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I Forge Iron

njanvilman

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Posts posted by njanvilman

  1. Looking at the photo again, I see that besides 2/3 of the top plate missing, sime of the iron below is also broken off.

    My anvil was obtained in a swap with Bill Gitchner about 8 years ago. Traded surplus vises and other stuff for several anvils. Hard to place a value, also depends on condition, and location(shipping or not). I never give values, but a range would be from 300 to 600.

    As it is, Thomas is about correct.

    If I can figure out how to post photos, I will post a picture of my anvil 'complete'.

  2. Your anvil is a Fisher Farrier's anvil, made around 1905. There should be an exact date under the heal. For a few years, Fisher made the farriers anvil with a horseshoe cast into the anvil. They are rare. I have one in the museum, and have seen about 4 others over the years.

    Your anvil is severely damaged. I would not attempt any type of fix. Most of the hard face top plate is gone. You would have to figure out how to weld to cast iron a layer that would then allow for hard face steel to be applied. Cost of electric, hard face welding rods, nickel rods for the base layer would far exceed what you would get out of it.

    Need more info, just ask.

  3. I spoke to the gentleman with the anvils today, and he said he would try to send me an email list of inventory and prices. He is about a three hour drive north of me. I will try to post the list here if I get it. He sounded sincere about the number of pieces.

    Personally I am only looking for missing holes in the collection for the museum. If my anvil count was my harem, I'd be dead. Soon to have one anvil for each day of the year.....

  4. Are you a NJ resident? There is an active ABANA affiliate chapter, New Jersey Blacksmith's Association, NJBA. We have an open forge in Howell Tnsp most every Monday nights, and welcome all new members. Contact me for more details. Lots of members who are very willing to teach and help attend regularly.

  5. Vulcans were also known as the poor man's Fisher. Made almost the same way, but never quite as good. Just take it easy when forging.

    I am still a shop teacher, year 33, with a forge, foundry, welding, sheet metal, and machining capabilities. Also the wood shop teacher in the morning with a full program. I recruited a top student five years ago to go to Millersville and he is now employed at my school. He does the advanced Metals and AutoCad. When I retire in a few years, he will keep the Metal program alive. Wood teachers are easier to find. Not all schools close their shops. We also have a full Graphics program, and starting Robotics/Engineering. Sorry to hijack the thread, but had to respond.

  6. The "seam" on the anvil is the parting line. It was cast as one piece, just never finished after casting. It is either cast iron, or cast steel. A spark test should let you know what you have. Dull sparks = iron. Sparks that are bright and have secondary sparks = steel. Also, the sould should tell something. Dull thud is probably iron; ringing should be steel. Will either be a decent anvil or a good doorstop.

  7. Is that 10" pipe single wall coming through a wooden building side? Dangerous. At least cut the hole bigger and create a second layer to insulate the pipe from the wood. You could make a sheet metal outer plate to center it in the hole. Also, I would add a few more sections of pipe to create a better draw at the top of the stack. My opinions.

  8. The army most likely had Fisher anvils in the shops. Fisher sold thousands of anvils to the GSA for distribution to various branches of gov't. Either Farrier pattern or 150 lb regular anvils.

    These sales kept Fisher in business. Typical orders were for 50 to 100 anvils at a time. I dream about a gov't warehouse that has crates of NOS Fisher anvils gathering dust. Probably out there, and forgotten about.

  9. This year marks my 30th year as an ABANA member. I think that despite its troubles of the past, it is a great organization. We have to remember that it is a mostly volunteer group. The magazines depend on submissions from members. I have used the Anvil Ring for years in my classes to give my students ideas and to expand their thinking.

    I have attended six conferences. I will not be at Memphis because it is in the begining of June. I cannot miss a week of school so close to the end of the school year. The administration would never give me the time off, and my students would never forgive me. I have always asked to have the timing set for after June 25, but I realize that scheduling will not always accomodate that request. So maybe the next one, although the drive to the Dakota's is a long one from the East coast.

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