P. Bedard Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 (edited) And I call it an anvil for lack of any better description. Tools fit inside the anvil itself and seem to be used for many different operations. There is a spare anvil behind the base as well. There is a box of tools for the set up as well; I don't think this was a blacksmith's tool unless it was used as part of a traveling rig. Has anyone seen anything like this before? I'm hoping the antique dealer will come down a bit in price. Edited June 21, 2009 by mod07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 It's a combination tool. I have a smaller version, and a freind has one that has a hand crank forge blower built in. The one you found is very nice looking, but the anvils don't work very well. Not enough mass and all cast iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markb Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 Never seen one, nice find, I would imagine most of them would be missing most parts so value of yours is up there. Did the stand come with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 There were lots of variations of these. Some were benchtop models, others came with their own iron stand with a small forge built into it. Some could be rigged up to be a horizontal drill press, some with a hand cranked grindstone. Lots of variations. If you look in the early 1900's reproductions of the Wards and Sears catalogs, you should be able to see some ads for them - with fair drawings of them and all the attachments. They were sold for the home/farm shop. I've had several variations of these over the years. They are ... ok ... for light tinkering. Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 There is another discussion on this type tool on IForgeIron. If someone remembers it, please link it to this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 We have a tool similar to that in the shop at Midwest Old Threshers. I made a hotcut hardy for it ( IIRC the hardy hole is 1/2" ) at Kieths request. Kieth just calls it a farmers multi tool. Nice for the grandkids to play on. BTW thats a nice stand it sets on. Looks like a cream seperator stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Thompson Posted June 21, 2009 Share Posted June 21, 2009 The pics have gone from e-bay:http://www.iforgeiron.com/forum/f7/does-anyone-know-about-8146/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P. Bedard Posted June 22, 2009 Author Share Posted June 22, 2009 So, what do you all think? Should I get it? He wants $300.00 for the whole she-bang but I can probably get it for $150.00 or $200.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Ameling Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 My personal opinion? Save your money for a real anvil and vice. Those combo anvil/vice tools are OK for LIGHT tinkering and occasional smithing. But not for serious work. More for show than anything else. You would end up better served with a good anvil and a good vice - with pipe jaw inserts. And then get a good drill or drill press. Tools that you can use independently, or in combinations. But real tools that better fit the tasks in the end. Just my opinion. I've owned several of those combo tools over the years. They are kind of neat to have around for looking at. But I ended up selling them off - because I never used them. I always ended up using the proper tools in the end. So a couple "collectors" of odd tools ended up with them. Mikey - that grumpy ol' German blacksmith out in the Hinterlands p.s. I've also seen many of them over the years in BROKEN condition - where somebody pushed the limits of their capacity. More broken ones that intact. And the attachments were usually lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 An excellent addition to a tool collectors hoard. A not so good addition to a tool users collection. I've seen a number of these broken as they really are only good for light work but people assume that sincve they are an "anvil" they can be used for heavy work and that's how the cast iron crumbles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Browne Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 200US $ is a lot to spend on something that is a collectable for interests sake only. Use your hard earned for something more useful would be my vote. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 The one I have like that is called a Hanson vice ( I have a copy of an old ad I'll try to post) and I have none of the fitted jaw parts for it. I was hoping to forge some. I thought about incorporating it into a portable nail making set-up. If the owner wouldn't mind maybe he'd let you take a picture of some of the different jaws. I'd appreciate seeing what some of them look like. Thanks, Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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