Donnie

To answer the original question that began this thread; I do. I am very happy with it. I have had much larger anvils. I have found no drawbacks to using this anvil, unless you can't live without a hardy hole and a horn. I don't see this as a problem, as I rely on hammer and anvil only. To each his own.

Welcome aboard. I'm in Carnesville, Ga.. Practically the same neck of the woods.

Do not pull a piece of 1/2"sq out of the fire and grab the orange metal with your bare hand to straighten it. You will leave your fingerprints on the steel and keep your hand submerged in water for hours. There is a reason I know this! I don't know why I did it. But, I did.

It sounds as though I am tapping the anvil every few blows. In reality my hammer is just bouncing in a half opened hand as I reposition the stock. I never grip the hammer. I lift it and throw it with a partially closed/open hand.

24" of 1 1/4" pry bar set in 5 gal. Bucket of cement. Sounds odd, but it works for me. 24" of anvil under the hammer.

I made a few blades from an old crowbar. Junkyard rules apply. I know they are most likely medium carbon steel. The blades I forged from that particular crowbar served the recipients quite well.

"Socket to fit over the anvil"......genius!! Have you ever heard someone else's idea and wondered why you didn't think of it. I just did.

My suggestion, and I'm not trying be cute here, is to learn to do most things with the hammer. I use a very similar setup. I can no longer move my anvil around thanks arthritis. I use an anvil devil or a hot cut chisel to cut when needed. I use to miss using bottom tooling, but now I don't. Some folks are quite surprised at what can be done with an anvil smaller than my fist and a one pound hammer.

Very well done. Thank's for posting.

Hmmmm, 100-200 yrs. That would be long enough for me. But, the way my luck goes, someone would dig me up to complain about it. I think I will just make a handful of steel rivets.

It will be an indoor wall hanger. I wanted to use 1/8" rivets. I have some copper ones that size. I've never joined steel with copper. I didn't know if there would be any type of reactivity over time. Thanks for your reply.

Is there any reason not to use copper rivets to join steel?

I try to let the fire do most of the work. The hotter the iron, the easier it moves. My one pounder is my favorite hammer.

Spanky, ingenuity is a mighty big word to be in the same sentence with me! I was just tired of just existing and not being able to do what I enjoy doing. My arthritic spine and hips can surely move my new anvil a lot easier than the 100 pounder. The 1 1/4 face of my tall skinny anvil may sound may sound too small to most folks. But, it is wider than the face of my 1 lb. hammer. I don't really miss the hardy hole. I was taught to do scrolls off the edge of the anvil. I never really used anything more than hammer and anvil, so it works for me.

I have always had to move my anvil to use it. I used to forge something 3-5 days a week. Arthritis finally put an end to my ability to work. I have done very little forging for the last couple years. Since I have to move my anvil for each use, and I only use the part directly under the hammer, I cut a two foot section of pry bar and mounted it vertically. I have to work seated, as I can stand only a few minutes. I now use a 1lb. hammer and a 1 1/4" face anvil. I have forged several small knives and hooks. It works like a charm. I now light the forge much more often. It ain't over, till it's over! Don't ever give up.

Thanks, Eddie Mullins.

Two thumbs up!!

Those are nice. I hope the Queen, doesn't see the third one.

I hope you never shut up. Just my .02 worth.

mtforge, that's my favorite. Consider the design, stolen! Thanks for posting those pics.

I'm invisioning something as small in size and as lightweight as I can get away with.

I've been thinking of building a wood framed forge for some time now. After seeing the recent thread by Ridgewayforge, I feel motivated to get it done. I am going to make a firepot about the size of my two hands cupped together, maybe 8" across the top, and about 4" deep. I never use anything larger than 3/8" anymore, a lot of 1/4" stock.....gotta love arthritis! I was thinking about a fireclay mortar between the firepot and wood frame. I don't know how many inches of clay between the two would be enough to keep the wood from burning. I would like to use the minimum, so it will be as lightweight as possible. Any and all opinion and wisdom would be appreciated.

I knew Radar, when he was in Ft. Valley, Ga. I was saddened when I read this. He was one of those people, you always looked foward to seeing at a guild meeting. He was avery nice guy.

I love files. I tend to love anything low tech. If it gets the job done, the simpler the better for me. I use soapstone to keep the teeth clean. Store them dry. I try to not store one one top of another. Believe it or not, you can aquire as flat a surface with a file as with a mill. I like things simple. The simpler the better for me. I have the ability to use any type of machining capabilities, but for some reason, love simplicity.

Conrats on the roof, and two thumbs up on the items forged beneath it.