I decided to put up or shut up. 1" OC ball swage for size reference.

Now you're just baiting.

Actually, I walked in the shop and one of the guys was using a power hammer tool on his anvil he had set it up on his own. I started laughing because it was stupid simple and worked.

I love your tools by the way use them every day.

May look "stupid-simple" but it looks solid and leads to other ideas.

May look "stupid-simple" but it looks solid and leads to other ideas.

I thought this idea is good for people who don't have a hardie hole or just don't like them. People might even be able to weld on a holder with a set screw on the side of their block anvil to use tooling like this. I use side mounted dies like this in my power hammer. But somebody was using it at the time so they improvised.

Cool idea.....hmmmmm?

I have a heeless anvil that is my "loaner" for new students; I might make a variation of this by drilling and tapping a hole down in the side of the body and then making the tooling with a hole for the bolt.

Of course then they may never want to return it---getting their own anvil with a hardy hole is a subtle push when using one without!

I have a heeless anvil ... getting their own anvil with a hardy hole is a subtle push when using one without!

There is a lot of truth in that, although I made a new hardy hole in my poor abused anvil. If I had a welder (could go visit Dad instead and use his), and had though of it or seen mention earlier, I may have gone this route instead.

I am still looking for an anvil I can afford...I may "find" the money to buy one on craigslist if it gets reposted next month.
Phil

Ohio is smack dab in the middle of the blacksmith's "Happy Hunting Grounds" I used to average a good condition name brand anvil every year there for less than US$1 per pound.

Start beating the bushes and remember the ones you find *not* being advertised will often be cheaper than the ones being advertised!

Great idea for those of us with small anvils. I spend lots of time setting up hardy tools to sit on top of the anvil body where they rattle around but are sited on the strongest part of the anvil. Why I never thought of this is beyond me..........