Aluminum Anvil?

Flint311 · Apr 14, 2014

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 · Apr 14, 2014

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 · Apr 14, 2014

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 · Apr 14, 2014

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

skunkskinner · Apr 14, 2014

It was probably made for the jewelry trade.

crockett · Apr 15, 2014

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 · Apr 16, 2014

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

Rifleman1776 · Apr 16, 2014

crockett said:
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 · Apr 18, 2014

How big is this aluminum anvil your talking about?

Flint311 · Apr 18, 2014

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 · Apr 20, 2014

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

Coot · Apr 20, 2014

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 · Apr 21, 2014

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 · Apr 21, 2014

dikman said:
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 · Apr 21, 2014

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 · Apr 21, 2014

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 · Apr 21, 2014

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

Flint311 · Apr 21, 2014

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 · Apr 21, 2014

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 · Apr 21, 2014

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

"Vintage Jewelers/Watch Maker Anvil Solid aluminum"

Aluminum Anvil?

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

54 Cal.

40 Cal.

40 Cal.

54 Cal.

50 Cal.

Cannon

62 Cal.

Cannon

62 Cal.

54 Cal.

Cannon

69 Cal.

45 Cal.

Cannon

45 Cal.

Cannon

40 Cal.

54 Cal.

40 Cal.

50 Cal.

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!