Show me your anvil

[Glenn]

Most folks have an anvil of sorts. Show me what you use and how it is set up. That way we can er-borrow ideas to use.

[Glenn]

Ok it is a little old, tired and was found in a junk yard. Would you bring it home?

Rest of the story?
French anvil dated 1723. A French rohset on the side, an "MN" Monarchy Napoleon on the other side. Found in a junk yard in the old town of Jaffa.

[yesteryearforge]

sitting on a stand fabricated from heavy plate

[primtechsmith]

I do not have an anvil....I just use one of yesteryearforge's. But I do have some pictures of other people's anvils!

Peyton

[yesteryearforge]

Primtechsmiths workstation in my forge
260 lb JHM competitor

[yesteryearforge]

My son Joshs workstation in my forge
400 lb peter wright

[rthibeau]

My anvil at Dancing Frog Forge, something around 300 lbs.

[HWooldridge]

see attached photo

Anvil and stand - this is the 250lb Peter Wright that I replated and rehardened about 20 years ago. The concrete stand is about 300 lbs so the whole thing is pretty stable. The stain on top is oil from the pump can for the p-hammer. I also have a 100 lb Hay Budden that is my demo anvil on a metal stand.

PS - All this talk about old anvils - I had a Mousehole that appeared to date from the late 1600's, based on Postman's book. It was not in outstanding shape but still plenty serviceable considering the age - I sold it to a fellow smith in this area. Pretty cool to see an old lump of iron still being used.

[irnsrgn]

My Main Anvil 125 lb Blackjack.

[BT]

My 300 lb German hornless anvil. Not as unique as the French anvil, but different anyway. . .

BT

[Dale Peters]

I use two anvils. The one on the three-legged stand is a 160lb Trenton and the one on the wood stand is a 132lb Trenton. I built the wood stand with 4x4 oak from pallets used to ship steel to a local sign making company. The steel stand was made from scrap from a local salvage yard. They both work well.

[Michael]

I still don't have a real anvil, but I use a 75 lb piece of I Beam, a good inch think in the web, a little loud if you are out on the wings, so I try and keep the hammering over the center part. 10 lbs of jack hammer bit C clamped to the side as a horn of sorts, another 30 lb block of steel, 3x3x12 inches rests on one of the lower wings.

I keep looking for a real anvil but no luck just yet.

Michael

[metalmaster1766]

i dont have a real anvil either, but my railroad track anvil works just fine, it weighs about 50 lbs, and i put a 1" hardie hole in it, maybe when i can start making some money i can buy a real anvil

http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=110&stc=1&d=1150577176

Ron

[Nolano]

Well, Ive finally gotten around to posting the pics I took 3 days ago.
I mounted it to my stump using plumbers tape and lag bolts. One of these days, I am going to loosen it up, and shove a piece of conveyor belting under there, which should take care of the last remnants of the ringing.

[Glenn]

One more anvil added to the group.

[stryder]

here is a pic of my new anvil, a 260 JHM Competitor. i am studying the different stands posted here to best decide how to build mine.
thanks, George

[yesteryearforge]

Stryder
I build my stands like a three sided box with the opening towards where I stand.
You would be suprised at how much more comfortable it is to stand at an anvil when you can put your leading foot slightly under the anvil.
just as a square stump allows you to stand closer to the anvil than a round stump an opening in the back allows you to stand even closer. the result is less strain on your back and legs as you dont have to be reaching over to hit.
an added benifit is a stand made this way from heavy plate almost allways deadens the ring from your anvil. the photo of primtechsmiths is a 260 competitor like yours

[Dodge]

Not done yet but this was cut from 4" plate. Horn was roughed with a O/A torch the finished with a 7" zircon flap disc. Feet cut separate and will be severely welded ;)

[Dodge]

You got the right idea, Michael. If it works, do it! Keep looking tho. I am. And I hear they're out there :)

[ThomasPowers]

I had an anvil stand made from heavy plate and it increased the level of sound in the shop so much I gave it away.
Thomas

[stryder]

yesteryearforge, that is one fine anvil stand!! thanks for the input. George

[stevomiller]

Dodge, that is quite an anvil that you are making. Is the face tool steel?

[Hillbillysmith]

I am happy to inform everyone that I finally got my first anvil today at an auction that I was working at for $180. I'm not sure of the weight, but if I had to estimate it, I'd say it's about 150 lb'er. Not a bad deal at all, especially the condition it's in! I'll get my cousin's camera and snap a shot of it and post it this weekend.

[Dodge]

No. Its solid mild steel. Might hard face b4 its all said and done but I've done some banging on it and as long as I maintain good hammer control It is working good. Besides, if I leave it mild I can fix any dents or dings easily with my mig:)

[Nolano]

I cant tell whether your being sarcastic or not, so if you are, ignore this.

Do you have any idea how huge a fire he would need to do that? Not to mention a gigantic hammer to make the weld, and some way of lifting both the anvil and face, most people dont really have tongs(or arms) capable of doing that....


Dodge, I would reccomend hardfacing it, with one layer of softer hardface, then a layer of harder. first layer 40-50, then the second should be 50-55. If you dent it this way, you can always patch it up with the same hardfacing rod.
I dont know if your doing this on your own, or you have already found this guide, but here is someone who did the same type of thing:
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/anvil1/anvil2.html