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I Forge Iron

How to build a Rustic Anvil Stand


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This is my first anvil, I had been using a rail anvil that you can see in my other posts, it worked great for what it was but I was ready to upgrade. This is my 110lb Vulcan and stand that I made today, let me know what you think.

Start with 2, 2x12x12 untreated boards and cut 6, 23.5in pieces. There is a small piece left at the end of each board I use on each side of the base of the stand.
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All cut, you can see the matching grain of the two boards, after this pic I arrange them so that they alternate.
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Pre-drill and screw each board down to the previous, 4 screws per board.
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Level out with a belt sander.
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Trace the base and cut footings on the bandsaw to help hold the anvil steady.
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First burn before staining
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The stain is just vinegar and a rusty hammer head that I let soak for a couple days.
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Stain once and let dry.
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Go over with the torch one more time. Blacksmiths know you can never use too much fire, haha.
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For a tool holder I used an 84" leather strap, cut down to 54" for the main piece, split and cut down for little belt loops with the left over.
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First time using the anvil! Punch holes and set the rivets. Under the small straps next to the rivets on the sides I pre-drill and screw the main strap to the base to hold it up and keep the screws out of sight.
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Done
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looks good the leather strap is what my great great great grandfather used on his cotton wood stump. the next one you build you might try using a back strap and a smaller front strap instead of cutting all the little loops you keep the front strap solid and make the loops.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Love the tool holder! If I didn't have a stump handy I might have to make one just like it.
I do some woodworking, the vinegar-rust mix is a pretty typical potion for 'ebonizing' certain woods. It's great for getting that worn out look.

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  • 11 months later...

That is a nice looking stand!

I did mine in a similar fashion, laminating 2x12s. I set mine in silicone caulk as suggested by many since I live in a residential neighborhood and need to kill the ring, and kill the ring it did.

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I need to get a picture of a couple of my stands---made from *VERY* aged 2x10" oak used as the floor of a horse trailer and aged till the trailer was scrapped.  (scrapyard gave them to me for free!) 

 

I had to buy the very long bolts used to hold the guardrails onto the wooden posts alongside the road, (20 cents a pound at the scrapyard). 

 

Cut the boards to proper height---with 2 end boards an inch or two higher to hold the anvil in place.  Lined them up on an I beam turned on it's side and pipe clamped them together.  Drilled them with a bit designed to drill between studs in a wall and ran the bolts in and tightened them up.

 

Total cost say US$2 a stand and very very rustic---rough sawn, aged and abused oak, unfinished.  (the better stuff is a set of shelves in my smithy)

 

This gift finally got the last of my using anvils on stands for when I teach---stumps being hard to scrounge in the desert.  Made 3 stands.

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