Sam Falzone Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Here's a picture of the forge workstation in my classroom. My anvil is a simple 110lb london pattern anvil (I haven't looked closely enough for any company markings). Nothing fancy, just meat and potatoes but she works just fine for me. I'm the shop teacher at my school and this is where I do most of my work. I havent got around to setting up a shop at home yet, but my friend Ken and I have built a portable Norse style charcoal forge we set up at demos. It's based on a firebox image from the bayeaux tapestry and we just ran with it. Works really well too - we get a hot spot about the size of a grapefruit and can get welding temperatures out of it. I'll try to get around to taking some pictures some time. Aeneas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keykeeper Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 That "meat and potatoes" anvil looks like a Vaughan & Brooks. Nice anvil. The school bought a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Falzone Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Het Keykeeper, Thanks for the ID, I'll double check. BTW I love your sig.line. aeneas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Aeneas; I'd like to see your "norse" forge, compare it to Atli's, Darrell's or mine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Falzone Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Aeneas; I'd like to see your "norse" forge, compare it to Atli's, Darrell's or mine... I know Darrell uses a sand table setup with a soapstone bellows shield. Our (Ken and mine) forge set up is actually a firebox made of 1.25" ash planks, standing about 3' high. It originally had an ash plank shelf for the firebox to sit on when we first tested it out, but we also only had enough fire brick to make a single layer of lining all around the sides and bottom. Burned out the ash bottom after 3 hours of demo, but the box carcass was unsinged luckily. It now has a plate steel bottom, a sheet metal liner and 2 layers of soft brick all around and on the bottom, with 2 bricks standing on end to make a bellows shield. Gives us a 12x12x4 firebox. Works like a charm, and looks good too. Ken made a norse 2 lung bellows and we both made square anvils from 5x5 mild steel blocks. We "dressed: up the sides to make it look old and hand worked (I've never worked with that kind of mass ever before - the block was on the anvil 14 inches away from me and my apron was smoking), quench hardened them, ground and filed the table smooth, ground and filed 3 different radii on 3 edges leaving one edge sharp. I even hot chiseled my mark on the side. All in all it's a nice set-up and looks good at a demo. Maybe not totally historically accurate. It was inspired by a firebox from the bayeax tapestry - in the image, it looks like they're cooking. I figured the only difference between cooking with charcoal and forging with charcoal is temperature and the volume of air delivery. So why not ??? Aeneas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 (edited) I just inherited this 95# anvil from my wife's Grandfather. He's 98 yrs old and used it quite a bit as a young man and he inherited it from his father. Its got a few chips on the corners, but the face has only a few thousanths of a sway. There is also some minor pitting behind the hardy hole. It looks to only have one seam/forgeweld where the body meets the face and it rebounds and rings true:). Its pretty cool to have a tool from a freind whom I have so much respect for. I've only found a little info on Wilkinsons anvils and it seems there are several different types that were made. These pics aren't the best but can anyone tell me more about it? The fourth pic has is of the front bottom edge and it shows an emblem that looks similar to (4) but turned 90 to the left.? Also, I kind of have mixed feelings about it but would you do anything to try to true up the face or remove the pitting? (I can live with the chipped corners) Thanks! dntfxr Edited August 14, 2008 by dntfxr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnr Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Use it for a while and see if the top polishes out. Then think about maybe doing a bit of repair. May not need a thing. Finnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 The "emblem" on the foot looks like a 3 to me, just like the 3 on the side where it's weight is stamped. 0 3 11 or 80 lbs. Have you put it on a scale? I wouldn't do a thing to it but use it. You'll find one in better shape if you want/need one and this is a family heirloom. Congratulations on keeping it in the family AND in use. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 No I didn't put it on a scale but I thought it felt a little light for 95 lbs. Maybe I used the wrong calculation on the weight. I used (28 x 3) + 11 = 95 ?? I haven't had the chance to forge on it yet but lookin forward to it!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Aeneas; I based mine off the carving on the norse stave church. It's a stand up forge too. I did not artifically age my equipment as it's supposed to be *new*, we made it just 10 years ago in the year 900! I wish my anvil looked like the one in the museum in Bath that was such a nice smooth mushroom shape; but that was due to probably a century or more of working on it. By double lunged you mean two seperate one lung bellows hooked to the tue pipe right? Most smiths I know use the term double lunged for a stacked set where the bottom lung feeds only the top lung and the top lung is hooked to the tue pipe. We ought to come up with better jargon so there's no confusion especially as double single action bellows are the medieval standard for forging! The cooking fire is a good compromise but I must say that my propane forge looks not at all like the propane stove in my kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Falzone Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Yup, a proper Norse-style bellows, 2 lungs side-by-side hooked up to the tue pipe. Darrell wouldn't let us