VaughnT

Love how you left the seam between the two halves so pronounced! That and the visible cable twist gives it a really neat look that I haven't seen before.

Personally, I think they are more trouble than they are worth. The mass under the hammer is what makes a good anvil, not just that the thing is heavy overall. If I needed a good anvil that was really usable, I would get me a 20# sledge hammer and bury half of it in a stump so I could pound on the other face as my anvil. Same thing that they do in third-world countries for production smithing..... and they do some great work on them.

Great job!

Very nicely executed! I don't see any flaws or faults in that at all. Very professional. The twists are even and you kept a good balance between too much and too little. The heart finial is as good as I've ever seen, and I really like that wrap you did to decorate the joint. Excellent work, LR. You'll go far in smithing if you have that kind of capability at the start.

Some time ago, I saw a video on youtube where a smith out in the midwest showed how to build a rather neat hold-down that used a spring to give power to the grip. The square 'footprint' of the hold down was very practical, and I really liked the idea of the spring doing the work of securing the piece. Fortunately, it was a bit of a while before I was able to work this project into the list of to-do's and by that time the design had changed significantly. Basically, I wanted something that would be good for teaching kids as much of the basics as possible, but was well within their abilities and would leave them with a practical and useful tool. Criteria? Simplicity in both skill, material and tools required. The skills needed should be minimal and easily accomplished by young kids in dad's home workshop or off at a summer camp. Measuring, Layout, Cutting, Drilling, Riveting and Forging all come into play, and none of it is outside what I think a youngster could do with proper supervision. The only thing you don't make is the spring. The stock used for the perimeter and bail is 1/8" x 1", and it can be cold-bent or worked in a forge. I used the jaws of the vise to sharpen the corners. The important part is to make sure that the seam meets in the middle so that it's covered by the bail. The bail has a hole drilled/punched at the top-dead center for a bolt that I flattened (for clearance) and curled on the end to receive the s-hook that connects to the spring. The spring passes through the hardy hole and is fastened to the anvil stand in whatever manner is convenient to you. Because anvils vary so much, measurements are open to whatever you need. I didn't see any need for a square footprint when my faceplate is 5" wide, so I went rectangular. You could even short-cut the build a bit and use a 1" section of tubing if you happen to have some that's the size of your anvil's face. A couple of notches will be added for larger round stock, or square stock on the diamond. But, as it is right now, the hold is very solid on smaller stock. The open-top design allows you to hold material that has bends and curves in it, unlike the original that started this whole adventure. While this prototype is simply tacked together (Proof-of-Concept), the idea is to use rivets instead of welding. This is why bringing the ends of the perimeter together at the bail is important. Two small rivets on either side of the seam should be plenty strong enough, and it's something that the kids can do. Hope you like it.

That's awesome! I really like all the room you have around the sides and rear. Plenty of place to store tools and fuel. Good job.

I was going to bid on that one from Matchless. They look like they would be rather handy for adjusting the size of your fire if you needed a longer/larger fire for something.

Jacques, that's a great score! The set hammer and flatter look pristine, and will certainly be very useful.

There is no need for the base to be round. That's simply what the maker has available, and makes the whole thing look "right". While the bending jig is rather useful for making repeatable curves, there are better designs out there. Personally, while I like the idea, I would rather use a square table that has a series of holes in a grid pattern so that I can use it to make compound bends around multiple radii, like a serpentine finial you see on gates and railings. You can still bend simple curves, but it opens the door to other uses. Using sections of pipe to supply the radii is far easier and cheaper than using solid stock. A lot of the time, you can find piping in 1' sections at the flea markets and re-sale stores. Pots and pans can also be repurposed.

Thanks, John B, for chiming in. I didn't want to come across as rude, but I was honestly surprised at how it turned out. The entire premise of the show is fantastic, and I really enjoy seeing folks continuing on the old crafts. Too bad that the BBC doesn't offer these shows online so we can see back issues and the like. That thatching episode looked very interesting.

Great find! Can't say for sure, but it looks very 1950-ish. Sure to be a great addition to your smithy!!

Coke has already had the impurities burned out of it. It's a very "clean" product, and you can make your own coke by slow-cooking straight coal around the perimeter of your forge fire. Clinkers are the bad juju running out of the coal fire's heat zone and solidifying in the colder spot down by the air spout. You'll definitely want a grill over that big hole in the pot, and a triangular clinker breaker is the best bet just in case you start burning straight coal.

4-legged stands are always a struggle to get sitting flat on the ground. This is even worse if you're outside. Since you have the stand only tacked together, I would make it into a tripod and never have to worry about the issue again. With a stand and anvil that are so light and portable, you never know where you might take the combo in a week or month (could get invited to a demonstration in the near future) and a 3-legged stand will sit perfectly no matter where you go. As for joining the anvil and stand, I'm a huge proponent of using silicone caulk between the two. While this gives you some adhesive bond, it also serves to take the ring out of the anvil and makes things a whole lot more enjoyable to work with. If you're going to be bending around the horn making hooks, or using it as a fuller, there's a very good chance the anvil will tip if it isn't secured to the stand in some fashion. Good looking work, all told. Can't wait to see it finished and being used.

Excellent lines on the candle holder. It would look right in place in a scene of LOTR! Very impressive, overall, and I really like the look of the wall hanger and shovel.

And a Paragon she is. I wasn't thinking straight and had Kohlswa in my mind, but the "....wagon" is actually, as you can see, "paragon" and the rust pitting/lighting made it look like other than it is. I'm not familiar with Paragon anvils, but she has a wonderful rebound and a very flat face. The peening on the front of the face looks like it will be a great place for fullering or starting a scroll. The horn is nearly mint. Overall, I'm completely happy with the purchase. I certainly didn't need another anvil, but I can't say no to a good deal. Maybe I'll find someone that needs her for their fledgling shop....

