redfoxx

i have my methods, you have yours. i smooth out edges where chips are to prevent further chipping should i or someone inexperienced strike it with a hammer blow. thank you for your advice.

the face of the anvil was covered in slag from stick welding the only place i took material off was to take the sharp edges off the chipped areas. if you look at the base you can see spots of hot metal stuck to the feet from stick welding rod. i used an angle grinder and a flapper sanding disc and wire brush.. i only ground the lip at the step because i need it clean for arrowheads. i would have liked to grind it down to the point where most of the pits were gone, but i know better. i just made the surface smooth enough to not mark the hot work.

honestly im not sure. my vulcan other than the edges is in very good shape. the previous owner only used it in a upolstery shop to nail tacks for old arm chairs. i mean both tops are hard. but i just seem to need to hit the fisher harder to work the material. its not cracked or anything. i simply dont have an answer other than my vulcan could be a tad heavier. at least i think its a fisher. theres too much corrosion to be sure, but theres a circular symbol on the side, and its cast base steel top. with a small portion of the face delaminated near the hardy. about just shy of 1/ 4 inch thick. so heres my new Birmingham. i think one owner was a sloppy welder. its got small bits on the feet that appear to be welding slag. the face had pits in it, either from corrosion, or from someone arcing a stick welder. the hardy has some serious wear but still usable. you guys were right. even with the crappy stand the seller gave me. shes not thumping like the small boys are.

tom, the stand was from the seller of the anvil. not my personal design. ill be using it for a place to hold it up for restoration. then it will go in the fire bin. ill be making a much better stand for both the vulcan and this one soon. i totally agree on the building of a stand with what you are saying. as far as the fisher goes. i respectfully disagree. the plate on my vulcan is thicker, and my fisher has a hunk missing off the top plate about 2 inches in size next to the hardy. the rebound is also inferior. i cant explain why. but when i flatten iron on either, i have to work less hard with the vulcan than the fisher. both are around the same weight and size. this weekend im going to clean up the hill anvil. ill make a new stand for both fairly soon. i was planning on using the fisher for mobile setups and demos for reenacting. in regards to the flue, i live in an area with strict ordinances concerning stove pipe and the houses are close together and the shop can be seen from the street. i built it according to code and to insure the flue will never ever be questioned to be a potential fire hazard in the eyes of any would be inspector, fire marshall, or insurange agent. the rest of it was reclaimed brick, and scrap iron i welded together. ive had mobile smaller forges for years. but now i have a proper working large indoor forge i can operate year round. ive been forging for 15 years. i didnt start with a 1300 dollar flue. i started at my moms house when i was 14, using a converted boxwood stove and a leaf blower. i built this shop 2 years after moving into my home. i sell campware and flint strikers to reenactors and sutlers all the time. just not in large enough quantities or regularly enough to make large profits at this point and time. however, my goal is to get the coal stove hooked up so i can keep the shop warm enough to work year round, and hopefully by next season ill start building up an inventory. and getting my foot in the door to more retailers. though these sales would be "incidental" since im not operating a business in a residential area. but i would make extra items to sell at events so i can putter around for demos and make whatever i want. instead of spending an entire weekend making tent stakes like my last reenactment lol.

should be picking this one up sometime tomorrow if hes still got it. he wants around 3 bills for it. its 166 lb i believe. birmingham hill. dont know much about the brand. but it looks solid. the fat base should cut down on the ring i would imagine. and since its double the weight of my current beater, hopefully the earth thumpers will be mitigated. its about time i grew into a bigger anvil anyways. i apreciate all your advice guys, and you are right, there are things you can do with out, fabricate yourself. etc. but ive kind of been doing this long enough where i do not want to "do without" fabricating isnt an issue except for heavy welding. my shop really needs its own breaker panel. also installed two 12 inch exaust shutter fans in one of the windows. over 1200 cfm. but i should extend a warning to guys who use exaust fans to cool your shop. i noticed with the doors and all windows shut it creates a strong enough negative pressure that it will backdraft the forge chimney! so ill be putting up a warning sign. i kind of like to idiot proof things since i have alot of friends who want to try things. it keeps the smoke from oil quenching, paint fumes etc to a minimum and helps keep the shop around 20 degrees cooler than the outside. forgive my forwardness. think of it along the lines of "im tired of taking shortcuts, i want to be more like chandler dickenson today, instead of chandler when he started i actually have a tool just for arrowheads. its a mini anvil like item for my hardy. its got a horn for cleaning tapers, a bit of rod to straighten tapers at the neck, and a u shaped groove to make curling the socket a breeze. made from truck springs. you can see it in the corner on my vulcan in the pic.

