mvflaim

That's weird.www.sofasounds was in my favorties for months. Thanks for the new link!

Anyone know what happened to the SOFA website?
this link has been disablem by IFI admin as it goes to an unrelated site. sofasounds.com
Hope it comes back.

I attended the Quad State Round Up in 2010. I looked around and saw a lot of good anvils but never pulled the trigger. I'm a member of SOFA but haven't made it out to a meeting yet. I really need to take classes so I know what I'm doing. I took a blacksmith class in Paint Lick, KY by a Welch Chair Bodger named Don Weber. He's an awesome guy but haven't made it back down due to work and finicial limitations. I think I would take more classes if they were closer to me. I know SOFA has classes in Troy but that's still an hour and a half away.

This one has been available for six months in my area. http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/tls/2861951113.html

At $2/lb I guess it would be a good deal but it's out of my budget.

Then there's this one http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/grd/2856304919.html

No thanks

A couple of years ago I took a blacksmith class from a guy down in Paint Lick, Ky who told me that an anvil should cost $1 to $2 per pound. When I got back home I couldn't find an anvil for that price anywhere. Those prices were probably true 30 years ago when he bought his own anvils.

Thanks, I've seen them for about $300 on craigslist from time to time in my area. I'm always hoping to steal one for $200 but I'm sure you could get that for it at a scrapyard. When I buy one, I'll make sure the face is clean.

What's a fair price for a 100-150lb anvil? I've been in the market for awhile now and have never pulled the trigger because I really didn't know what I should pay for one.

Thanks
Mike

If you're talking about the Quadstate in Troy, OH next weekend I'll be going. I'm not a blacksmith, just would like to start learning the craft and figure the event would be well worth it. Anyone know what I should look for or recommend anything when I'm there?

I'm a big fan of Roy. I've been watching his show for the past twenty years, have all of his books and even met him a few times. You can watch episodes of his show here. http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/video/2900/2901.html I'm not sure if the episodes you're looking for are available online. I'm thinking those episodes may have been shot in the early '90's.

Mike

As stated, the leg should be setting on the floor, BUT, if possible, don't let the floor dictate the height of the vise. I have two leg vises in my shop, large and medium sized. the medium sized is setting on a steel plate at about the level of the floor, the larger is setting on a steel plate about 8" below the level of the floor, to put the top of the jaws at around anvil height for better hammering ergonomics. How did I do this? I have a dirt / gravel floor and both vice legs set in holes that are in the middle of steel plates, the larger one is buried below the surface. If you have a concrete floor, you may not want or be able to do this. I personally would not consider cutting off the leg of a very old vice to achieve a lower mounting height, but that’s your choice.

As a wood worker an aspect of blacksmithing you're going to find deep satisfaction in is the ability to make your own tools. Seriously, when was the last time you saw a cove blade for a plane at True Value? The guys here can tell you how good it feels to use tools you've made with your own hands. It's a huge ego boost to run into a problem, forge the solution and put paid to the "problem." Problem? THAT was a "problem? HAH!

Again, welcome aboard.

Frosty the Lucky.

Thanks for the replies. I thought it was suppose to touch the ground but when i saw pics of some of them not touching, I got confused.

Mike

Hi all,

I'm a brand new member here. I'm a long time woodworker who is intertested in learning blacksmithing so I can incorporate metal into my furniture that I build. I just started to acquire tools and bought a post vise at an auction last weekend. My question is; is the bottom of the vise supposed to touch the floor when installed on a bench? I have been scrolling through pics on this forum and noticed that some of the photos show the vise not touching the ground.

Thanks
Mike