Great score, bud! That's a fine anvil and will bring you years of joy. Oddly enough, my Fisher (an 1882) has that exact same shade of brown patina. Must be something to do with the blend of their metal, or something, as I've never seen that exact browning on other old anvils. All I did was give the sides a coat of oil to preserve that look, and it's a dream to look at as well as work on.

Just finished watching the last few minutes of it, and I couldn't be more disappointed in the gate that won. I don't know anything about the judge except he won a gold metal, but he couldn't have chosen a worse gate for the win. I would really like to learn more about this group that he belongs to and why he was so worthy of a gold medal. I'm not saying he isn't worthy of it, but I'm really curious as to what it takes considering they haven't given out but a scant handful in a few hundred years. As I watched the program, I was amazed at the technical skill the novices picked up. But there were some very important lessons to be learned. I noted that the guy that took third built a gate that didn't please the homeowners (just listen to them work hard at being polite!), and it didn't open the full ninety degrees. This was, imo, a direct result of him interjecting too much of his wants and desires into the project. The client was very clear that they wanted something that fit the time period, and he failed to keep that in consideration. A dragon's head? To be honest, I couldn't recognize it for that and even the homeowners were surprised at it because they hadn't requested anything of the sort. The 3D design was nice, and if had left it as a bow-front gate, I think he would have clinched the win. Simple and clean, with just a touch of elegance to display the custom nature of the product. Is there a name for the leafy detail he did on the ends of the styles? I really liked how that looked as a finial. The guy that won first had some strong narcissistic tendencies. I would have thought he'd learn his lesson when he failed to make the candle holder to spec, but I was wrong. The overall gate, imo, was garish, busy, and didn't really serve to tell me any story. Again, the body language of the homeowner seems to indicate that she wasn't overly pleased with it, either. I did like how he broke through the plane with some of the scrolls, and I thought his roses looked very, very good. The clear winner, though, was the underdog. Her gate had a neat, clean appearance. The leaves looked very real to my eye, and the butterfly was a nice touch. The story of the piece was very easy to read, it's some herons in the weeds! The judge was right to call her out on the latch she made. It was very amateurish compared to the rest of the gate and really stood out. But, she was also the only one of the three that got was seemed to be a very positive and enthusiastic response from the homeowner. That's the biggest criteria they needed to meet. Overall, I thought that all three made great strides in terms of skill and I'm really thankful to the BBC for doing a good job of producing the show. I'd dearly love to have a smithy that nice!

That's right, folks. Out working today and met a guy with an awesome open-air pole barn and a slew of rusted iron in his "stockpile". Long story short, we got to talking about working with metal and he happens to mention that he had an anvil that he wanted to part with. I have no idea how blacksmithing even entered the conversation, swear!! This is a guy that had as a doorstep a "sprocket" that was every bit of an inch thick and five feet in diameter! The anvil? A 66lb Swedish job. The crown trademark stamp is still evident, as is "Sweden". So I feel good that it's a cast tool-steel anvil. Then only question is the "------wagon" in a rectangle on the same side as the weight stamp. The "wagon" part is very legible, but it looks like there are a few letters prior that we can't make out. Any thoughts? Pics tomorrow.

Maybe cut the blade out of a plow or old saw and forge-weld a tang on it?

Great find even if it is missing the spring, mounting plate, gib key and wedge. All of which are very easy to make and good practice for a fledgling smith. Value? Hard to say. It doesn't look very old, to my eye, but I could be wrong. Any markings on it? Are you going to strip the paint off? That it's got some family history makes it priceless to me. I'd be really proud to have some of my grand-dad's tools....

It really is a balancing act entirely dependent upon your particular circumstances. Ideally, I prefer a tripod stand that allows my feet to get under the anvil similar to a toe-kick on a kitchen cabinet. However, I do have another stand that's made out of 6x6 pressure-treated lumber because that's what I had on hand. The wood is very light compared to the metal stand for my other anvil. The difference, though, is that I like my smaller anvil to have a light-ish base so it's easier to move around. My big anvil doesn't get moved much, so a heavy stand is okay. One thing that I saw after building my wood stand was to rotate the anvil on the wood base by 45 degrees so that the long axis of the anvil is bisecting the stump on the diamond instead of the traditional method of running parallel to the side. Having the corner of the stump sticking between your feet allows you to get a few inches closer because nobody works with their feet tight to one another. This basically allows for a wider base that's more stable but doesn't force you farther away from the anvil.

If you're getting a piece of steel a quarter-inch thick for the table of the forge, you don't need a drum or rotor. Plenty of the old forges were made out of iron of that same dimension and had nothing but a grate over a hole. Add some fire cement to spread the heating of the table out, and form a depression for the coal, and you're golden. Quick, simple and cheap.....

Captain, no need to carve out a hollow or anything so troublesome. Simply paint the underside of the anvil, or the top of the stump, with a good layer of caulk (I used masonry adhesive, actually) and put the two together. I applied a bit much (used the entire tube) and it squeezed out everywhere, so I ended up "painting" the entire top of the stump (which is rather good protection against weather). I would recommend no more than half a tube of caulk, though the guy that shared the secret with me says to just draw a nice thick line of caulk around the perimeter of the underside of the anvil. I took it to extremes. Any type of sealant is good, but I would certainly be sure that it was for outside use if you have the anvil outside. Better safe than sorry.

Very neat handle, Sam. I'm guessing that the stem is curled up tight to hide the end which was formed into a nail that is clinched over on the inside. Solid idea, that, and very elvish.

Very entertaining, and not a lot of bogus information like you see on the Discovery channel! Makes me really wish I had a shop that could be nothing but smithing! Don't know what I'd do with myself if I had such a fancy place to work in!!