VaughnT

Looks great.

Man, o, man, could I have fun with a chunk of steel that big. I'd ask them if they could drill a 1" hole in that heel section for a "lifting point" that I could later turn into a hardy hole. That drop is absolutely perfectly shaped for an anvil! With a 5" wide face, and that small heel section, you'll have an anvil to make other smiths jealous. While you're waiting to pick it up, build up your trunk like the guys before me have suggested. Optimally, you want to be able to slide the anvil right out and not have to lift it up over the edge. If it's as heavy as we're thinking, lifting without a tractor or engine hoist is going to be a nightmare. Oh, and remember to use a lot of straps. Just because the rating on the strap sounds strong enough doesn't mean that you can trust the thing. If two "will do", four MIGHT be safe if you have to stop or turn suddenly. Can't wait to see her in her new home.

I don't like you anymore.

Look for an old hand-powered bench grinder at the flea markets. Had a guy on here post a thread where he took the stone off and attached a home-made impeller and housing. The grinder is usually very cheap and gives you the gears and crank already in place. All you need to do is make a sheetmetal impeller and surround.....

My anvil weighs 120, so I know that one was at least 30lb heavier. That said, the owner was a fool for not doing his research on the anvil to determine its weight or brand. The maker's mark might have been destroyed, given, but he sure didn't come across as being knowledgeable about it. Used to make movie sets? Prove it! Otherwise, that claim is just so much bumpkiss. Got pictures of the ironwork granpa made on it? Was gramps well-known in the area for his smithing? Where are the photos. Ugh!!!

Oil-tanned Latigo leather does very well. Tandy Leather might have the length you need.

Thomas, how long would you expect a grey iron grate to last in the forge? This particular one doesn't look too thick..... Would you be better off drilling a bunch of holes in some mild steel?

If you can swing a bit of tutelage under Yesteryear Forge, you are in high cotton. They are legendary!! Everything in Battleship Grey....

The biggest thing to remember about building and outfitting a blacksmithing tool box is weight. You want as much multi-tasking as possible otherwise it gets really heavy really quick. Punches and slitters can be repurposed. A ball-peen and cross-peen, one with a rounding face, can be used for just about everything. A few small tongs, with one that can be reshaped should the need come up. Keep it to the very minimum with the idea that tools can be re-shaped or re-purposed to serve whatever need arises at the moment. Trying to carry a dozen tongs and three hammers and a punch or drift in every size...... you can see how old that gets!

There's a guy on ebay that sells replacement grates. Seems like a decent price, too, but I'm not sure what "grey iron" is. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Blacksmith-Tuyere-Plate-/251120068678?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a77ec2846#ht_500wt_1021

I wouldn't have a problem paying $100 for that vise. The mounting bracket is in need of some work, and it's not installed correctly, but it's a very "new" looking vise and would last your lifetime and them some.

That's a beauty, for sure. I'd keep the rubber belt until it wears out, but be sure to have a spare belt on hand so you don't lose any time hunting another one. And paint those ugly legs.

Well, welcome aboard. Don't let anyone get in the way of your learning! Here's a link to a local Virginia smithing guild. Drop them a note and see about getting to the next meeting. http://www.cvbg.org/

I'd have to stop and take some pics of that lady! The lines built in to the old equipment made them as much art as tool, and folks just don't seem to appreciate that anymore. Did you talk with the owners? I'd be real keen to see if they'd part with her knowing she will be going to a good home where she'll be loved and cared for, never mind given a chance to stretch her legs again!

Sexy!

If I was anywhere near there, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. It might take ten years before I had a use for it, but at least that gem would be sitting in my shop!

If you have access to bamboo, it makes an awesome tinder for lighting a forge!

Looks like a heat shield to me. Neat video showing how things were done back in the day. That treadle hammer was unique, to say the least, and I'd like to see more on it's design. The hammer head didn't look larger than a 10lb sledge.....

Depending on the actual weight of the anvil, and not a guess, I would go as high as $1/lb, but not a penny over that. The good news is that the rest of the anvil looks great and not having a top plate on the heel is no big deal from a working standpoint. The hardy and pritchel don't normally get a lot of impact on them unless you're working big stock with a sledge.... . and that's not very common. For 90% of what you might do, I'm assuming, you could use that anvil for the next twenty years and not miss that little bit of top plate. All that said, though, it is a point of negotiation and could bring the price down. If you decide to fix that area, you'll need to bring the anvil up to temperature (pre-heat) and then lay on a bunch of weld with an arc-welder. The hard-facing rods aren't cheap and there's a lot of time tied up in the process.

I wouldn't bother with a heat-treat. The screws on the rifle aren't going to need a lot of torque to get them off. I would let your brother do the final fitting/filling on the drivers and vent pick so the match the screws nicely. Another option I've used in the past is to buy a cheap screwdriver and bust the handle off. Most of the longer drivers give you plenty of material to forge to shape and the actual bit is already formed.

Two blowers with awesome cast-iron stands and a 4" post vise. Combined with the 2 hours of driving, at over $3/gal for gas, to pick them up, and I still came in well under three bills for the whole kit and kaboodle! Best deal I've ever gotten, even if the one blower is rust-welded solid. Now, if I could just find that big Fisher anvil I've been dreaming about.........

If that's not the understatement of the century, I don't know what is!!! I would love to see what kind of work your doing that might move a bench that heavy! Bolting it to the floor was just silly. Very jealous. I don't know what I'd do with a shop around here that just happened to have 2" plate drops laying around.

Got to see one of these in an antique store the other week. Guy wanted close to a grand for it because it was so "rare". If it had been in working condition, I might have bought it as it's the only one I have ever seen. It definitely looks like it would put out the air, and those large wheels are going to keep the fan spinning for awhile after you stop turning. At least, I would think they would. I love the lines of the thing. I can't imagine a company today making a product and putting in all those curves and curls.

90% of that face looks great, so just don't hammer over that bad spot. Or, take a grinder to that area and radius it a bunch. At $2/lb, they are asking top dollar in my opinion. With that damage, I would take a hammer and tap all over the face, listening for changes in tone that would indicate the face plate is separating from the body. If there's no change in tone, great! If there is, walk away. Use that damaged spot to talk him down a bit on price. A hundred-pound anvil is a great size for making knives and general hobby smithing, and a good Vulcan will do everything you ask of it.

Vulcan anvils are good anvils even though they might be considered at the bottom of the anvil list compared to Hay Buddens or Fishers. The one you show certainly looks great and I wouldn't hesitate to grab it up if the price/weight ratio is right. The pitting on the side isn't an issue. That one area were the top plate is unsupported is going to be an issue as you could possibly crake the top plate if you hammered in that area. That could be fixed with a welder, though. How much does the anvil weigh? 2-3 bucks a pound is fairly standard, and that anvil looks in really good shape. If you do decide to buy it, I wouldn't change anything on it until you have some time in it.