Welding Tips and Tricks

I'm building a 100lb power hammer with about a 1000lb anvil base made up of 1"x6"x24" flat bars. The plan is to weld them together and to weld straps around the bundle as shown and to weld the bottom end to a 2" thick plate for a base. There will be a 10" square 2" thick block welded on top. My question is whether I need to weld the individual plates together on the edges or make holes in them to plug weld them to each other. The idea is to make the bundle of 24 plates act as one thing. Ideas, questions welcome.

Would it be effective to weld stringer beads across the short edges of the "bundle", and fillet welds along the straps to connect it all together?

I think the first question is what do you have available for welding equipment?

I've got a Miller 251. I'm not a certified welder but I've done lots of welding over the years, first with stick. Been using the 251 for over 10 years now.

It seems to me that a number of 1" tacks along the seams would be plenty strong for the plates to each other. The straps you could also stitch. The issue would of course be the edge tacks will prevent the plates from being flat to each bundle.

Yes, I'm hoping to find a way to keep things from distorting a bunch. I was thinking of tacking each bunch of 6 together first and then tie everything together with the straps. I have a gantry crane and chain hoist to move the whole mess around with. If I skip weld some on each side alternating sides do you think that will work to keep distortion down?

Bevel the edges of the plates where you want to weld. Then you will have a little v groove to lay your bead in. Then it could be ground flat without sacrificing the strength of the weld.

Joe wrote:Yes, I'm hoping to find a way to keep things from distorting a bunch. I was thinking of tacking each bunch of 6 together first and then tie everything together with the straps. I have a gantry crane and chain hoist to move the whole mess around with. If I skip weld some on each side alternating sides do you think that will work to keep distortion down?

Sounds fine. Even clamping them in bundles while you tack/stitch them should be fine. And yep, beveling makes everything better-er

Any reason for not buying a billet to use instead?

Harry72 wrote:Any reason for not buying a billet to use instead?

Finding a 12 X 12 x 24 block at your local steel yard is probably a bit of a ask.

Would it make any sense to cut the plates 12in long and stack horizontally beveling each plate edge to stitch weld together as you built the stack? Each layer turned 90% to the last to lap all the joints and allowing perimeter stitch welds around each plate. Possible drill 2 holes aprox. 1/2in dia. on the center line of the plate staggered slightly so when the plates are stacked the holes don't line up with each other and plug weld also as you build. Going to take some time with grinding and tightly clamping each plate and cooling time as required

Could be worth asking about large solid with your supplier - over here you could certainly get round in that size & bigger supplied cut to length - including higher alloys that would last better under a hammer - maybe square if you really want it - if there are are any plant breakers around you it's worth looking for any counterweights off dead machines or piling hammer parts - I've had plenty of 6"> 8" anvil plates from hammers over the years we make formers etc out of when working on steam stuff.

Harry72 wrote:Any reason for not buying a billet to use instead?

I was thinking the same thing. Where are you located Joe? One the local scrappers has a back corner with "the goodies" including a couple of pieces of round bar stock that would probably work for this. I just browsed a local suppliers website that has a surplus section. There was another piece there that could work.

Something else to consider is the tool foundation if you haven't covered that yet. This would probably go straight through my shop floor.