Tacuff1414

What would you say the value of it would be?  The lady said she will not take lower than $200 for it.

I found this anvil for sale local, but the owner knows no details about it.  They just say it's been in the family for over 100 years.  Before I decide to go look at it, can you tell anything from the picture?  Was it painted red for some reason or even painted at all?  It's over 100 pounds as well.  What would the value be?

Thanks Frosty and Charles.

I will soak in one of the oils and hope the rust comes loose enough to get the screws out. 

No discouragement here...just more determination and anxiousness to get it done so I can get to working!

Thanks again for all the help...I'm sure I'll be back often for some more help. 

Thanks for the replies.

I would like to disassemble it, but it seems very difficult due to the old screws and how tight/rusted they

are.  I've tried for over an hour today and can't get it.  

Ok guys here's where I am at with the Champion blower...

I sprayed it down with some WD40 and I think it helped because I can now turn the handle and the fan 

spins...good sign.  

The only thing that I'm curious about now is the clicking sound it makes as it's turning.

It sounds as if the fan is barely scraping somewhere, but not completely sure.

I attempted to take it all apart, but there is not much indention in the screws to get my screwdriver down in

to have enough force to get the screw out.  I'm thinking they may also be slightly rusted in.  

The pin in the middle of the fan (I'm guessing it screws/attaches into the gears somewhere in there is slightly loose (like

it can barely be wiggled).  

Any suggestions?  The handle turns and the fan spins fine, just makes the continuous clicking sound (less when it's spins

slowly, more when it spins faster).

I've attached a picture of the champion blower that my grandpa gave me.  It looks to be all

there, but it seems to be locked up.  The handle will not turn either way.  What is the best

way to go about figuring out what is wrong with it?

Why didn't you post this yesterday? I just described exactly what you built and could've satisfied my lazy soul by referring your post instead. The only thing missing is the exhaust flap cap ash dump. <grin>

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Haha my bad!  This one isn't mine though...It's pictures of the exact one I'm building.  Can you explain the exhaust flap cap ash dump?

Hello everyone

I recently bought my first anvil and post vise.  I'm now looking to build my own simple forge.

This idea I got came from Youtube, and I wanted to see if there is anything easier/better I can do

from this type of forge. 

I know it is common to use a brake drum, which is what I am wanting to do. 

A 2 inch flange was bolted to the bottom of the brake drum, and then metal pipe was screwed into the

flange, and a "T" pipe was then screwed into the "T" for the inlet/outlet.  A cheap hairdryer was used for the

blower.

The blower is my next question at this part of the build...I have an old champion blower that is still good...

would this give off enough air to travel through the piping to be sufficient to keep the fire going?  Or

would I need the hairdryer?

Tell me what you think of this setup.  I have attached a couple of pics. Thanks for any advice!

Ok guys I have taken a few of my own pictures.  Will get more detailed ones later.  I would like to know 

how old my anvil is and what information I can get from the markings on it.

It has the numbers 1 0 10 stamped on it.  Is there a way to find an exact year or range?

The vise is good condition as well and the pin and everything is good.  It opens 4-5 inches.  

Everyone I know of who has tried to build a forge from an semi truck drum has abandoned them as being MUCH worst than a regular car/pickup drum.  Way too deep and so you have to cut large slots in the sides to get to the hot spot with a straight piece of stock and can't lay a strange shape on top of it and crank the fire up to heat it there.

 

They do make good bases for things though.

True.  I may just make a smaller one then out of a regular car/truck drum.  Makes sense I would get more heat quicker and easier access to it.

Ah, there it is! Basic things do NOT include knives. Blades are involved, advanced blacksmithery, something to aspire to not learn on. Not saying it can't be done but it's a setup for failure on a regular basis.

 

Try learning the basics of blacksmithing till you've become competent, then move onto basic tool steel projects, say cold chisels, hacks and such till you're competent with them then maybe wood chisels, and such. Once you have it down so you can make virtually any chisel, steel or wood as needed without screwing them up it's time to start learning to made knives.

 

Like I say some folk do just jump in with reasonable success, it's just really uncommon. Learning to blacksmith is about failure analysis,mistakes is what teaches you the most valuable lessons and doing it with expensive and hard to work steel not only makes mistakes more likely but more expensive.

 

Good luck on that.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Thanks, I agree with you and that's why I'm here. 

I'll be on here a lot learning new things and getting ideas. 

"basic starting tools to make basic things"  rather depends on what type of basic things you are making. Blacksmithing covers such a wide range of areas that "basic things" can differ quite a lot.

 

My first project for students requires: a forge, an anvil, a hammer, a hardy, a postvise and a set of tongs for holding 1/4" sq stock.  Two pairs of tongs can negate the need for a postvise and a chunk of wood to remove bends in twisted lengths can help too.

By basic I mean smaller, easier things to heat and bend.  Hooks for certain decorations/possibly knives/blades/etc. 

