Welding A-2 tool steel to cast iron.

Gonzowerke · Mon Apr 28, 2014 8:28 pm

Long story short, I need an anvil, and have limited funds. Harbor freight has a $60 anvil that is everything you would expect a $60 anvil to be. Soft, dentable with a 3 pound cross pein, etc.etc.etc. The hot ticket seems to be to weld a piece of A-2 on there as a work surface. Total setback will be around $250 total, as opposed to $1000 for a good one.

So, what would be best? Heat the whole thing up over a propane grill and mig or tig it? Or just braze it with bronze flux rod?

Any thoughts are most welcome.

Superiorwelding · Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:44 pm

Gonzowerke wrote:Long story short, I need an anvil, and have limited funds. Harbor freight has a $60 anvil that is everything you would expect a $60 anvil to be. Soft, dentable with a 3 pound cross pein, etc.etc.etc. The hot ticket seems to be to weld a piece of A-2 on there as a work surface. Total setback will be around $250 total, as opposed to $1000 for a good one.

So, what would be best? Heat the whole thing up over a propane grill and mig or tig it? Or just braze it with bronze flux rod?

Any thoughts are most welcome.

I have also started on a custom made "anvil" and have considered a hard material for the top.
I have never welded A-2 to cast so all I can do is give you the recommended filler material.
From what I can find it is recommended either AWS 312 or UTP 67S.
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/Co ... nElectric)
http://www.airgas.com/browse/productDet ... t=UTP16551
-Jonathan

Cricket · Tue Apr 29, 2014 1:50 pm

I tried to weld A2 to the substrate mild steel. It cracks all the way. A2 is air hardening steel. So once you heated it over the critical - it WILL harden to BRITTLE hard.
If you want a hardface for the anvil look for a 3-4"thick piece of prehard 4140...4143. And bolt it in the blind threaded holes underneath with 1/2X20 bolts.

WerkSpace · Tue Apr 29, 2014 5:04 pm

We make these out of old Railway Track sections.

TamJeff · Sat May 03, 2014 5:29 pm

Perhaps weld some floating, mild steel adapters to the A2 first, and then weld those to the anvil?

I accidentally drilled a hole for pins on a piece of O1 (O1 will air harden too!) oversize, thinking my pin material was a different size. I was able to TIG weld a cookie in the hole, re-anneal/re-drill the entire piece without issue.

That's a nice anvil, Werkspace. Have thought of making one of those myself being that I know a welder that works for CSX that could likely get me a chunk of that easier than I care to get it myself.