Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Show me your anvil


Recommended Posts

Here are my latest, each 105 lbs. The first is a Hay Budden S/N 30058, the second is a Fisher which Josh has dated around 1860-1870. The Hay has cleaner edges, but the Fisher is just so quiet. When I went to check them out, I couldn't decide which I liked more, so I bought them both. I need to work with them a while and see which one I want to keep. For some reason, the wife just doesn't understand why I need more than one anvil.

post-45401-0-87402600-1395429675_thumb.jpost-45401-0-29061500-1395429702_thumb.jpost-45401-0-59086900-1395429730_thumb.j

 

post-45401-0-07488900-1395429812_thumb.jpost-45401-0-73459500-1395429839_thumb.jpost-45401-0-70158000-1395429866_thumb.j

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Welcome aboard, glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you might be surprised at how many of the IFI gang live within visiting distance.

 

Nice looking anvil, it looks like you put a lot of thought into the stand too. There's plenty of room to put small tools while keeping hammers and top tools handy without being in the way. Looking good.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This replaces my much loved and hated shaped rr track ASO. TFS 150lbs from Centaur Forge. I went to purchase a 100lbs anvil they said was in stock but someone got it the day before I arrived. They had ordered this one but thought it was too big. The guys sold this one to me for almost the same price. I am mounting it tonight and will try to spend some time on it this week. Should be a fun weekend ahead.

 

By the way, thank all of you who post and share advice and experience freely. It feels great when I find a post speaking directly to questions I have with answers that are to the point yet not dismissive. It seems that many of the contributors here recall when they were new to the skill. For that I am very grateful. 

 

Happy hammering folks,

 

BK

post-53102-0-40731600-1396447682_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I am working on putting more weight in to my RR track anvil. I found at my local scrap yard 4 sections of steel plate 1"x6"x17" (approx) that weigh about 30 lbs each. I plan to have them under the chunk of rail that weighs about 60 lbs. What do you folks think?

post-35414-0-80116700-1397435941_thumb.p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my latest. I could use some help on ID, actually. The face is hard and there's no visible seam, so I'm thinking tool steel throughout. It has two square corners and two radiused, clearly forged like that on purpose. The mark appears to be PAS.

I'm going to use this for preindustrial demos, even though I think it's likely a late 19th/early 20th century tool. One of these days I'll forge a proper Iron Age stake from wrought scrap...

post-19889-0-70237600-1397526133_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could never afford to buy a proper anvil, every time I had the money life would step in and relieve me of it.

So I made this one. The top bottom and center pieces are AR500, 2" thick. I shaped the top plate with a cutting torch then cleaned it up with a 3/8" arcair and finished it off with lots of grinding and flap wheel work. I welded it all together with 1/16" flux core.

I've thought about grinding it all nice and pretty, and probably will eventually, but haven't yet. I'd rather use it.

I haven't weighed it yet but it's just about 80lbs. Works great for my purposes. Little things and small pieces for my art projects.post-51891-0-06854100-1397621869_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my latest. I could use some help on ID, actually. The face is hard and there's no visible seam, so I'm thinking tool steel throughout. It has two square corners and two radiused, clearly forged like that on purpose. The mark appears to be PAS.

I'm going to use this for preindustrial demos, even though I think it's likely a late 19th/early 20th century tool. One of these days I'll forge a proper Iron Age stake from wrought scrap...

attachicon.gifIMG_20140414_131110.jpg

I wouldn't mind owning that myself. Looks like a good little tool! 

 

All the best 

Andy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's my "new" post vice I got set up today. It's a chunk of 4"x4"x17" mild steel and weighs about 75 lbs.. I routered out a hole an inch and a quarter deep as close to the shape of the end of the steel as I could. Cleaned the sawdust out and squeezed a good layer of silicon caulk into the hole. Then I set the steel in and dressed the face and edges. It sits about 2" above my knuckles with my fist closed. I figure if it seems unstable only being inset by 1 1/4", I'll add some 2"x4" braces around it.

post-28530-0-78697300-1398038092_thumb.j

post-28530-0-22605300-1398038500_thumb.j

post-28530-0-59648200-1398038596_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I first finished the post anvil above I used the 7/8" bearing in this picture to see just how bad the rebound was... about 40-45%. I decided today to see if the face would work harden and so spent fifteen minutes with hammer in hand pinging away at it. It seemed like the sound was getting 'crisper' so I pulled out the bearing and ruler again. I was shocked... it ranged from 5.5" to 6.25" when dropped from 10"... 55-63%.... ACTUAL ANVIL RANGE! admittedly only barely, but for free?! YES!!! I'm stoked and hope I'll be able to light my forge up this weekend and see how it performs with hot steel. Sorry for the cruddy pic.

post-28530-0-63500500-1398121600_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just picked this up from Woodbridge, Suffolk today. Very pleased with my new anvil. Its pretty old and the writing seems to be quite corroded. I'll have another go with the wire brush to see if i can make anything out. I got it from Ebay for a good price from a gent who seems to be well into his smithing - this was surplus to requirements!. Nice guy to talk to and gave me some good advice in seeking out some training.

post-53761-0-60838100-1398621092_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is my new 150# Columbian anvil all cleaned up.

 

I have had this old Viking creamer stand, that I am thinking of mounting it to.

Any thought on cast iron stands?

It is very heavy and is right at 1/4" plus thick all over top is even thicker?? 

There is a nice raised "C" cast on the bottom of the stand,  I think they were made for one another!

 

My 100lb Columbian vise isleaning next to it

 

post-14465-0-43605800-1399503718_thumb.j

post-14465-0-38024700-1399503997_thumb.j

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know about that for an anvil stand, the feet are curved so there's no direct line to the ground. Cast iron doesn't like flexing, especially do to shock. The creamer may have been heavy but it didn't flex much if at all. The compression waves from hammer blows are going to drive down through the anvil into the stand and will want to cause the feet to flex instead of conduct straight down.

 

My steel stand's legs are straight from the foot to the floor. They're at a little angle but are straight with stretchers between to minimize flex. A good hard hammer blow still causes noticeable flex and rebound, not significant to anvil function or for the stand but cast iron may not be so forgiving.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could never afford to buy a proper anvil, every time I had the money life would step in and relieve me of it.

So I made this one. The top bottom and center pieces are AR500, 2" thick. I shaped the top plate with a cutting torch then cleaned it up with a 3/8" arcair and finished it off with lots of grinding and flap wheel work. I welded it all together with 1/16" flux core.

I've thought about grinding it all nice and pretty, and probably will eventually, but haven't yet. I'd rather use it.

I haven't weighed it yet but it's just about 80lbs. Works great for my purposes. Little things and small pieces for my art projects.attachicon.gifimage.jpg

I reckon that's a mighty fine anvil. Nice workmanship there. I think it would be very rewarding to forge nice things on an anvil you made yourself. Well done, sir.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...