Missed it by that much

[Michael Spaulding]

In my time between getting out and actually talking to people, I've been watching craigslist like a hawk, and I feel like I'm doing a good job.
There's been three anvils posted that I was the first to call, and first on the scene, all of which I've passed on for being overpriced, in just miserable condition, or in the case of one of them, both.

But there's been two that I was the second person to call, and both times they were the "stop looking" anvil. That anvil that would make me stop worrying about finding an anvil, because this one's going to last me for decades before I start itching for something new/bigger.

It's been two months of watching Craigslist religiously, and I've missed the two that I've actually wanted, and could afford. It's such a let down to call a guy and have him say "I've got a guy standing here right now looking at it" knowing that I've missed my chance.

So how do you do it? How do you deal with the excitement of seeing that one, beautiful, perfect anvil at the right price followed by the fall as your heart sinks and you know it's gone? When I saw that anvil listed this morning, I had my whole day planned out around it (3 hour drive one way) and now I'm sitting here in my sorrow.

I don't know, maybe I just needed to lament a bit. Thanks for listening.

ON WITH THE HUNT

[Glenn]

Use TPAAAT, not craigslist. 

[Gergely]

It's all right, Michael! Been there done that. You cannot possibly know what's coming next time. Maybe two weeks from now you'll be in infinite happiness having your first anvil which is way more better/cheaper/bigger/prettier (or all of that in the same time) than the one(s) you're sorrowing right now. So relax there is such a thing as anvil-karma (or karmanvil if you will)

Well and:

"That anvil that would make me stop worrying about finding an anvil, because this one's going to last me for decades before I start itching for something new/bigger."

I don't want to be rude but: hehe! that's a good joke!

Happy hunting!

Gergely

[Frozenforge]

Having the cash with you will make sure you dont miss out when a lead pops up out of no where as they seem to when you use the TPAAAT.  Many times the cash machine or bank is too far away. Craigslist is tough cause its a challenge to see the ad as soon as its posted and being the first one there.  Good luck

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

That is all part of the thrill of the hunt.

I love live auctions. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but that is one of the reasons I like them.

Another thing you could do today is to use the time you were planning on to get that anvil and hit a scrapyard instead to find a big chunk, or chunks, of steel instead of a "real anvil"

[VaughnT]

Don't be afraid of stretching out a bit.  I use searchtempest to cover all of craigslist with my searches and often find anvils listed in ways that I would never have thought.  And just as soon as you find your anvil and get it home, you'll see a dozen better anvils on CL for a hundred dollars less than you just spent.  

 

[Michael Spaulding]

Thanks, guys.

Biggun, I've been looking for a scrapyard for 3 weeks around the twin cities MN that will sell to private parties.

Vaughn, I'll check out searchtempest. I've been using IFTTT to give me alerts, but the alerts have like a 1-2 hour delay from posting and I find it's better if I just keep an eye on it.

I've considered live auctions as well. Maybe I'll make the leap and head out to one.

Onwards and upwards.

[Frosty]

Michael: Stiff upper lip and all that, you live in smithing tool rich country you ought to try it here, I spent years looking for anything at all. It'll come, patience Grasshopper.

If scrap yards won't sell to you, they won't here either, not legally anyway. You might try gifting the office secretary with a nice hand forged something. A flower is good, letter openers work well too. If you get on the secretary's good side you're in like Flynn.

Try truck shops, a broken semi, drive axle makes a fine anvil standing on end flange up. They have a tremendous depth of rebound, the lug holes are handy as all gitout and only a little grinding makes the face smooth enough to do fine/finish work. If you need a horn an axle is ALL horn, just not tapered and pointy. You can make bics to drop in the lug holes to go along with the hardy, butcher, swages, bending forks? Oh don't tell me I need to explain how wide a range of bending forks are available on an axle flange. Okay?

Make an axle anvil and it'll still be a go to anvil in your shop when you hardly have floor space to walk around all your other "real" anvils.

Frosty The Lucky.

Edited March 28, 2015 by Frosty

[AddictedToSwedes]

Don't get discouraged. It took me roughly 6 months of searching before I found a keeper.  I was fairly discerning and passed on probably 15-20 anvils that had signs of moderate wear and tear.  What's funny is that I brought my anvil home and had a party a few weeks later for my sons birthday... Whilst showing friends the anvil and forge I had acquired, several of them remarked they had old anvils rusting away in their barns that I was welcome to. So... Moral of the story is sometimes you overlook the most obvious places to find anvils.

