Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Compiled FAQs, Articles and Glossaries at anvilfire.com

NOTE: These are just a few of the articles on anvilfire! See the 21st Century page for many standing articles and the iForge page for step-by-step blacksmithing projects and tooling demonstrations. See our home page for descriptions of many of our features and explore the drop down menu that links to our other pages, related pages and advertisers.

[ A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z ]

A

Alphabet Soup

Acronyms related to the metalworking industry. Includes many association links.

Anvils Our collection of anvil articles.

Anvil Selection: What type and size anvil do you need? Weight ranges, styles. Links to our other anvil articles.
Anvil Finding NEW!: How to find an anvil anywhere in the world.
Anvil Making: Index to our collection of old and new anvil making articles.
Gallery of DIY and Fabricated anvils
Anvil gallery: Gallery of anvils including rare and unusual anvils from private collections, classic anvils and new anvils.

Grizzly and Chinese Cast Iron ASO's
ASO's on ebay Dealer Fraud - avoiding getting stung.
Fisher-Norris 'Eagle' Anvils
German Anvils Comparison of types early and modern.
Hundredweight Calculator
Review of cheap Russian 50 kilo anvil
Review of Delta TFS 100b anvil
Anvil Series
1. Types and Specifications
2. Index to anvil making articles
3. Buying used anvils
4. Quality, welding and other anvil miscelania
5. Anvil Radiuses - Grinding corners
6. Testing Anvil Rebound
7. Weight of Anvils
8. Cast Steel vs. Forgings
9. Styles and Preferences
10. About Hardie Holes Includes table of brands and sizes.
11. Anvil Stands from the iForge page

My First Anvil A true story.

Apprenticeships

An institution of the past, history of and current state in North America.

The ABANA Journeyman program and links

B

Bells, Gongs and Triangles

Math and Design of Simple Vibrators. The 12th Root of Two, Binary series.

Bench Hooks and Bench Pins

Woodworkers bench hooks and standard bench pins.

Brass and Bronze

The difference, alloy specifications, forging and selected Q&A

Borax

Sodium tetraborate: Used as flux, how to dehydrate, 20 Mule Team History. (Also info on Flourite or flourspar.)

Buffer Polisher

A simple motor buffer polisher made from a common motor. Costs, pros cons and links.

C

Case Hardening

Surface hardening of steel, color case hardening, primitive case hardening.

Cast Iron Properties

ASTM cast irons with comparison to common steels.

CHAIN HOISTS

Types of chain hoists and how they operate.

Chinese Working Holding Bench

Traditional Chinese work holding and a "Sen". International Metalworking

Claying Forges

Reasons and how to.

Coal and Charcoal

Differences. pros and cons, selected Q&A. Links to coal information resources.

Charcoal making and links to coal forge information.

Coal Fire Management

Building and maintaining a coal fire.

Copyright Issues on anvilfire

D

Drill Press 101, Mounting a Vise (vice)

How or where to mount a drill press vise. Links to iForge Drill press articles.

Drill Coolants and Lubricant

Keeping drill, taps and cutters cool and sharp.

E

F

Fiberglass Handles vs. Wood Handles

Advantages and disadvantages

Forge Blowers

Chart and article from MACHINERY'S HANDBOOK, 1914, Champion and Kaynes

G

Gas Facts

Fuel gas information, burning temperatures and rates.

Gas Forges

Building your first gas forge. Links and more.

NEW!

Galvanic Series

Factors in bi-metalic corrosion.

Getting Started in Blacksmithing

Things you need to know and where to find information about getting started in blacksmithing.

Glossary : English

Blacksmithing and Metalworking terms glossary by Jock Dempsey (in progress).

Glossary : International

Blacksmithing and Metalworking terms in English, French, German, Italian and Swedish.

Selected terms in Latin, Dutch (Holländisch), Afrikaans and Portuguese.

An ongoing project that will eventually link to individual glossaries in each language.

H

Hammer Handle Repair Day

Annual wood handled too repair and maintenance day. Make it a spring tradition.

Hammer Weight Table

Common hammer and sledge weights in grams, pounds and ounces.

Hammer Eye Dimensions

Hammer eye sizes for forging hammer punches and drifts.

Hand Crank or Post Drills

Hand crank drill presses, Acme, Buffalo, Champion.

Handles, Rough

Handles for punches, chisles and flatters. Why they are loose fits.

Hardy (Hardie) Hole use and sizes

Purpose, sizes, fits and dressing. Table of brands and sizes

Hardness Conversion Table

Metal hardness value conversion table Brinell to Rockwell A, B, C scales.

Heat Treating

Hardening, tempering. Selected Q&A and metals heat treating specifications. Added Salt Bath information 11/23/2003

Links to materials information resources.

Heat Treating 4140 Hammer Dies Includes temper table.

Hydraulic Piping

Piping specification, fluids and safety considerations

I

Iron in the Hat

A NEW blacksmithing tradition.

J

Jewelers Saw Blades

Jewelers Saw Blade sizes, dimensions and recommended use. Images from iForge.

Junkyard Steels

Using recycled steel or steels of unknown pedigree. Rail road steel Specs.

K

L

Lafitte Welding Plate

1905 Patent forge welding process using "Laffite plate".

Lathes

Should you have this King of Machiine Tools in your shop? Problems when buying used lathes.

Lathe Setup

Reverse engineering your old lathe to install a replacement drive.

The Law and Blacksmithing

What laws apply to my blacksmithing business?

Lead Pb Plumbum

Lead in the shop, Health and Safety.

Low Loss Stack

Low loss stack for forges. Correcting flue problems. Side draft hood links

M

Mathematics

Shop math and online calculators. Cone and Oval layout. Hole punching force. Riveting force. Metric to English conversions. NEW! English Hundreweights Calculator