maidenfan

Its a homemade version of the "Thomas Inch Dumbell". The original is a 172lb cast iron, globe style dumbell with a 2 3/8" handle. The whole idea is just to be able to pick it up. Mine cost me $100 in steel - you can buy replicas for about $450.00!

Started up a welding class at the local college last semester. Sold my first project (a weighlifting sled) to fund this one: a welding/forge table. Frame is made out of 3"x3" and 2"x3" tubing and the top is a laser cut piece of 4' x 5' x 1/2" plate. Pretty sweet deal as my instructor only charged me $125.00 for the top. Welds arent the prettiest (Miller 350P), but hold real good (still got some learning to do in the welding dept). Excited that I'll have a nice table for my forge and grinder now. Other one is a 180lb dumbell made out of 7" round stock and a 2.5" roundstock handle. Here are a few photos:

Dang, scrap to buy in the Portland, Or area is .35-40 cents per lb!

You should have seen some of the other stuff he had out there. Tons of old US Calvary stuff - anvils, spurs, etc. He had this real neat tool for spreading the iron on the old wagon wheels. Its kind of cool to see all this rustic stuff in one room right next to a Miller Syncrowave 350. The experience is well worth a few cords of wood to me.

Thanks, appreciate it.

Mike - Those are 115lb anchor shackles I use for weightlifting. The stone next to the shackles is a 250lb Atlas stone I made out of concrete a few summers ago. Thats the way I workout - with stones, sandbags and other odd objects - beats the heck out of lifting weights. Frosty - thanks for the tip - I added my name and location to my signature. I appreciate the help on the anvil - it would be cool to know when it was made. Morgan

Thanks for the help. The farmer was quite an interesting fella - he logged with horses in his younger years with his father. His dad and grandfather were also blacksmiths of some sorts. He ran a metal fab business for over thirty years and a hell of a nice guy to boot. He agreed to let me hang out in his shop as long as I split some wood for him from time to time ;)

New to the board and blacksmithing - looks like a good place to start. I recently picked up my first anvil from a local farmer and I'm looking for some information on it. From the visible "RENT" on the body, I assume its a "Trenton" anvil. The serial number on the bottom reads "A659". The farmer, who was in his 60's, told me the anvil originally belonged to his grandfather. Not sure of the weight, but it looks in the 150-175lb range. Its well over 200 with the stand it came with. I didnt pay much for it as I just wanted something flat and hard to learn the trade with. Does it need any repair work? Thanks for any help. Morgan