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Michale,

Keep the faith and be ready with cash.  An example below .  A heads up call from the Frogman on an Acme / Hay Budden and 50 miles from me .. 45 minuets later I loaded a perfect anvil in the truck for 400. Just be ready to go.  I won't mention all the best bummer runs I have made. LOL

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Besides scrap yards , look for heavy industrial shops, machine shops,factories, train yards, heavy equipment companies,and anywhere else that uses big iron. Also don't overlook the scrap haulers themselves, catch it before the scrapyard does. Steel suppliers may have some drops that will work too.

I agree with Frosty, try a backdoor entry into the scrap yards through the secretary. Also ask if anyone you know knows a worker at one who may be able to talk to someone on your behalf.

 

[Frosty]

Coffee and donuts in the break room wins good will! I don't know how I forgot that technique. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

[evfreek]

My path to success has not been smooth.  The worst thing that I have tried is TPAAAT.  It has never helped me acquire any anvils.  But, there is one thing that I have learned.  TPAAAT, like many other things, tends to leave the control out of your hands.  If you really want an anvil. don't wait for someone to tell you about his uncle's friend's brother-in-law, unless you really like following these tenuous trails.  My first anvil was a concrete brick.  It lasted long enough to forge two tools, but that was good enough.  The second anvil was a piece of railroad track.  The best thing that I did in my quest for an anvil was to spend $100 on a Miller Thunderbolt stick welder.  In the time that I could have allowed TPAAAT to hold back my learning progression, this simple welder can easily turn out a dozen anvils.

Seize the opportunity.  The best time to begin is now!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Plenty of heavy industry in the Bay Area. When I lived near there I saw tons of big scrap items that would make good anvils. No welding needed.

 

I don't think I bought all of the good anvils there.....:-) 

 

[dkaschner]

Michael, not sure what price range you are looking in, but I live in Eagan, MN and I have a 'new' #260 double horn classic from Old World Anvils that I have been trying to get the time to post here and on a few more boards and the Guild of Metalsmiths.  I say 'new' because I have had it for years and never used it.  Been using a 120 Nimba I picked up right after getting this one.  The Nimba works well in my smaller smithy and I kept telling myself, "soon I will have the smithy finished and I can move in the big anvil"... smithy's never get 'finished'...

Anyway, PM me and we can talk if you are interested.  Or you can just stop by, always love to talk with a fellow smith...

Dan

[aessinus]

On 3/28/2015 at 4:30 PM, AddictedToSwedes said:

Don't get discouraged. It took me roughly 6 months of searching before I found a keeper.  I was fairly discerning and passed on probably 15-20 anvils that had signs of moderate wear and tear.  What's funny is that I brought my anvil home and had a party a few weeks later for my sons birthday... Whilst showing friends the anvil and forge I had acquired, several of them remarked they had old anvils rusting away in their barns that I was welcome to. So... Moral of the story is sometimes you overlook the most obvious places to find anvils.

Yup,  TPAAAT at it's utmost.

[notownkid]

TPAAAT does work, 90% of my equipment has come to me that way, a couple live auctions netted me a few items usually when I was there to buy something else.  if in a hurry call up and order a new one reduces the chance of disappointment.  I had a never used brake drum forge with buffalo blower come my way while eating lunch at a counter restaurant while wearing a blacksmith t shirt.  guy setting next to me asked if I knew anybody looking for one his father had made, $25 later I drove up to his wood working shop and loaded it.  A leg vise was offered while I was picking up my mail at a very small rural PO while wearing Steve Sells T shirt and the guy threw in a bunch of other tools all for $20.  You just never know.  Never have used Craigslist.

[D.C.]

TPAAAT works well....even in areas where there is a huge demand for anvil and tools because it reaches out to the people WHO DON'T USE CRAIGSLIST. Oddly enough, that seems to be the people who also have anvils and equipment. My best contact is an employee at the local welding supply place. He has put me in contact with more old farmers and metal workers than I could ever have found on my own.

[Kozzy]

4 hours ago, D.C. said:

TPAAAT works well....even in areas where there is a huge demand for anvil and tools because it reaches out to the people WHO DON'T USE CRAIGSLIST. Oddly enough, that seems to be the people who also have anvils and equipment. My best contact is an employee at the local welding supply place. He has put me in contact with more old farmers and metal workers than I could ever have found on my own.

Finding anvils in this area is like trying to find bars of gold:  Rare to the point of nonexistent--or so I thought.  After the "museum" meeting a couple of months ago, I took about 10 of the members (old farmers) back to the forge area and did a quickie demonstration of bearing bounce on the 2 anvils to show them the difference between mediocre and good.  The next meeting, 6 of the 10 came back and told me stories about how they went home and did the test on the old anvils they had rusting away in their barns.  A couple told of doing the same with anvils that their friends had too.

My thinking now is that anvils are actually common as dirt--the thing that is uncommon is looking in the right place and giving the effort/pitch it takes to get someone to decide it's time let go.  TPAAAT all the way.