Recommendation for an Anvil

[esantoro]

Is there a special way to prep or finish or polish the top of an anvil that has radial patterns (looks like thumbprint lines) on it?

Thanks,

Ed

[rickybobby]

Is there a special way to prep or finish or polish the top of an anvil that has radial patterns (looks like thumbprint lines) on it?

Thanks,

Ed

Ed,

Use a disc grinder and start with #40 grit paper. Move on to finer grits and remember to keep it moving in a "cross hatch" patern. That will keep your surface flat. "Cross hatch" patern is useing the top 1/2 of the disc, leaning it to the left while moving to the right, leaning to the rt. while moving to the left. The patern looks like X's and keeps the surface flat.

#40 grit

#80 grit

#150 grit you can use a jitter bug sander (or a vibrating sander)

#220 grit you can use a jitter bug sander (or a vibrating sander)

You can go to higher grits depending on how polished you want it.

You can spend more time on rounding or cleaning up edges with the finer grit papers, be careful with the #40 grit it will eat up metal quick. These kinds of tools from harbour freight just are not finished off as nice as some others, but with some time spent grinding, sanding and polishing it can be real nice.

Rick Jorgenson

[ArtS]

Another option for an anvil is getting a bench vise. They usually have a flat suface that can be used to pound on. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...temnumber=32115

ArtS

[fishguy]

Another possibility, if you have a metal scrapyard nearby is a piece of railroad rail. There are ususally all sorts of interesting shapes. I was able to find an 8" long peice of steel 4x4.

[Bree]

I need to get a better anvil for setting caps on tubular rivets for my bags. I currently use a small anvil from Tandy, which is fine for Jiffy rivets but not for tubular rivets and caps. Can anyone recommend a good bench anvil.

Left to my own devices, I'd order this 55lbs anvil from Harbor Freight:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/disp...?Itemnumber=806

By the way, what is the square hole for in the Harbor Freight anvil?

Thanks,

ed

I have that anvil. It is well worth the price. The only thing I would change about it is the absence of holes to bolt it down to the bench. But you can get around that limitation pretty easily. I use it frequently for a lot of things... not just leatherwork but woodworking and general shop chores.