i found another seller with a brimingham/ isaac hill 166 lb and sent him a message. yea its my assumption most of the forge flue is just to vent gases. mine doesnt get more than 100 degrees. but, because its insulated, no worries about fire in the roof and no problem drafting in cold windy temps. no. the coal stove will be around 800. its alot taller and i have a flue reclaimer my fam pitched together to buy me for xmas. im also going to cheap out an go for galvanized for the stove since it will be run only in winter time when im in the shop. its not hooked up yet. im really hoping the stove wont need a door gasket. though looking at it i dont think it was designed for one. the reason the forge chimney was so expensive is its a larger diam, its all stainless, needed roof brackets and the cap was pricey. but worth it. it would have cost me 3-4k to have it installed by a chimney company. i couldnt believe what they charge. yes i know not all anvils have horns. however i forge tent stakes, hooks, and arrowheads the most, so the step and horn are very important for my needs. i will have to check the event out. i normally just putter along to myself. i guess im so used into being into things so archaic nobody knows/cares about my interest i just figured nobody near me would really be into it. though the nearest meet is 2 hrs minimum so who knows. maybe i should just start my own chapter lol.

hey, found one in my area. just to make me a liar HAHA anyone know this one? it looks like it has the name "tok" Link removed

to buy my house i had to acquire credit. to acquire credit you need debt. how do you think i paid for it? lol my garage is in view of the street. if i did a hackjob using single wall pipe the fire marshall or my home owners insurance would have a field day. i used double walled stainless for best drafting and long life. and it was the safest way to do it. the chimney drafts so well i never need to heat it up being a side draft and all. i cut up a beer box and the darn thing nearly sucked it up the flue! im all for buy it once, cry once and never worry about it again. but spending a grand on a big anvil is beyond my means. its not about me being poor, its about not being able to absorb the up front cost. once the debt is settled ill be able to have a bit more freedom. but you guys must understand, within the past year we got married, had a honeymoon, paid cash for both, i bought the house. and its an older one. im trying to get the darn thing painted, the dormer repaired, and i have to insulate. oh and to top it off my pc has been limping along on life support for a year. LOL not trying to garner sympathy. its just all these projects and obligations are pulling me in ten directions at once. i dont make alot of money, but i am very wise in how i spend it. heck im not even in the middle class. its not me being impatient either. all my life i never had a shop with a roof, never lived in a house that was "finished" or "working properly" i want to life in a home thats warm, without bandaid fixes from botched handyman repairs, and i want a shop thats in working order that i can be proud of. and one that will give my mean neighbor as little to complain about within sane reasoning. to my other friends yes i check craigslist almost every week. it was sheer luck that i found my vulcan 15 years ago. the post vice and coal stove was from a guy who wanted to blacksmith but had to move out of the state and was getting to old for such a hobby. so far, nada. perhaps the forge in fire series increased its popularity, but even before then it was slim pickings for me. i would gladly pay a rent to own agreement with a good size anvil. if theres anywhere to point me to that would be awesome! i am also not aware of any blacksmith meets of any sort in the north east. so a 150lb will still be a thumper guys? thank you all for your input. i guess ill try the sandox method for thumper till i can find a big boi to beat metal on.