So far I have the anvil, post vise, and champion blower.  I'm going to look for a good hammer, tongs, and hardy. 

My dad works for a trucking company and is getting me a few 18 wheeler brake drums...so hopefully I can build my own forge.

• Well I just picked them up.  One edge of one side of the face is chipped about 3 inches long...can't really tell in the picture but if you look really close you may can.  Other than that it's in decent shape.  The vise is in good shape and is still functional. 

sway is fine , nice for straightening blades and other things , grab em both quick , both pieces will serve you well for a long time !!

hopefully they are still there for you in the morning !!

 

nice find......

Thanks!  I am meeting the guy here in a couple of hours to get them both.  I can't wait to keep learning and get to work with them.

Oft times a bit of sway is a feature not a bug---especially good for straightening stuff when you get to know it

 

On the post vise: how wide are the jaws and what condition is the screw in?  Probably at at least US$75 and may be more---if the screw is ok.

Great to know!  

I'm not sure on the specs of the post vise.  I'm getting both the anvil and vise in the morning and will post up details when I get them.

Thanks for the advice everyone!  

The next help I will need is on the basic starting tools I will want/need in making basic things.  I have a good champion blower, and will

hopefully soon be building a forge.  

Any advice and tools I should look at first would be great help.

Sway is the slightly curved downward middle. As far as life left in her, treated right she will outlast you and probably a few more future smiths.

Cool!  I'm definitely going to pick it up tomorrow then.  Is that slightly curved middle normal?  I'm guessing that just means it's been beat on with a hammer a lot.  I'm new to the blacksmith work and have recently started to get into it.  This will be my first anvil so this is exciting!

Greetings Tacuff,

 

The face is rough and it has a bit of sway but its a good deal...  I have many and I would by the pair for a beginning students.  

 

Good luck and forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

Thanks for the reply.  By sway do you mean the face not being completely flat?  

I guess the overall question I have is...how much life of working on it does it have left? Has it seen its days and been abused?

If you can test out rebound before purchase, I'd jump on it fast.

That's what I was thinking...he said it is "well used" but still has a lot of life in it.  It looks to be in good shape

from the pictures...but I guess I would only really know when I see it in person.  What is the best way to test

the rebound?

And is the vise worth anything?

I need quick help on if this is a good price on this Peter Wright anvil and Post Leg vise.  

All I know about them so far without seeing it in person is the anvil is 120 lbs and I know

nothing about the vise pictured.  His lowest price on both is $225.  It sounds like a good deal.

What do you think just from the pictures?

I need help ASAP to see if the Vulcan anvil posted above is worth it with the rough edges!  It will be my first anvil if I decide to pass on trading the gun on the HB.  $100 for the Vulcan.....good or bad deal?

BIGGUNDOCTOR, I agree along with everyone else that it's all about location.  Around here in Chattanooga and North Georgia it is pretty popular in areas and bring (from what I see with local prices) around $2-3 per pound. 

Here is a good example of a local one just posted on CL.  It is a Vulcan and weighs 100 pounds.  The edges are a little rough, but the face and horn are good.  He is asking $150 but I talked him down to $100, making it $1 a pound. 

Thanks for the advice everyone!

VaughnT, I do agree that a gun, especially this one, burns through money quick and does not have a return besides satisfaction of the matter.
The blower is in good shape according to the guy's description of it. He says it works good.
He does not have the anvil or blower listed on CL yet.
Long story short, I put an ad on CL that I would trade this AR for a complete blacksmith setup, and he replied with this offer.
I agree that I think it's a good deal since I would pay a considerable amount if I wanted these items in the near future (probably more than the gun's worth).
I'm going to go ahead with the deal I believe. Thanks for everyone's advice and help, especially since I'm new with this.

My next question is, what do most used blacksmith tools (hammers, vices, tongs, etc) usually go for?

Here is some more pictures he just sent me.  With having no knowledge or how to calculate or look at the numbers, I need help identifying everything on it. 

He actually just now told me he weighed it on a house scale and it said 175 lb.  Is there anything else I can find out from these numbers?

The anvil is marked 160942 under the horn.  Also has a 20 on the left side and 30 on right side.  Any ideas as to finding out the specifications on this?  The guy now says that it might be 300 pounds, that he looked it up many years ago.

Thanks for the information everyone.  I am located in Chattanooga, TN.  Blacksmithing is somewhat popular in a few of the areas around here. 

I was misleading in my original post.  There is no forge, only the blower pictured. 

The deal is my gun for the anvil and blower.  I tried to get some other tools and things added on his side but he said he did not have any.  Like said above, the anvil and blower are the main things needed, so I could pick some tools up here and there. 

I know that if I really want to get into this, I need the anvil and blower first.  I'm only having a hard time pulling the trigger letting go of the gun, but again, like said above, it would be easier to replace the gun than the anvil and blower.