Building fuller or bent dog hold down for anvil

[C Craft]

I want to build a fuller something similar to this one!

Also a hold down similar to this

So my questions on this are as follows. The spring on the fuller and the hold down.

1. What is the best steel to make them from! I have seen posts that mild steel will work!! Is that so or does it need to be something that will harden??

2. The rod or dies for the fuller do they need to be hardened, or once again would mild steel work???

 

[BossDog]

mild steel will work.
at some point you may have to replace the rods on the fuller but that is after a long time in use.

 

[C Craft]

Thanks Tracy!!! I did some reading and a few articles I read said, mild steel would work but was a little surprised to read that!!!

 

[Bill Hubbell]

Just don't work your steel cold (which you probably wouldn't do anyway),and they should last quite awhile.

 

[Doug Lester]

Mild steel will be harder than austenized steel and hot steel will draw the temper on hardened steel so I'd vote for going with mild steel for you hardy tools too.

Doug

 

[C Craft]

Thanks guys, sometimes it is the WHY that makes it, make sense!! Gonna work on some of this over the weekend!!!