Harbor Freight Anvil Improvement, Part 1

[AirborneProductions]

[DIYer]

Thanks AirborneProductions! We've added your Anvil Modification to our Anvils category,
as well as to your builder page: AirborneProductions's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Anvil Modification by AirborneProductions

tags: anvil, modification

[Peter Sanders]

Hi

I don't see the point of this.

Why do you think a hardened piece of "tool steel" is better than cast iron?

I don't expect any improvement in rebound, as you have introduced a "gap" between the tool steel and the cast iron base. Yes, I did notice that the steel was clamped down during the weld. Do you really think that the steel has stayed "clamped" to the top of the anvil? I don't.

Cast iron is better at absorbing "shock" than tool steel. Incorrect hardening of the steel could make it "brittle" and not as forgiving as the anvil underneath.

For your sake and the effort put in to the modification, I hope I'm wrong. I'm looking forward to the result. :-)

[AirborneProductions]

Thanks for the honest feedback! Part 2 is on the YouTube channel already, but I'll post it up here pretty soon.

The ductile cast iron that they used sucks. It isn't hardenable, and it is so soft that even a light hammer tap leaves a deformation in the face. A2 is so much harder than what they used.

The gap that we left was a mistake in judgement. Sealing up the gap with welds completely across the back of the face is the way to go. That gap eats up energy, and rebounds probably less than the cast iron. But at least the A2 doesn't deform like the original cast iron face.

The tool steel we used was under-hardened, which we will remedy in a third video. We will also temper it properly to reduce brittleness.

Honestly, if I had to do it again, I wouldn't. I'd build one completely from scratch instead of starting with their cast iron.