get away with anything less (or at least he'd never let us forget it ) We could just call them Viking-bellows ...? However I am thinking of eventually setting up my shed as a smithy and building a charcoal forge (I live in the city and can't run coal) with a stacked 2 lung bellows. I'm also planning on setting up 2 propane work stations (eventually) for teaching and or groups projects. Long term plans. aeneas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Used by more than the Vikings though; perhaps MBA's Medieval Bellows type A, early nothern european. They we can say that SoandSo has got his MBAs and is ready to get to work... Is Darrell coming down to Quad-State this year? I plan to drive in from NM for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I just inherited this 95# anvil from my wife's Grandfather. He's 98 yrs old and used it quite a bit as a young man and he inherited it from his father. Its got a few chips on the corners, but the face has only a few thousanths of a sway. There is also some minor pitting behind the hardy hole. It looks to only have one seam/forgeweld where the body meets the face and it rebounds and rings true:). Its pretty cool to have a tool from a freind whom I have so much respect for. I've only found a little info on Wilkinsons anvils and it seems there are several different types that were made. These pics aren't the best but can anyone tell me more about it? The fourth pic has is of the front bottom edge and it shows an emblem that looks similar to (4) but turned 90 to the left.? Also, I kind of have mixed feelings about it but would you do anything to try to true up the face or remove the pitting? (I can live with the chipped corners) Thanks! dntfxr Dntfxr, use it as is. Too mush family history to change. The only thing I would do is take a beltsander or flapper wheel on a 4.5" grinder and smooth the chips on the edges. You have an excellent anvil that will out last you, done proved that! Wish I had my uncle's anvil and leg vise that his great grandfather brought to Texas back in the 1840's. (uncle was 84 when he passed last yr) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 No I didn't put it on a scale but I thought it felt a little light for 95 lbs. Maybe I used the wrong calculation on the weight. I used (28 x 3) + 11 = 95 ?? I haven't had the chance to forge on it yet but lookin forward to it! That explains it. 1 hundred weight = 112lbs. a quarter = 23lbs. 23*3=69+11=80. It's pretty typical for a farm anvil, the old family anvil Father gave me a few years ago probably runs about 70-80lbs. tops. It's in really rough shape with about 1/3 of the face missing and will remain as it is as a family heirloom. Of course Dad MAY have been remembering creatively. Regardless, it'll get put on display rather than repaired. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antracit Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Norrlandst Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 That explains it. 1 hundred weight = 112lbs. a quarter = 23lbs. 23*3=69+11=80. It's pretty typical for a farm anvil, the old family anvil Father gave me a few years ago probably runs about 70-80lbs. tops. It's in really rough shape with about 1/3 of the face missing and will remain as it is as a family heirloom. Of course Dad MAY have been remembering creatively. Regardless, it'll get put on display rather than repaired. Frosty Sorry Frosty...112 divided by 4 = 28... (25 is 1/4 of 100; 3 is 1/4 of 12; 25+3= 28) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 112/4 = 28 not 23 Math must be hard in places where it's so cold that you can't take your shoes off---I get to wear sandals to work all year round---it's just too cold to do so in the winter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Falzone Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Is Darrell coming down to Quad-State this year? I plan to drive in from NM for it. I have no idea, and I don't think he's on this forum. Are you on the Early Iron yahoogroup? I know he's on that list. If you're not i could just pass on the question to him. This is going to sound weird but I'm really appreciative of the discussions today. I got news this morning that a dear friend of mine has passed on, and all this discussing blacksmithing and bellows and viking anvils has been a good distraction and quite comforting. I appreciate that more than I can say right now. Thanks ... everyone. Aeneas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 112/4 = 28 not 23 Math must be hard in places where it's so cold that you can't take your shoes off---I get to wear sandals to work all year round---it's just too cold to do so in the winter... I learned the new math, we had to use someone else's toes and nobody else was around! :confused: Think I'll go find my dunce cap and sit in my corner now. I even had the calc up on the screen when I did it in my head instead. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dntfxr Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Don't feel bad, you had me convinced too!:p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BT Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Don't be too hard on Frosty, have you SEEN his toes? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Ah yes Frosty in his Bear Feet; that's the real reason he wanted under floor heating in his shop---so he could do shop math even in the winter! I'm still on base ten though there have been a couple of incidents where I almost changed my base to 9 or even 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Exactly, and if I'm doing new math with my furry buddy in the picture I have to use base four. The amount payable on HIS paycheck looks darned impressive! Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Never argue math with BUS's (Bears of Unusal Size). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Caradoc Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 I would think that most of us have issues doing math in public at least sometimes. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.