ThomasPowers

The british hundred weight (abreviated cwt) is 112 pounds the first number from the left on old *ENGLISH* anvil weight markings is hundredweights so if marked X Y Z it will be X * 112 The second number is quarter hundredweights, 28 pounds thus Y can only be 0, 1, 2. or 3; so Y * 28 The last number is remaining pounds below a quarter hundredweight thus 0 <= Z <= 27; so Z * 1 Total weight for an old *ENGLISH* anvil is: (X * 112) + (Y * 28) + (Z * 1) American anvils are marked in pounds and some more modern inported anvils may be marked in kilograms. Thomas

I spent 15 years living in a 100 year old neighborhood in Columbus OH. My nearest neighbor had a house less than 20 *feet* from mine. The forge was either under the big old tree out back or in the detached falling down garage behind the tree (summer/winter). I looked into the local codes and it said anything that creates fumes discernable from off the property was verboten as was open fires though there were two exceptions: heating and cooking. I was very lucky, the nearest neighbor was retired and said that coal smoke reminded her of the old coal furnace she grew up with---no problem. To the other side we had about 40 feet to the next house (we had a double lot with our house built 1' onto the other lot so it couldn't be subdivided) It was mainly low rent housing and they generally were not interested in having the police come round... At one point I did have trouble with an unknown neighbor calling the fire department on me any time I lit up---but by the best of good luck they did it when I was using my *smoker* to cook dinner (see exception #2) and after 3 times the fire department wedged their truck down the alley to see me cooking chicken or salmon in the smoker I think thay had the little "large fine for false alarms" talk with them because the harassment stopped! Remember that being a good neighbor is more than just following the local codes---If someone has a young child, try to coordinate with them so you don't interfere with their nap times, same with their BBQ's or outdoor parties. Though forging usually doesn't bother social gatherings, use of grinders will. Propane or charcoal forges are not nearly so "visible" as coal forges. A Fisher or Vulcan anvil will hold down the hammering amazingly and a muffled "By St Eloi!" when you do something you shouldn't instead of cussing will help keep a low profile. Now on the bad side: I had a student who put a forge outside his place in a college district. Unfortunatly the prevailing wind pushed the smoke into a nearby appartment whose renter called the cops on him---they told him he needed an EPA permit to burn coal. Being a stubborn cuss he contacted the EPA and asked what he needed to do to get one. The asked him how much coal he burned in a year. he said "a couple of hundred"; "tons???"; "No, pounds". When they got finished laughing they told him not to bother them till he was in the 1000 ton range (IIRC). He asked them to put that in writing which they nicely did so he showed that to the city. Then they said he would have to get a "burning permit" $25 and 10 working days before *each* time he would be using the forge. He ended up moving instead---note this is the same city I had been running my forge in for years and still did for years afterwards. Of course there is a time that the local Bar burned down and nobody called the fire dept until too late cause they thought the smoke was from my forge back behind the bar across the alley... Thomas

It predates Tai as I remember seeing it at a Quad-State demo several years befor Tai said he started using it; but like most great ideas there are probably lots of people who have independently figured it out! One of the best things about using a pipe for heat treating is you can put some charcoal in it and create a reducing atmosphere and greatly reduce scaling during heat treat. Thomas

A friend of mine once was stupified at an antiques shop by a pair of tongs listed for $45 as he was standing there the dealer came up and said good price on those and when he questioned it showed him a catalog with a pair of tongs for $90---that had clear provenance to a famous individual. They thought that since that pair was 90 then their pair would sell like hotcakers for $45---at the time the going rate was more like $5. My friend offered to sell them as many pairs as they wanted for $20 and so let them double their money... Thomas

It's a disease; I finally put a limit on the number of anything I have and then if I want to upgrade I have to sell off one to add the new one. As the finding is kinda fun in itself i usually have a list of folks who want to buy what I find. This keeps a *little* free space in the shop to move around in and allows the bank account some respite. When I read about folks with hundreds of anvils/swage blocks/postvises all I can think of is that they can't use them all and hoarding them is just making it harder on new folks trying to find stuff to get started. Thomas

Both parts can get rancid. Commercial oils often have treatments to prolong their life, but I'd suggest making the tank so it can be dumped/cleaned when it starts going off... Thomas

I'd just grab it with a pair of tongs that will hold it on the sides and use reign clips to get a good grip and forge it down. I don't see the problem with using tongs---could you explain? Now if you want fun try forging down lare ball bearings... Thomas

Why not? it has more face left than my 1828 William Foster and the horn still looks good---I'd buy it if it was cheap enough! Thomas

