tcforgeandironworks

Yeah, i have some more tinkering I need to do with my shop, so I can delay a while. I will finish my gas forge first and post the pics here. I've just not swung a hammer in almost 12 months due to not having a shop, and now that I'm so close it's actually creating an urge in me quite like craving a pizza. It's quite odd.

I do have a good post vise as well as a pretty nifty Engineer's vice that I'm doing modifications to! I guess I will just keep my nose to the grindstone and see what I can dig up before I buy new. I don't have any contacts down here really, and have yet to meet another hammer swinger. I work sometimes 16 hours a day 5 days a week, saturday is honey do, and Sunday is church all day, So other than my 1Am workshop, i'm pretty booked up. Any folks in the Arlington Area that can give me some pointers on were the local smiths congregate? I miss my guild back home, we met once a week and were always getting togeather to hold classes, hammer ins, or just swap designs and techniques. It's hard going from an active guild to a solitary lifestyle.

If I might take a moment to expand my statement / question with some background information: I have been smithing for 3.5 years. My main focus is on houshold items such as s/j hooks, scrapers, pot/pan racks, and fireplace pokers. I do often mix my craft with wood and make coat racks, clocks, and various other items. I recently moved from the Nashville area to Arlington Tx, and left my anvil in Nashville. Though the ancient crafts thrill me, I do use Gas, power equipement, and am by no means a purist. I will attempt to post my anvil quandry that is milling about the void that is my mind and utilize my inadiquate blacksmithing vocabulary to express my ideas.... I am by far not stating that money is no object, but I do have $500 that i am willing to purchase an anvil with. I have searched craigslist, newspapers, ebay, searchtempest, etc, and have found a few anvils that I have found interesting but I have either been unable to make it in time, or found the anvil to be in worse condition that I care to mess with. I know that "the oldies can be goodies" but I do not care to take the time or manpower to "rebuild" the surface of an anvil. My old anvil was a little beat up, and yes it did serve it's purpose, but I did not like not having an edge, and having to work on 100 years of someone else's work. I like the idea of crisp edges and a clean work surface that i don't have to worry about a mark on my work that i didn't intend to put there. I don't feel as though I need (or care to fight with) a 450lb anvil at this stage in my work, and feel as though a 120lb anvil would do just fine for the light work that I do, unless I am mistaken. If I do have a very large piece of steel that I must hammer on, I do not use my anvil anyways, I have a section of railroad track that I can abuse to my heart's content. If I am going to drop coin on a new anvi, I just want to make sure I get a good one. I don't feel as though I have a need for a double horn. I do not need all the horseshoe stuff (though alot of my work is remaking horseshoes into other items) Mainly I want a good, solid, well made basic blacksmith anvil that will last me until I decide to expand my trade into something larger.

I have been smithing for about 3 years and demonstrated several times. I donated my anvil to my old guild when we left Nashville. I just got my shop set up and have everything but the anvil. Wailed on that old one a lot. I will check the search site though. I have drawn a bust on cl of anything I find interesting:)

I have been smithing for about 3 years and demonstrated several times. I donated my anvil to my old guild when we left Nashville. I just got my shop set up and have everything but the anvil. Wailed on that old one a lot. I will check the search site though. I have drawn a bust on cl of anything I find interesting:)

Hey guys, I need an opinion about this anvil: http://www.centaurforge.com/NC-112-lbs-Calvary-Anvil-Eligible-for-Free-Shipping-See-Home-Page-for-full-details/productinfo/18NC112/ I know it's more of a shoer's anvil, but would it suffice for a starter blacksmith? Let me know your opinions please, come one and come all.

HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Thanks for the warm welcomes! I do love the look when demonstrating on an older anvil, I just wanted to make sure I was not missing out on some secret like all new anvils are made with melted down Chinese cars or something:) I look forward to hanging out and reading some of the wisdom here:) I just found the North Texas Blacksmith's Association a few days ago, trying to get settled in before I seek out some locals :)

Hello all! I am not exactly new to smithing, though by far I am a bit of a noob:) I recently moved from the Nashville area to the Dallas area. In doing so I was unable to bring with me many of the items that I had, such as in this case, my Anvil. I donated it to the local guild when I left. This puts me in the market for an anvil. Here is my quandary: I have been looking on ebay, craigslist, etc... and have found that the prices are ok, but the anvil's are far from being in unreal fantastic shape. I can afford a new anvil, and am curious if there are really any advantages to a 100 year old peter wright vs a brand new Anvil Brand or something similar. Any assistance will be greatly appreciated and my budget is around 6-7 hundred, give or take (Prefer to take:) ) Thanks again for any assistance that you might provide.