white wolf Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Two weeks ago, my dad and I were cleaning out my step mother's dad's shed and we found a Vulcan anvil marked with a number 20 on the foot, I guess that is what you would call it. We where told that it was an old gun smith anvil. I was just wondering if anyone could tell anything about them and what the number 20 is about. I thought if anything, the people on here seem well versed on this subject and would give me great info. I would like to say thank you in advanced, for any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Vulcans are cast iron with a steel face. Good anvils but they will break, usually at the tail. The '20' on the foot is the weight==200lbs. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Hey! just noticed that you are from Trinity! I'm 120 miles east of Dallas. If you ever get this way give me a holler, my shop is always open! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 The steel face on the vulcan is generally thin so NEVER let anyone talk you into making it thinner by grinding or milling it "clean". It's a quiet anvil so good for in city and suburbia forging. One of the more common anvils for school shops back when schools had shops... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njanvilman Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Vulcans were also known as the poor man's Fisher. Made almost the same way, but never quite as good. Just take it easy when forging. I am still a shop teacher, year 33, with a forge, foundry, welding, sheet metal, and machining capabilities. Also the wood shop teacher in the morning with a full program. I recruited a top student five years ago to go to Millersville and he is now employed at my school. He does the advanced Metals and AutoCad. When I retire in a few years, he will keep the Metal program alive. Wood teachers are easier to find. Not all schools close their shops. We also have a full Graphics program, and starting Robotics/Engineering. Sorry to hijack the thread, but had to respond. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blitzsmith288 Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 2 years ago when i was in middle school there was an anvil in the back of my technology/shop teachers room too bad i only started blacksmithing last year, i found out that they closed down the shop program god only knows where that anvil is now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I bought quite a bit of smithing stuff at the school auctions when Columbus OH closed down their program around 10-15 years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Steinkirchner Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 i have a broken 100-ish# fisher ,I say "ish" because the heel is missing from the near side of the hardy hole. horrific chisel marks on the face and horn, because the previous owner (my dad) figured that what it was for. it was my first anvil so it now resides on the floor near the forge to act as an upsetting block and a bick. my main forging anvil is now a vulcan at, at least 300 lbs and i love it, no deffening ring, and it doesn't need spiked down to the stump. i have only 3 problems with it. the flatness of the horn, the huge hardy hole (1-1/4 inch stock is hard for me to find!), my final problem is that there is no step. the face was in good shape, not too rusty, AND it was only 100$!my last anvil is like 125 lbs and it is wrought with a steel face. rings enough to make my ears to the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 You can use shims for your hardies to size down to 1" or whatever. No step, no problem...make a 'hardie step'. The euro style anvils have no steps on them and this is what most folks do to solve that small problem. Loud ringing anvil...deaden it with chain, tie it down to base, use a magnet....or wear ear protection. My anvil is chained tightly to the base, little ring AND I wear ear protection. Need to save what hearing I have left. 36+yrs in the metal business....and age...have left their mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 My main shop anvil has 1.5" hardies, (yup 2 of them), and I have take a piece of sq tubing and slit the corners with a hack saw and heated and bent out the tabs, drop in in the hardy and you have a smaller hardy! (Actually I had to do this twice to get down to a size I can use "regular" hardy tools on) Another trick was that I traded for some top swages and forged the area the handle went through to fit my large hardy holes---I can always drift them back out again if I change my mind! (Used my large screw press as they didn't have to slim down much and it made for nice parallel sides) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Steinkirchner Posted November 22, 2009 Share Posted November 22, 2009 wow! not even my post and i learned alot, thanks much for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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