lee

with 200 dollars for that anvil....you bet...hope you got it...can't bet the price these days... lee

I seem to use my 177 lb fisher most...I love the horn...but started with a 150 PW and still like it a lot.Sold a 80+ lb sweden to a fellow and kicked myself everysense...it was like new.But hey...he xxxx neared cryed when he got it and it was worth letting it go. Gotta spread the fun around...right? For horseshoeing I use a 75 lb wide face NC and really like it...perticularly when I have to pick it up...when I'm ready to move on. It's my only marked up anvil...learned to hit solid faced on it and too do a bit to much cold shoeing when in a hurry....them ol' cowboy ways are hard to shake. lee

Really nice anvil and stand! I've used a three legged stand for my farrier anvil for years....being raised as a carpenter by a carpenter....I was told a three legged table is stronger then a four.But as you metioned Hofi....it is much nicer for getting up close to or at times for moveing material around. I've build a three legged stand for my smithy anvil sense(not as nice as yours I must add..but functional).I did use a piece of wood between the anvil and the stand as I did for my farrier anvil.....about 3 inch.Not sure if it's really necessary though...but it works.Gosh....I love that anvil and stand....top of the line for sure. Thanks for shareing.... lee

cool anvil Hillbilly....doesn't look like the arm & hammer I've seen.Again it looks like another farrier anvil.... a real find in uniqueness.So cool.totally jealious here now. Nice to see such prizes in the blacksmiths of todays , possession.....thanks for sharing such prizes....it might make me green but happy too.I just love your cool tools toys...trophies. lee

It almost looks like it was a horseshoers anvil huh? Raither unique......cool.... a real conversation piece... lee

Back in the saddle again........ Back where a friend is a friend........ Where we sleep out every nite......... yaaaawhooooo! happy Trails my friend! lee

I used a centaur for my portable forge...cause I had it and like a deep fire pot.I used a plate of iron....I'm thinking without going out and measuring..3' by 4'(second thought says 2' plus by4' cause I had it) .I cut and welded legs and braces to it.I I welded sides on with some two inch iron I had...all around as a lip...with sections cut out were I would insert my iron or have it stick out beyound.I cut a hole out the size of the pot where I wanted it...closer to the working end....maybe 8 inches.I welding lips on the botton of the hole where the pot would set.I connect pipe to the air intake end that could be disconnected and flex hose from that to the blower.Two I welded half inch iron on both sides out enough to hang tools on...sort of rib still for strength too as a carrying handle. I take it apart by disconnecting the pipe that rest on a large welded horse shoe(cause I had it)as a rest...lift out the pot...turn it on it's side and use a dolly to move it.It's my go to school forge or move around outsider for where ever is convenent to play. It's not perfect but it's Ok and as effective as my factory buffalo forge I aguired by chance one day...but really enjoy....heavy though with hood and refactory poured on table.Deep pot and good control on a blower to me is a big key.I think It was a little narrower than I said and I decided if done again I would go three foot wide or whatever it takes to use my shovel down both sides without hitting the edge of the pot which is a little thicker than the iron table.But it works an I could make a narrower shovel easier, maybe?Oh the trials of a wannabe. lee

Boy isn't that the truth....never run a wanted add till you have plenty of cash on hand.You will be shocked at the replies that might come your way.That from experance.Too if just one person runs an anvil for sale add....it can start of phopia of people with anvils in their barns are garages they can't pick up, and can't figure out what to do with them or their valve. lee

