DanL.

Did you go to that antique tractor show and swap meet today in Shelton? How was it? I thought about going just to look at that vice.

Frosty, why not build a jib crane for the hitch receiver to do the dead lifting? Seems easier than trying to figure out the placement, only getting access to 3 sides of your anvil and vise and then being stuck working right by your truck.

The smaller one looks like the Saltfork Craftsmen block, which sells for $200 plus shipping. The larger seems to be be pretty good condition, hard to tell from the 1 picture, but I'd say you did pretty good on that one.

I say take the classes before you buy anything big. Learn what you really need and don't need. And definitely stop in PA!

Requisite post on maybe you should wait until you have some experience before spending that much on an anvil. You can make a very good improvised anvil a lot less. Check out this post: https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52308-a-collection-of-improvised-anvils/ Spend your money on some classes, books and other tools you'll need.

Sorry, didn't even know this section existed buried way down here. When I did a search all I got was other posts with the word book and not this sub-sub-sub topic. My hope was to have people start a discussion on some of the books they have found most useful and learn a bit more. Not everything need to be a question with a specific answer, so I don't have anything to ask.

Most recently I got Practical Blacksmithing: The Four Classic Volumes in One by M. T. Richardson ISBN-13 978-0785835394, ISBN-10: 0785835393 and I'm a 150 pages in. So far it's interesting, but a lot of it would be useful opening a shop 100+ years ago. I just ordered Samuel Yellin: Metalworker by Jack Andrews ISBN-13 978-1879535053, ISBN-10: 187953505X and looking forward to that one.

What books do you have that are indispensable? Be it Instructional or inspirational, modern or traditional, for beginner or advanced. I've seen a few mentioned in threads here or there, but looking to find new titles that may not come up without knowing what you are looking for.

Hey, I've been meaning to get the pics and post them for you. I take classes and rent space at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, WA and haven't gone since you asked. These are some pics of their larger forge with a vertical sliding door. Please excuse the quality, its back lit and the forge was on, so I couldn't always get the shots I wanted. The door is cast refractory and has seen better days. Lot's of students knocking work against it while hot and a fair share of novice forge welding with way too much flux have passed through this door. I will be there again next weekend if you want close ups of any other parts of it. Its a simple lever with a weight on it so balance the door a but, with a couple of pulleys and a wire. Door is in a simple track made of angle iron, C channel and some flat stock. I can't tell you how they case the door, it was done quite a few years ago and I haven't really looked that closely.

I'm not sure 1 tool will do it. A decent bench top belt grinder would do a lot. If you are building your own, make sure you have good access so you can in and do slack belt grinding, great for smoothing out and feathering on the convex sides. A die grinder with a bunch of dies will help with some of the concave shapes.

Passing was a good idea, the guy relisted it at $225. Much nicer deal at $3 per lb, perhaps still not worth it with a crack or delamination.

What was the verdict with the PW?

NWBA swap meet is Oct 28th, so maybe hold out for that. I haven't looked for a local place that sells them retail, but have been watching CL for a while to see what's out there. Some of the online retailers have free shipping on some of the anvils in this size range. It's no a PW, but it will be chip free and flat face.

Anvils around Seattle have been creeping up in price and I frequently see listings for $5-$7 per pound. No clue what they end up selling for. If this is the one currently posted in Snohomish, the edges look a little rough to be paying top dollar. Even at $350 you can get new anvil for a few bucks more in that size range.

Planning to try some other shapes, both cut and forged in with a mild steel Damascus billet to same some money and time working and grinding it. I'll post pics when. I get a few done.