Hello,
My father and I found a solid strip of old rail down in the city, we brought it home, ground it down, and cut it in half. I got my forge going and set it up on two cinderblocks, I have not yet secured It, but when I tried to hammer out some rebar to make a pair of tongs, the rail made this blood-curdling ring. After about 20 swings I felt def in both ears and 1 swing away from my neighbors filing a noise complaint. My question to y’all is, will securing the rail to the stump I have help with the noise? Are there any other things I can do to help with this?
1 Like
Hi Owen,
I have heard that one can tie a weight to the anvil or rail to dull the noise, like a hose with sand and a weight, haven’t tried it yet, as i bought a rigid Model 12 which rings like a European church bell, I but expect the same kind of noise problem. Hope thats helps.
1 Like
Thanks, I’ll give it a try and let you know how it goes!
Please do, I live in a “quiet” neighborhood too! Another reason I decided to build a hydraulic press instead of a power hammer, lol.
1 Like
Magnets will work wonders as well. I have a London-pattern anvil that is equally deafening, I placed a 90lb magnet on the broad side, one underneath the tail just past the hardy, and one small 10lb magnet on the underside of the horn. That, combined with a secured wood post helped cut most of my noise, if I am not working for an extended amount of time I don’t feel the need to wear my hearing protection (although I’m already half-deaf from heavy metal gigs, so to each their own)
The same concept should work on a piece of track as well. And be careful taking any metal from a RR track-it is a federal offense and some of the old companies are pretty grouchy about it. Not to mention the dangers of being hit by a passing train.
1 Like
Will do thanks,
It was old abandoned track found underground stamped from the early 1900s so I think I’ll be okay, though thanks for the concern and good info!