51 Papy

JHCC Those look better than my first attempt and second.... Still using them too.

Slifox The hammer bit will make a heck of a post anvil. Put at least a third to one half of it a base and put sand around it. That will cut the ring down to a manageable level. Mine has about 90% rebound and works well for what I do. Papy

That looks to easy to actually work...hum...going to have to try it.

John All that maple would go to the lathe. Burls and spald always go to there. Oh well...guess your stand is safe for now. Thanks for the offer. Enjoy

Huh...lots of woodworkers trying this craft. Me included almost 50 years. Thomas mesquite is beautiful wood too. My handles from my days in the panhandle are all mesquite, Kansas handles are all hedge. Wish I was closer to John some of that maple would disappear!

That's a beautiful piece of wood! Better be glad your a long way away. Your "stand" might sprout legs and run off. Papy

Eric I seem to use the far edge more on the rr anvil. I was trained by a House framer at age 18 and have swung a hammer all my life either for work or rat jobs. Lose grip, snap the wrist and let the hammer do the work. If it's not working get a bigger hammer don't swing harder. Never had any injuries. This seems to be inline with what I have read and seen. The base measures 15" square. I'm trying to learn how to do this craft mainly by reading/watching and then trying. In that vein I'll fire up tomorrow and at the first kick of the stand it will get smaller by a layer of 2x4 until it's workable. Really excited to see what rebound feels like and how the mass verses the rr effects the job.

Bet your mom is proud of the trellis and the maker. Looks great my better half came by saw the pictures and voiced her approval too.

Huh. This may answer some issues. Portable is good! Thanks for posting an "out of the box" base.

Maybe I am standing to far away...don't know. I hit where I'm aiming (most of the time). Back doesn't hurt much after a day at the forge (at 55 I should say anymore than normal). Got two guys that know what they're doing saying the same thing. I am going to forge this weekend (95 deg F 90% humidity) and I'll see. I did build it to be able to thin it down some. As I work outside and need to move whatever "anvil" I'm using back inside after I'm done I'm trying not to bolt it down. How far away are you guys from the anvil? As always thanks for the input! Papy

Littleblacksmith Its the same width as the other stand guess I'll find out this weekend. Thanks for the input.

After several evenings grinding it's done or at least I'm going to start using it. I didn't weigh it as the better half threw out the scales years ago but it's way over 100 lbs. I lift Portland cement bags more than I want to at 94 lbs. The post is 27" long with a wood base and 120 lbs of sand in the base. Lost my ball bearing but all three hammers rebound about so far as dropped. Can't wait for the weekend. First projects are headed right back to the shop I got the hammer bit from. If anyone has any ideas for the edges please feel free to share. The one edge is a 3/4" round over with the rest goes from easied to about a 1/4" radius. Thanks for all the help! Papy

Thanks John That made it crystal clear. A person could spend a couple of years just building tools and still not have just what they needed. Thanks to all for the education. Papy

Also check with road building contractors and suppliers. I picked up the tool end of a hammer off a back hoe for hauling it off. The first stop was a dead end but they told me where to go...walked in to the shop told the shop Foreman what I was doing and a week later I had it. 30 pack for the cut. The foreman told me they scrap these all the time. 5 1/2" by 55" plenty of rebound. Papy

Making progress. Looks great. Keep the pictures coming.

KC Tractor Supplies knocked 60 cents a bag off on sale right now..

Frosty and Rockstar you two married redheads too huh?

Thanks John It makes sense now that I see the picture. Papy

Frosty I may need a picture...sorry. Is this like a wood chisel with a much more acute bevel and a v shaped? I googled it and went to a forge site ( don't want to get into trouble). That just confused me more. Papy

I came up with a couple several months back and this was the reply. Hope it helps. I cut one it was harder then heck. I keep forgetting to throw it in the forge to heat treat test. Papy

SmoothBore then I need something real hard. It would help the looks of my welds. Pattern weld look.

Now that's just cool.

Biggun I am keeping the bottom 25"ish . The chisel point looks like a great fuller. The cut end will be up most of the time. I did find a friend with a big demo saw. I'll drop it off tomorrow for him to do next week. Space is pretty much at a premium in the hot rod/metal shop and somebody close is bound to be as feed up with the anvil market as I am might just as well pass it on. I did put Thomas's theory into play and found several (in the $600 range) and now I have three cast ASO under 75 lbs living in my shop (all dropped off). I hope this hammer has some rebound. Papy

Not sure how this is going to go but planning on using about 24 to 26" of this thing. The rest is going to need a new home. If anyone around KC has interest/need PM me.

Scotty Thats probably what is going to be used on it. I took a new hack saw blade to it tonight as a test not much happened. I'll check with my country shops tomorrow but I may have to do it and then grind. 5 1/2" by 55". Man is it hard!