im sorry, but im simply not going to dump 2k on a piece of iron for a hobby. thats almost two mortgage payments. id be willing to spend up to just shy of a grand. 750-800 is reasonable for a new anvil in my opinion. however i noticed that new anvils when they go above 150 lbs the price literally doubles. regardless of shipping and transport policy. that stove pipe for my forge chimney alone cost me 1300 dollars in materials. the stove pipe for my coal stove will cost minimum 800. between this, fixing up the home i live in, paying a mortgage and other bills and expenses its not a matter of saving up. until i get some things paid off and even then it would take me over 6 years to buy an "investment" priced anvil by my current calculations. it is simply beyond my means. i wouldnt have a problem buying an old anvil, except there just isnt any left. anytime i run into a customer who has one, even as a lawn ornament will not part with it. the antique market has artificially inflated their price.

thats a nice setup. i dont think i could afford anything larger than a 150 lb anvil. texas farrier has some decent priced ones. i think ill buy one there

well to get an understanding, the side door of my shop is made out of 2x6 planks, the shop doors are 3/4 inch plywood, reinforced, the door jamb is made by glued and screwed 2x8s. i designed it so all surfaces have an overlap to keep drafts and wind out. it also keeps noise out. those hinges alone are rated for 300lbs a piece. to give you a hint on how much i like overkill. and there are 6 of em total lol. the guy who works on cars in the garage behind my home is louder than me. and he doesnt use air tools or anything like that. insulating the roof would be tough, considering its a hip roof. once the coal stove is installed i might put fiberglass up to help keep warmth in. its really the ground "thump thump thump" that triggers this jerk. some blame does go to my apprentice, a kid full of xxxx and vinegar, he likes big hammers and to hit it hard. i prefer medium hammers and more precise blows. i live in the same state the station night club disaster happened. doubt that will ever fly if a fire martial gets wind of me. the kid did come in handy when making a cutoff hardy and hammering nails into my door. though thats the loudest ive been since moving in here. so that might have something to do with it. i have security cameras around the house. the one in the garage faces the drive on my side. typically he never crosses the line to confront me. many times writing things down might help, but it wont hold up as evidence if things get legal. im pretty sure they own the home. or at least he does. im not sure if the old hag still lives there, my wife says she sees her on ocassion. we never see her venture outside except to drive somewhere. i at least see him work on the yard. there was a time i wonder if she died or something. she is so nutty she scotch taped a usb cable and put her cordless phone charger in her front window because she was having issues with the guy across the st from me. claiming shes recording him.... i mean, a dummy cam is like 10 bucks and is more convincing than taping junk to your window dont you think guys? the guy across the st is a sweetheart. i first met him in january, sub zero temps, my computer in my car died, he came over with tools to try to help me. though he avoids coming over my place because he doesnt want to deal with xxxxxxx next door. he looks exactly like "casper" from the movie "me, myself and irene" i have a 75 lb vulcan. no ring. but shes a thumper. it seems to me when i finally get enough cash ill buy a new steel anvil thats larger like 100 lbs, and deaden the ring. i suspect rebound will be better so i wont have to whack it as hard. seeing the prices of texas farriers anvils im really excited. as far as the comment on boxy angular stands. i made one for my fisher i have as a spare. the rebound is absolutely awful. i probably wont build something like that again. where do i purchase said sand? thank you all for your replies!

probably is alcohol. will playsand at a big box store like lowes work?

sorry. i had to enter it again. it didnt work the first time lol

i already have i included my location before i posted. thank you.

