Where to find your first anvil?

[Blacksmith Jim]

Hey folks,

I was wondering where people suggest finding a good anvil to start with. I'm guessing I'm going to want a 150-200# London style anvil. A few people have suggested attending some of the hammer-ins, or ABANA or NWBA events. I guess there is a lot of equipment that gets sold there?

Anyway, I'm located out in Eugene, Oregon. I've been contemplating posting Anvil Wanted signs out in some of our more rural communities near by. I'm guessing that simply asking around and maybe going to an event are my best bets, but I thought I would solicite advice from you folks.

So.. Where is a good place to score my first anvil? Where did you find yours?

Thanks!

Jim

[brucerdn]

Jim;
I wouldn't post any adds, in my experience a wantad just upped the price because people thought I was collecting, but when I got an aso and started banging on hot steel and just asking around blacksmithing tools started appearing and most of it reasonably priced or free. Because just about everybody had a relative who was a blacksmith, and they would really like to see the tools go to someone who would use them and take care of them. This included one 100 pound english anvil.

[HWooldridge]

I tried the ad method and got some good stuff but you also may have to wade through some BS. Some years ago, I ran an ad for one week in five of the local rural papers and scored some hand tools, three anvils - all in need of some repair but serviceable, 750 lbs of good coal and an almost brand new hand blower and forge. I also had a guy call and want $1800 for a home-made forge in really sad shape. The fellow who sold me the blower and forge also had an anvil but absolutely would not discuss selling because it was "Grandpa's" and 'you never know, I might want to learn to blacksmith one day' (nevermind he had just sold the means for a fire). By all means, try the ad method but be wary.

You will also learn that it takes all kinds...

[oakwoodforge]

A chunk of RR track or bulky scrap metal is usualy free or cheap and will do till you get your dream anvil. Sometimes, and I stress SOMETIMES you can get a decent buy on Ebay especially under obscure or mis-spelled listings like : "ANDVIL" or "antique-cowboy-farriers-blacksmithing-anvil" or "blacksmits anvile"

Hope this Helps

Jens

[Blacksmith Jim]

Jens,

Yeah, some rail road track and a propane torch seemed like the quickest way to start banging on metal at home. Then I can slowly build up a shop as I find stuff.. That has been my current plan.

[oakwoodforge]

Here is a One Brick Gas forge, Design & picture by Wayne Goddard. I have one somewaht like it , I'll shoot a pic when I get home from the office. This set-up is 100 times more efficient than a open air torch. The Brick is just a soft fire brick that can be had from any Ceramic/Glass kiln supplier , Boiler supplier , insulation specialist, knifemaking/ blacksmithing supply house.

Hope this helps

[Swamp Fox]

Regional Caos
Where are you located and what fuel do you have available?
For solid fuel try BP0115, BP0133, BP0138, BP0232, BP0238.
For gas forges try BP0191, BP0192.
For anvils see BP0244.

[Dale Peters]

I would try the ad route, but like some have said, be wary of the BS. I obtained my latest anvil by placing an ad in a rural shopper and got a good deal on it.

Sometimes you can get a good deal at a farm or estate auction, but often the collectors show up and run the price up. (I've had good luck finding post vises at auctions.)

The trouble with buying from other blacksmiths is that they know what an anvil is worth... and it may be more than you have to spend. They also become emotionally attached to their anvils. Sometimes, though, they'll give you a break.

I have yet to be fortunate enough to have someone give me blacksmithing equipment of any kind because they wanted it to go to someone who could use it. I guess I just don't know the right people.

[Chris Pook]

you should think about joing the NWBA (northwest blacksmith association) there website is at http://blacksmith.org/ They have conferences in Washington and Oregon, were there are always anvils for sale and they also have a nice quarterly magazine that has nice pictures,projects, class anouncements and a classified section.

[julian]

regional- makeshift anvils are always a pretty good way to start. I'm glad i started off banging on non-anvil items (first bricks then RR track then anvil) because even though I didn't get much done it taught me some hammer control and how metal works, without putting dings in or abusing an anvil . An old sledge hammer head or RR track peice in cement using a 5- gallon bucket as a mould isn't bad (but the cement might crack eventually) and wont clean out your wallet. I would invest in a good forge, maybe even build a good one if you have the know-how, that gets metal good and hot and is easy to manage before buying a nice anvil. But if you do find a smokin' deal on a good anvil i would recommend grabbing it up

On the where to get an anvil question; farm auctions, friends' friends, local blacksmith meetings, flea markets.

Hope i helped some!

[Nolano]

Well Jim, I live in Eugene, Oregon as well. I havent had much luck finding an anvil, although at this point I have a 130# Hay budden, which I am content to stick with for a while, and possibly longer. When properly strapped to a log, it will take one heck of a hit with a sledgehammer without moving. This anvil I had to buy at a hammer-in in Jacksonville (about 10 minutes from Medford) for 265, and it was in rather sorry shape. Do you know Bear? He lives in glenwood, and nearly every thursday, he has an open forge where people can come work on what they want to. You might ask at one of them if anyone has seen an anvil for sale, because quite a few excellent blacksmiths gather there.

