Hello everyone, newbie from Indiana here

[Karl Myers 0]

Alright guys. I think I got a makeshift anvil lined up. I'm about to leave now to check it out. It's an old piece of railroad track mounted to some steel beams. I offered the seller $100. They had it listed at $300 thinking it was a real anvil. If I buy it, I will post photos.

[Karl Myers 0]

Here is that rail road anvil guys.

Edited July 17, 2016 by Karl Myers

[Wes Detrick 487]

I am assuming that since you have pictures that you have bought it. If not, then I would certainly suggest getting the stake anvil from Old World Anvils that Joshua suggested earlier in the thread. Believe me when I say that the vast majority of my forging is one on the area that is about the same size on my anvils.

If you have bought it, then no worries, and I look forward to seeing what you make

Edited July 18, 2016 by Wes Detrick

[Karl Myers 0]

I did go ahead and buy it. I figured that for $100 bucks I couldn't go wrong. It is 2.87" wide and 16.87" long

[Doug Lester 259]

When you outgrow that anvil, which you will, give a stake anvil a look. The problem with a railroad track anvil like that is that they lack mass under the work. However, I started out with worse.

 

Doug

[Karl Myers 0]

I'll take it into consideration. Even the stake anvils I looked at were very expensive. I do not want to have a lot of money into my starter set up just incase I don't end up enjoying the hobby as much as I hope to. I have heard wrapping chains around these types of anvils will help dampen some of the ring. I have ordered my regulator. I hope to have a running forge by the end of the month.

[Karl Myers 0]

Hey guys. I thought this black coating on the anvil I bought was paint so I tried to take it off. I stopped because it is definitely not pain. Is it black oxide or something? I know the previous wonder was retired from ford and used his forge and this to make horseshoes and tools for his small farm. Should I leave this on the face, or will it be bad to leave on?

[Alan Longmire 2,535]

It's just patina. It will come off as you use it and won't hurt anything at all in the meantime.

[Karl Myers 0]

Alright. I appreciate the reply. I found some 3000*f rated refractory cement that I can thin out, but it says that it is fiber reinforced. Is this beneficial or a disadvantage? They have it without the fiber reinforcement as well.

[Karl Myers 0]

Also the cement is gray. Does that matter

[Wes Detrick 487]

Alright. I appreciate the reply. I found some 3000*f rated refractory cement that I can thin out, but it says that it is fiber reinforced. Is this beneficial or a disadvantage? They have it without the fiber reinforcement as well.

 

That almost sounds like Greenpatch, which I have used to coat my forge with. What is the name of the cement? And no, gray doesn't matter.

[Karl Myers 0]

I think it was called red devil and was rated at 3000F. The Q&A on the web said it could be thinned out to be brushed onto ceramic wool, but I wanted to check here first.