ok, i apologize if i put this in the wrong place, ive searched the forums and used the search bar with just about every keyword on the subject and didnt find much. so before i get into this you need to know the history of my nutty next door neighbor. if you want to skip over that look for the *** on the thread so my workshop is a detached garage, my neighbors driveway and mine are butted against each other. since ive moved in here the guy and his crazy lady friend have been driving me nuts. thankfully after years of reluctantly having to call the cops over them doing xxxx like setting off the cars panic button at 2 am they for the most part ignore me. they pretend i don't exist. and over the years ive literally tried offering them the olive branch. and a few weeks later they take that olive branch and smack me in the head with it. i even contributed over 200 dollars to trim his tree which overhangs both our drives and made room for the tree guys truck. over a period of 3 years i have tried to negotiate, bribe, talk nice to, work things out. never raised my voice, never shouted an insult. his girl called my wife a xxxxx xxxxx and accused me of growing pot in my garage.... she even accused me at one point of threatening her with a gun through my window... really insane xxxx. thankfully the cops know her which means they know they are a problem. i get along very well with everyone else in the area and we help each other out. i think i live next to the black sheep of the neighborhood. which might come in handy if the dude tries legal action. my area the houses are pretty close, but i live in a loud town, lots of idiots on motorbikes revving, guys in mustangs peeling out on the main road a half mile away, the guy across the street overuses his leaf blower. the other neighbors always yell. so there are days where its quiet, and days where the city is full of life. i often hear train horns in the distance as well. so its not like im in some super quiet area. however after having my apprentice help me pound out a cutting hardy for myself and trying to hammer my side door straight we made a ton of noise. so dingus next door asked me to shut down at 3 pm on a Sunday. claiming ive been doing it non stop for weeks (i actually did so 2 weeks ago Saturday, and last Sunday) i really try to avoid confrontation and don't like to draw attention to myself. the man has a look on his face that he has some deep seated hatred for me and wants to rage but seems too intimidated to follow through. so its hard for me to approach him because i cant tell if he wants to kick my xxx or ask a question. ******** the meat of the issue. my power tools are fairly quiet, my doors are thick, i have a vulcan anvil and the stump it rests on has a foam mat under it. it doesn't bang much, but it being on a concrete floor creates a lot of a concussive force. almost like some dude driving by with loud bass. i also plan on buying a higher quality new anvil in the future. would a heavier anvil absorb said shock more? ringing isnt really an issue. i saw that sand boxes for these things helps mitigate ring, but im wondering if theres any way to make the ground thudding more quiet? i know im probably trying too hard to appease an irrational person, but i dont like making waves. and no, not everyone can afford a country farm in the boondocks. i plan to find a more rural area to live in some day, but i always believe build the home you want to live in, and not live in one like youre renting it. and after fixing up this house. and all the trouble i went through making the shop. i wont be uprooting and remodeling a worn down shack of a house in the boonies anytime soon. believe me ive looked.

hi all. ive been smithing for over 15 years. im around 30. i started as a teen because of traditional archery. at the time being left handed forced me to shoot long bows off the hand and store bought arrows were weak and didn't hold up. so out of necessity i started making my own arrows. and from arrows to knives and tools. and now i often make camp equipment and small items for reenactors, repair their stuff, sharpen blades, and other various small works. i bought a house in a somewhat close residential area. i turned my detached garage into a blacksmith shop. for the first time in my life, getting married last year, and being a home owner, i have my very own indoor shop, that i can do whatever i want. rain or shine. my long term goal is to get the shop running on solar. the forge and other tools in the shop can run on and off grid. my forge has a dual valve system that runs either by electric fan, or i can use a hand crank blower. i built the doors minus the hardware from scratch. the only downside is the shop is right on the edge of my property about 15 feet near my neighbors home. and for those who have had good luck with yours, everyone loves me in this area except him and his psychotic sister/gf/wife whatever she is. they are irrational 99% of the time. and they hated me long long before i started pounding iron in the yard. but ill address that more with an anvil question. these pics are somewhat old as im always optimizing and changing things around, but these are the most recent pics. the minecraft stuff started as a joke and i got bored with the decor so i removed it. as far as my arrows go. ive always spined and fletched by eye. ive been doing it so long ive made the arrows within 1/10 an oz of eachother. this is the first forum ive signed up for in 10 years. normally i haunt them but dont sign up since back then they were so volitile and full of strong opinions flame wars and spats made me want to just leave them altogether. but this seems like a nice place to ask questions. i always try to remain humble and keep an open mind when working at least in this hobby. i would never consider myself an expert, because im always learning something new. my facebook page is redfox armory blacksmith shop.