[Blacksmith Jim]

Bear's shop is what introduced me to blacksmithing. I'm usually there most Thursday nights and you are correct, a number of very talented smiths show up to BS on Thursdays. It's a lot of fun.

Also, it sounds like you have had good luck! You just had to travel a bit to manifest it. ;)

[Rick Barter]

ApprenticeMan, I like your outlook.

Now I feel bad for the few hammers I don't use all the time. Every time I go in the barn now I'll hear them saying, "Pick me! Pick me!" :,(

I'll try to do a better job spreading the work around. :)

[Rick Barter]

Well, I'm still using my Harbor Freight 110 pounder. So you can't have that. :)

[Nolano]

Well, Maybe sometime I will see you there. I dont go too often anymore, as I have a semi-well equpped shop at home now. But, if you are up for some work, the harvor freight 110lb cast anvil is a decent deal at $89.99(I think). The horn isnt a good shape for actual blacksmithing, so it needs some grinding work, I think. However, the hardness is not very deep, so you may wish to start with a railroad rail, as that will give you a nice surface to work on, until you get hammer control down.

[Alan DuBoff]

Just to add my $0.02, I've been looking for an anvil for a while and have looked over the typical places online. I found an old Peter Wright on ebay that was local to me, for $155. I don't know if it's a good deal or not, it's pretty tired looking, but should handle the light work I want to do with it. Here's some pics of it, which I posted in the intro fora, where I introduced myself.;-)

(clicky image)



I have seen decent anvils on craigslist, on ebay, and have heard of folks buying them at fleas reasonable. I was tracking anvils within 100 miles for quite a while, this one was 40 miles from me...go figure. As I said, I'm not sure if this was a good deal or not, it looks a bit tired...but I'm not gonna be forging anything too awfully big. It's got a bit of sway around the chips, but no matter if it's ok or not, that's most likely how I'm gonna use it. hehehe...I am gonna clean it.

[Alan DuBoff]

Cool anvil, it looks in great condition, not tired at all. Polish her up really good, Peter Wright's are great anvils.

I'll reserve comments until it's cleaned up and I see what it looks like. I know they're typically good anvils, my concern was it's condition or if the top would be flat. It will certainly have flat areas other than the chip'd areas. Funny, I picture some guy wacking it with a large sledge, not forging, but smashing a piece of pipe or something, when it chip'd on both sides. Hard to tell, but it's certainly old enough to be able to tell some stories if it could talk.

I don't have much equipment yet, have a few ball peins, but don't have a forge and need to figure out what to do. I haven't figured out if my neighbors will be p.o.'d at me yet. hehehe

Speaking of which, I notice some folks wrap chain around the base to keep the anvil from ringing too loud. I need to see how loud it is.

I don't think I overpaid, but they didn't give it away either. It was reasonable for me to buy though, so it's responsible for getting me into this mess!;-)

[Nolano]

You paid a very good price, alan. Thats much less than I would expect one on ebay to go for.

[Glenn]

My Peter Wright has been heard at 4 blocks on a hot summers day !!

A 4" carrage bolt in the prichel hole will kill a lot of the ring as will two wraps of light weight chain placed loosely around the waist of the anvil. Setting the anvil in an inch of sand works.

BP0255 Stop the Anvil Ring - Gerald Franklin

[kababear]

you can use silicone to glue your anvil to the base.
its the most effective way to stop the ringing i know.
a thick layer of soft rubber works too (60-70shore)

[Alan DuBoff]

You paid a very good price, alan. Thats much less than I would expect one on ebay to go for.

Yeah, it's rare to find one in my area, let alone one at a reasonable price. It's cooking in electrolyte right now...

BP0255 Stop the Anvil Ring - Gerald Franklin

Thanks for that Glenn, I'll check out the blueprint.

Silicon sounds like an interesting option also.

I just got the cooker going and most of the anvil fit in, but the nose is sticking out. I'm thinking of letting it stew for about 2-3 days, that outta get most of the rust and paint off of it.

Glenn, I have a question for you, in regards to your tag. It was pointed out to me that my anvil was actually 134# rather than the #131 they told me, since it is 1-0-22 (seller said it was the patent date). But that it is 112+0+22 which is 134.

I tried to search the archives and on the site, but couldn't find what measuring system this was based on, and what the numbers stand for? What is the 112? I don't know of any base 112 systems, but it doesn't surprise me that the English might have one. Must be the weight of the King's hammer, or something...

[Ten Hammers]

"I havent had much luck finding an anvil, although at this point I have a 130# Hay budden, which I am content to stick with for a while, and possibly longer. "

Nolano, don't slight that Hay Budden. I have 2 of them and know folks that would love to have one. Outstanding anvils in my opinion.

[irnsrgn]

its from ancient times in england Alan, a british hundredweight is 112 lbs american.

[Hillbillysmith]

Since this has been brought up, exactly how does that measuring system work anyway? I've looked, and thought about it, and I still don't get it.

[Blacksmith Jim]

I got a lead last night on someone in the area selling a 155# Peter Wright and a 55# Hay Budden. The Peter Wright sounds cool, but they want something like $450 for it. I can't throw that kinda scratch down now, but maybe next month... I've also heard from a few different places now that just buying a new anvil can be a good option. You get a nice tool, and it saves you the head ache of tracking it down for months on end...