Hi,.........I'm Lee Wood from Northern Calif. near the Oregon boarder.I retired from the carpenters union 6 years ago on a disablity....with a Vets disablity too....so manage to get by in this costly society we live in. Horse shoeing was my first interduction to this metal bending craze...I decided at age forty to persue my childhood dream against all doctors wishs...comon sense and the advise of everybody tired of seeing me used as the doctors way to another vacation home.Lots of surgeries in my life.But I didn't regret it....it was a great and challangeing experance getting under those big beast and some were big.I only shoe now if someone talks real nice to me an brags on my work after words...even when exaggeration or lieing is required on their part, and of coarse for the wifey.....who of coarse I met and married on my route.It was a rewarding bussiness in many ways for a part timer and single feller. But I got bit with the blacksmithing bug and am now persueing another childhood fantasy.I grow up looking at a picture by Paul Detelfsen of a boy watching a farrier smithy(still have it) then of coarse when gunsmoke had....a active blacksmith... young Burt Renyolds. So anyhow I started collected the tools some 14 years ago...started making attempts after building a coal forge maybe 12 years ago.Then retired six years ago and after a little illness started getting serious.Met the CBA and the Jefferson County group about 4 years ago and have been milking them every sense for knowlage.Great buntch of people, I can't express how much I appricate their help.Too I've been lurking in these places for years now...gleaning what I can from some really great folks.I'zzz a slow learner but stubborn enough to stick. Of caorse I'm a wanna be still(slow learner as I said) with a shameful collection of tools.I always did have a thing for tools being a craftman of the carpenter trade and a hobby welder and prefabricater(you know wood splitters and so forth...I loved building and often had to rebuild several times to get it right.Oh my welding can be sad at times but I still love doing it.Rebuiding horse trailers and work trailers at times.Want to build a air power hammer.Have restored a common sense gunning(Berkly model No.1)it's cool but not perfect.Acuired a 50 little giant at a price I couldn't refuse...good to go...except for maybe replaceing the belt.Once I get it set up I will decide which to keep and sale the other to promote the building of a air type or buy one.....which ever comes first. I mostly do coal.....but have built a gas forge much better than my shoeing forge(but not perfect) that was a NC one burner.Yet in the winter months I mostly do coal....but when my 12 year old boy comes to the shop we often go to gas...he likes it and I encourge it with him.He just might be the blacksmith of the family and brake the long line of carpenters, which is more of a tradition and well it comes natural I guess.My dad always said...will when a Wood is to dumb to do anything ealse....he can build.He wanted us all to reach higher I think was all....he loved building.But he hooked me on horses and working for outfitters in my youth....so left me sort of restless and unsettled in who I was.Then being a former jarhead...real confussion set in. So now you've got my life history..haaa.....I hope to start asking more questions.....but as it is I get something from you guys at least weekly and could never repay the dept.You know as a four year carpenter apprentice and 27 years in the trade I never had as much knowlage given so freely.Those carpenters are tight mouthed and only share when it benifits them or they let their guard of jealousy down.It's such a competive trade, is the reason why I think.Oh well they were good hard working folks though....I spend most of my years building very large buildings some coveing forty four acres....not a real rewarding job and xxxx on the body.Roof structures and tilt ups....hard labor on the most part....but a little iron work involved....which was cool.Bridges some and then contracted homes as another hobby.Why's all my hobbies work???Dad would say cause I'm a genious with an IQ of one point below plant life... Thanks for the place to vent....love you guys and gals for who you are and what you repersent in this day and age. PS. trying my had at knives for my son who wants to do the sword thingy of coarse.Might need a school there....the forgeing I figured out...the finishing I'm being tried in. lee

Nice find...just needs a little TLC.......good luck and in the end bet that will be your favorte anvil. lee

Boy I for one would like to learn how to build one of those better asperated forges...Thomas.Would you have any where abouts or suggestions for ideas on building one.I've build a venturia forge with limited success so far. If I'm kicking a dead horse here...I understand.....it's a subject I'm sure has been worked over pretty hard.I've never believed that saying there isn't a stupid question and made a few teachers agree with me on that one over the years. lee

I too am not a skilled smithy....so should probly not share but then some times our mistakes can be lessons for others.I started out with coal so could reach critical temptures quikly and just had to learn to read the fire.Cause the burnt look isn't so cool.Burnt the ol' pinky a plenty in my attempts. But I think one of the things my instructors who patantly stood by trying to get threw my thick noggin' was the soft touch of the hammer for the actual weld.Useing a lighter than normal hammer and appling a gentle touch helped finally after many frustrating trys.Cleanliness proper applacation of the flux at red to white heat so it melted in and not over helped.I saw several demonstations given by skilled craftsmen(women) that seemed to have it's own little touch yet the same results.Confidence is what I saw in those demo's that held a key.Speed applied by a well thought out plan....and of coarse standing in the proper direction honoring the correct smithy gods....and tossing a little of that flux over the shoulder had some effects I'm sure. Practiced still helps in trying to achive better.I found the fold weld to be easest for me and so did it plenty to build up my confidence.I'm working on improveing the heat value of my gas forge....even though I have welded horse shoes in a little single burner whisper baby in times past.I didn't know I wasn't supose to .Daaaaa.... ignorance it works wonders at times. I'm sure glad I found I could log in here after trying sense it's conception...more ignorance on my part that never panned out.But this place is such a cool and enjoyable source of imformation.....I thank all you knowlagable and up and comeing smiths for shareing such treasures of the kingdom of smithing. Thanks for your patance with us wanna be's, lee