size of the product is not critical, because... small-sized workpieces will be processed, then for an anvil you can use metal channel(180x70 mm), but the mechanical strength of the final product will be much inferior to the version made from rails.
Because the anvil demands stable foundation, then under it they use:
- frame welded from metal corner,
- wooden stump (the most affordable and cheap option),
- box with sand (allows you to remove vibrations when the hammer hits the workpiece).
The second option is considered more successful if the tool is installed somewhere in the yard.
Manufacturing stages
First you need to select the required section of the rail; its base will become the main part of the future base for forging; this place will take on the bulk of the workload.
The choice of the side of the rail for the anvil surface depends on the future work. If you do not need a very wide surface, then a narrow top of the rail will do, but at the same time the anvil itself will be very stable and durable, because the rail head (wide lower part) is subjected to special heat treatment at the factory.
Some craftsmen make one more detail - a horn; it gives the anvil good performance characteristics, but requires a lot of time and effort to manufacture. To create a horn, the sole of the rail is sharpened on one side using a grinder (a 125 mm grinder and a 125x6 mm circle are suitable) and a file. The end of the horn is not made sharp, but slightly blunt.
After shaping the anvil, the surface is ground using a grinder disc (grit size 40). If you scrape the surface with a regular grinder disc before sanding, the process will go much faster and easier.
Anvil installation
The next stage of creation is installation of the product on solid foundation. To install this element, you need a solid wooden block or stump that is resistant to shock and vibration.
In order to attach ready product to the stump, you will need a steel channel (the wider the better). The result is a fairly strong, stable structure. The channel is attached using screws, the diameter of which is 12-14 mm and the length is 150 mm. Screws are taken from stock by length, because during the forging process impacts can cause them to be pulled out of the machine.
For products small sizes and weight, it is possible to weld the base from a metal corner, an example is shown in the photograph.
When it comes to a forge, the imagination immediately draws a picture: two broad-shouldered good fellows with a handbrake and a sledgehammer, in the background there is a hot forge, and in the foreground, in the center of the workshop, there is an anvil. She is a symbol of blacksmithing.
Purpose of the anvil
All manual and forging operations are performed on the anvil:
- forging;
- hardening;
- giving the workpiece the required shape, etc.
There is no way to do without an anvil. But store prices are steep and you have to think: how to make an anvil with your own hands. There are many recommendations on the Internet, we will offer ours too.
The design of a homemade anvil
It should be taken into account that the anvil is exposed to great shock loads and impact high temperature. Therefore, it must have increased stability and mechanical strength. Its weight can reach several tens of kilograms. The professional anvil is made of 35L alloy steel.
To make a homemade anvil, scraps of crane rails are often used.
On the “face” (this flat surface anvil, on which the main operations of flat forging are performed), an alloy steel plate is installed by welding - a platband.
For ease of use, the anvil should have the following structural elements:
You may not need all these design elements. So, choose the ones you need, and, using the plumbing tools available to you, create an anvil.
Watch the video of a primitive homemade anvil made from a piece of rail.
Base for a homemade anvil
A massive base is used to compensate for the impact energy. One of the following designs is used:
Anvil Location
From an ergonomic point of view, it is most convenient to place the anvil in the central part of the forge and not far from the forge. This will allow the workpieces to be delivered from the forge to the anvil along the shortest possible path. There should be containers with coolants nearby.
Reading time ≈ 4 minutes
Even without having practical experience, you can make an anvil with your own hands. To do this, just follow our step-by-step instructions.
Anyone can make an anvil from a rail." House master» using available tools. Let’s say right away that it is impossible to compare a self-made anvil with a full-fledged analogue. However, it is perfect for tapping small workpieces, bending a rod at a certain angle or flattening it, as well as similar small household work.
List of required tools and materials
The anvil is made by hand from the following materials and tools:
- A piece of rail. The exact length depends on your preference. However, it is not recommended to take a piece less than 30 centimeters long;
- A ruler and a marker capable of marking metal (you can also use a stroke);
- Hammer, level and file for metal;
- Lamp or lantern;
- Grinder and grinder.
How to make an anvil with your own hands using all this? According to the following instructions.
Important! Any decommissioned crane rail can do. But if possible, use KR-140. It is made from more durable metal according to GOST 4121 and has a number of design advantages. For example, a wider neck, which will provide the anvil with greater stability during further forging work. But keep in mind that the KR-140 does not have holes; you will have to make them yourself.
Step-by-step instructions for making an anvil from a rail
Prepare the work site. Place a piece of rail on the table, mark it with a marker and ruler as follows:
- Measure 40% of the total length of the rails, draw a line;
- Measure half the width of the rail, make a mark;
- Connect the lines and the mark so that you form a triangle or the so-called “anvil horn” on the rail site.
If you still have questions about the correct marking of the workpiece, look at the photos and videos on our website.
Secure the future forging anvil in a metal vice. Turn on the grinder and cut the horn according to the marking lines.
Important! When working with power tools, be extremely careful. The metal vice must be securely fastened to the table surface. The work table should not be loose. For guard own health, put on a welder's mask, protective apron and gloves.
After making deep cuts with a grinder, take a hammer. It will help you speed up the process: use it to beat off the left and right edges of the metal triangle. Be prepared for the edges to be uneven - there is nothing wrong with that, we will process them later.
Take the rail out of the vice, turn it on its side so that the broken triangle is “looking” at you. Use a marker to mark lines leading from the edge of the rail to the inner hole (closest to you). Beat them off with a hammer.
Stepping back an inch from each raw “back” end, draw lines with a marker. Your task is to mark the “tail” of the anvil. Use a grinder to make cuts on the metal, then beat the metal into pieces with a hammer. The "tail" is the functional part of the tool. But since we are creating a home, and not a professional, anvil, whether to carry it out or not is only your desire.
Processing the metal surface of the anvil
Use a grinding wheel to remove metal platform traces of rust. After processing, the metal surface of the future metal anvil should be smooth and even.
After using a power tool, use a hand metal file. The surface should be treated with compounds that protect the metal from rust. You can purchase them at any specialized store.
Perform final grinding of the workpiece surface. Sand the metal with a fine grit wheel again. Perform the grinding process as many times as necessary to obtain a perfectly smooth, horizontal surface of the anvil.
Important! To ensure the evenness of the workpiece surface, use a level. Remember that if the surface of the anvil is uneven, the parts processed on it in the future will also have defects.
In order to make sure, using a level, that the surface is really perfectly smooth and even, look at it from the side “into the light” using a lamp or a regular flashlight. If there are no glimpses of light and there are no gaps between the level and the surface of the workpiece, the work has been successfully completed.