Had a scary moment with a cracked anvil last Tuesday

I was working on a big custom gate order in my shop in Boise, doing some heavy forging on the hinge plates. After about 30 minutes of hammering, I heard a sharp ping that sounded wrong. I stopped and checked my 150-pound anvil, and there was a fresh hairline crack running about 4 inches across the face near the hardy hole. My heart just sank. I immediately stopped all work, chained the anvil down so it couldn't shift, and started calling around for a local machinist who could possibly weld it. Has anyone here had to repair a cracked anvil face, and what was the outcome?

3 comments

3 Comments

scott.alex5d ago

That "sharp ping" sound is the worst, I had one crack last year.

flores.mark5d agoTop Commenter

Ever notice how that sound always happens when you're in a rush? It's like a universal rule. My phone screen cracked right as I was leaving for a trip, and my car battery died on the busiest morning of my week. Feels like things wait for the worst moment to break.

the_jessica5d ago

My old laptop's hard drive made that exact click of death sound the night before a big deadline. It's like @flores.mark said, these things have a terrible sense of timing. I swear the universe adds stress points to objects when it knows you're busy.