My "shop" anvil is a bit over 500# and my protable anvil is 91 pounds. Which one sees the most use is dependent on what I get to do... Thomas

This is *forge welding* and you don't get dingle berries. If you have a bunch of little round ones it's had arc welding done on/near it. Thomas

Arm and Hammer anvils were made in Columbus OH USA, The one I have has a wrought iron body with a steel face forge welded on it . Not to be confused with Vulcan anvils that use and "arm and hammer" logo but are cast iron anvils with a steel face Thomas

BUY IT?????? You seem to be missing the point. What you want is some clayey dirt that you can mix with ashes/straw/whatever. Have you tried your back yard or a local creek? Under extremis city folk have been known to buy the cheapest clay based kitty litter and soak that over night and use that as the clay part of an adobe mix. If you are located around Columbus OH I passed on my secret clay bank location to a friend before I moved and I'd be happy to put you in contact with them. You can also buy bentonite at feed stores if you must go that route. Thomas

I've done a lot of demo work on a 90 pound Arm&hammer anvil (*not* vulcan!) and I sure can tell when I get back to the hulking monster back at the shop! I get more work done and my arm is less tired. It's the same forge and hammer so the HM anvil has to be the cause. If you are willing to spend the time hunting a HM may not be that expensive---my 500# Fisher in mint condition was US$350, the 407# Trenton with an abused flat face was about US$100. Now I didn't start hunting a HM anvil till I wasn't moving around so much like I did when younger Got my anvils set at different heights so I can do what's easiest on each one as well as being able to teach a range of students. The old books said that professional shop should have an anvil around 250#. The bigger ones were usually industrial And yes smiths suffer terribly from "anvil envy" Thomas

sticking a bull pin in the pritchel helps a lot too Or just going to a Fisher...my main shop anvil is a 500# fisher, nice and quiet! Thomas

Makes me wish I had a digital camera... I have several severly damaged anvils The worst is a small vulcan with the horn broke off---just recently---they gave it to me when I found them a "real" anvil, displaying such bad casting porosity that I was amazed that it had held up long enough for them to batter the sides off till the face that's left is only about an inch or so wide. Then I have a 1828 William Foster with the heel an 90% of the face missing; it was probably originally close to 125-150 # Cost $5 Then there is my "loaner" anvil, over 100#, good face but missing the heel, Name starts POW so I had to spend the $40 for it Then there is my "cold work anvil" 407#, probably a trenton from the base dimple, beautiful face except that a copper mine's welders used it as a welding "table" and there is ugly gouges through that flat and nice face, got about $100 in it and may one day repair it to have a smaller back up from my main shop anvil Finally I have an old oilpatch bridge anvil that has the typical beat to heck face on it. Gotta go, Thomas

Ahh so a predecessor to the fake rivet/bolt heads on the plastic trim of some of the recent "macho" pickups... Thomas

So ApprenticeMan, when you hire help do you pay them a variable hourly wage? There have been some very good discussions over at AnvilFire on pricing work to include shop overhead, design work, etc One of the points was that you were lucky if you actually got to spend 50% of your time at the forge making the thing! Thomas

The urge to use the afterburner on tailgaters..."Sorry, hit the wrong switch!" Thomas

Most grommet setters have curves built into the anvil side to get it to form right when used. Thomas

It's not hard to find contact and drive wheels---they are just expensive, making your own may be a bit difficult... I use a Bader BM2; it's what I learned on and when we sold the house I held my breath and turned blue until my wife said I could get one... Then I was at the Ceaser's Creak Flea Market in OH one time and the fellow was selling 2x72" coarse grit *blue* belts by the pound---about 50 cents a belt---I bought all he had but moved before I could visit again and see if he had any more... Thomas

Try adding some salt to that hot vinegar for a bit more aggressive etch. Thomas

Think about putting in a settling tank as close to the dust make as possible---you probably want a fairly small intake to get the air speed up to pull in the dust but then route it through a large tank to drop the airspeed and drop a lot of the heavier particulates. A 55 gal drum with an easily removed top will work. Make the pipe to the grinder inlet stick down further than the pipe to the vacuum system. Remember that grinding dust can and will catch on fire given a chance! Most woodworking systems are not suitable for metal dust. Thomas

Shop, Forge, Smithy in descending order of use Thomas

I had an anvil stand made from heavy plate and it increased the level of sound in the shop so much I gave it away. Thomas

Well I stopped by the fleamarket in Las Cruces on Father's Day; only thing I got was a large *old* Nicholson file; only reason I picked it up was it was "Warrented Cast Steel" (did I mention it had some years on it?) It will go on the cast steel pile...gotta do some more 18th and 19th century work... Thomas