My new stump

[Michael]

couple months ago I was able to get my hands on a black oak stump cut to size I needed for my anvil, kept that measurement in my wallet in case I ever needed it. It took until december to get the darn thing back to my house. Spent christmas day with a broadaxe taking off the bark and a router to make three "feet" on the bottom, couple coats of polyurethane on all that open endgrain.

A week later I nailed a couple of boards to the sides and routed about 3/4 of an inch off the top to make it level. Did some pounding on Saturday and the anvil moves some, the stump not at all. Just yesterday I routed a half inch deep footprint of my 104 lb PW into the upper surface.

Stump weighed 157 lbs before the routing took place. Here it is next to my stacked 2x8 anvil stand. No comparison, the stump is solid.

[Rob Browne]

Serious lump of wood there. Once your anvil is fixed to it there will be no moving it.

Happy hammering :)

[CurlyGeorge]

Michael, you will be glad that you got the stump. You'll notice a big difference once you get the anvil set. Nice find!!

[Bentiron1946]

I don't know of anything that beats a good solid stump for an anvil base, well I'm sure that someone will supply an alternative, but you catch my drift here. A good solid foundation sure improves things.

[Michael]

Here it is done. nothing holding the anvil down just yet. I may do a staple or two over the feet to hold it in place. I'm a bit worried about the oak splitting on me, perhaps I'll wrap it with a steel band, something with a bolt so it can be tightened if the stump drys or shrinks some. I was also thinking about adding my tong rack from the old anvil stand and a strap with pockets around the back side. I've got a bunch of set tools to store. That would preclude rolling the stump though.

[Michael]

Here it is done. nothing holding the anvil down just yet. I may do a staple or two over the feet to hold it in place. I'm a bit worried about the oak splitting on me, perhaps I'll wrap it with a steel band, something with a bolt so it can be tightened if the stump drys or shrinks some. I was also thinking about adding my tong rack from the old anvil stand and a strap with pockets around the back side. I've got a bunch of set tools to store.

[Michael]

And here's the routing set up to flatten the top.

[petere76]

Michael,

Thanks for the infomation. I am in the process of mounting a (Christmas present) 144 PW on a stump and the router trick is just waht I was looking for to solve the rocking problem. Did you route out a inner circle on the bottom of the stump?

Peter

[Michael]

on the bottom I routed 3 feet. the idea is a stable tripod, but I find the stump Will rock just a bit. I have two of the feet facing me as I'm forging, with the third at the far side of the anvil. If I push towards the open space between the feet, the stump will rock that way a bit, but it didn't seem to be a problem while forging over the weekend.

I got the routing idea from this site.

http://www.blksmth.com/Anvi_base_preparation.htm

but I like the ring idea too. Maybe if this set up ends up being too high, I can try the ring on the bottom idea.

Michael

[Bentiron1946]

Take a look at this stump

[reefera4m]

Now that you have your stump here's what I did to anchor one of my anvils. I call it 'Shoes for my Anvil'. Forged/Welded 3/16 flat bar.

[Humphry]

Nicely done, I think the ring idea is a winner for the base. Mine is a maple half split or mabey half a forked stump. Flat on the faceing side. The buddy who gave it uses the other half. Thanks for shareing. :)

[Frosty]

I morticed my 125lb Soderfors (a Sorceres #5) into the green spruce block I used. I'd have to import something like oak or maple so spruce it is. With the anvil feet set about 1 1/4" into the green block it was pinched as the block dried and shrunk so it's as solid as can be. The base of the block is slightly hollowed towards the center, only maybe 1/4" but it's plenty on a smooth concrete floor and good on dirt. I don't think three feet on the block would've worked so well on dirt but I could certainly be wrong, I've never tried feet on the block.

I removed the tong and hammer racks I put on my anvil block, I didn't like them much. I have a little steel table with hammer and tong racks that clip over the lip on it's side and I keep it within reach at demos so the anvil block racks were more in the way.

I have a hammer rack on my steel tripod anvil stand for my 203lb Trenton and darned if I'm not thinking about making a steel stand for my Soderfors now.

Regardless, your block looks good to me, enjoy.

Frosty