How to Weld an Anvil

Antique anvils are hard to find, and are usually worth repairing.

Original wrought-iron anvils are becoming more difficult to find, and the ones that are available are sought by blacksmiths. In the past a cracked anvil was usually consigned to the scrap pile because of the difficulty in repairing it. Because old anvils are built of better materials than new anvils, more blacksmithing hobbyists are electing to repair cracked anvils. Welding suppliers have introduced new materials that work well for repairing and restoring the original functionality of cracked anvils.

Things You'll Need

• Wire brush
• Hand-held grinder
• Propane weed burner
• Tempilstik crayon, 400 degrees Fahrenheit
• Arc welder
• Stoody 1105 welding electrodes, 1/8-inch diameter

Instructions

1. Wire brush the area around the crack. Grind a "V" into the length of the crack at the surface.

2. Preheat the anvil to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with the weed burner. Use the Tempilstik crayon according to directions on the package to indicate the temperature.

3. Weld the length of the crack with the Stoody 1105 electrodes. Use DC reverse or AC current. Do not make more than three passes.

4. Allow the anvil to cool slowly.

5. Grind the weld bead until it is flush with the surface of the anvil.

Tips & Warnings

• If the crack is too deep to weld in three passes, you may substitute Stoody 1110 electrodes. The final surface will not be as hard as with the 1105s, but the 1110 electrodes allow unlimited passes.

References

• Anvil magazine; Anvil Restoration; Robb Gunther et al; April, 1998