doggonemess

$50?! Can I be jealous, too?

Very cool! How heavy is a chunk of steel that size?

Thanks for the encouragement, I was looking at it bleakly, but it IS a huge, heavy piece of metal. I'm going to secure it to a log that I'm burying in ground inside my shed. The great thing is the log is a tree that fell over in my backyard, and I haven't had the foggiest what to do with it until now. This will be perfect - I can cut a good five feet and get a really solid base. And if I beat the snot out of my ASO, I can replace it later like you said, and still use the 'base'. Regarding the damage to the top - is it possible to melt steel and pour it into the depression? Would that just create a hole shaped wafer of steel if the anvil surface is not at welding temperature too? I'm assuming that would be the case. Or the anvil would crack in half from the thermal shock.

I used the grinder on the round spot on the bottom. I think I was just seeing things. It's just rusted into patterns that looked like letters. It's a plug, isn't it. Like, the thing is full of sand. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37387-anvil-bottom/

It has some markings, I think. It looks like there is some kind of symbol on the base. I tried enhancing the image slightly, but I can't make it out. Tonight I'll clean it up with a wire brush and see if I can get a better image. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37383-anvilmark1/ http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37384-anvilmark2/

My work (Anne Arundel Community College) has this anvil in the metal shop. It's a Pieh Smithy Special TFS, double horn. Sorry for the cruddy picture, it was dark and I had to get close to get the writing. They're going to install a gas forge this summer. I'm excited. Just a little bit. Or maybe a lot excited. http://www.iforgeiron.com/gallery/image/37382-pieh-smithy-special-tfs/

Wouldn't it be 137 lbs? Or did you mean that and accidentally hit 2 instead of 3?

Regarding local smithing organizations, I am actually a member of the Chesapeake Forge Blacksmith Guild. I'm hoping that one of the guys there who has experience welding can help me get a decent top on this thing. It's a beast to move, though. I may need to make a rig to move it around for the time being.

Figures. I weighed it by setting up a simple lever and it's slightly heavier than me. So about 220 lbs sounds right. I paid $225 for it. I figured that even if it was an ASO I could always have someone weld a plate on top and work with it. Oh well, it's better than the stuff I was using at least. Thanks for all your input, I appreciate it very much.

Greetings, I finally decided to stop reading and actually register and post. I've been lurking for a while, but have a pretty good reason to start posting - I just got my first anvil! I think it could be a good one, but I don't know enough to properly identify it. It's also painted. I have no idea about markings, except that it has a raised "100" on the base below the heel. I'll clean it up a bit tonight and see if I can find any other markings. It's not 100 lbs - I assure you of that. The best guess from myself and those who helped me move it was somewhere around 180 - 240 lbs. It looks cast on the bottom, but plate on the top. There's also no Pritchel hole, which is weird. Was it uncommon to have no Pritchel after 1830 (I read that somewhere)? Take a look at the pics, I'd love opinions. And if it's actually junk, it's better than the five pound cast iron block I was using before, I can tell you that! Thanks! PS: Want a way to ruin your gas mileage? Drive with air conditioning on full blast with an anvil in your passenger side! Fun!