Anvil quality advice

[FieryFurnace]

Ok I've been looking for a 200 pounder to go in my shop! The 87 pound one just doesn't cut it for heavy work and I don't want an 87 pound chunk of metal to land, horn first, on my foot!

So I've been keeping a half open eye on ebay. Tried getting a nice 260# last week but none of the bidders even reache the reserve. The killer is the added shipping.
So tell me, what would you pay per pound on these two anvils? Are they good choices? Are the makers decent? What about the one with the partialy gone face? Do you think there is still enough work room? Is that a serious detrement when it comes to working on the rest of the face? What I'm getting at, is are these any good?

224# columbian

173# trenton with some "scratches." LOL

Your opinion! And P.S.....if they are good....don't bid against me! LOL

Dave

[Timothy Miller]

How much do you want to spend?

[pkrankow]

Those anvils will fetch some serious coin most likely from that seller. The columbian has different color edges to my eye, which may indicate a repair. I like my trenton, but it rings like a church bell and took some effort to quiet to reasonable levels.

Look up prices on new anvils. Also Monstermetal had a bunch of anvils a few weeks ago, he may have something comparable to offer without the ebay bidding and stuff, but he may have sold through.
Phil

[fat pete]

both look in better shape than mine...the columbian looks fine....the trenton looks like i was refaced may be alright...that seller gets his price tho....monstermetal is a good idea (member here)....just keep lookin cause after you buy it every anvil sold will be way cheaper than what you spend

[ThomasPowers]

Generally e-bay is one of the worst places to buy anvils; why do you use it?

Much better is to go out and beat the bushes locally and get a good anvil cheaper and with no shipping charges.

Anvils are *much* rarer out here in NM---no population density back when and ranch anvils tend to be beat to heck twice over from doing cold work on them; yet I found a very nice 112# PW anvil for $150 out here just a couple of weeks ago. Had my wife pick it up next trip to the city (and the seller had his wife drop it off in the city...)

The previous anvil I got was from mentioning at church that I needed an anvil for a friend. A retired fellow mentioned he had one in storage and just gave it to me---a 63# swedish cast steel beauty.

(and BTW if you find one and they want you to put a price on it start at US$1 a pound if it's in good using shape, you can always go up later!)

[Mainely,Bob]

Patience,patience,patience!
You have something to pound on that is already supporting your work.Look around for a while and put the word out whenever and wherever you can.The right one will come along soon enough.
Stay away from e-bay and start looking at things like Craigslists for the surrounding areas and putting up a wanted post on the local Freecycle.
As far as repaired anvils go,unless I knew who did the repairs and he has had success in the past doing this type of work I wouldn`t consider them anything but a headache and waste of money unless I could test drive before buying.That welded waist looks suspect to me.
Anvils with missing pieces and that need repair should be priced at what the fair market value is minus what it will cost to have the repairs professionally done IMO.That is a realistic assessment of what it will cost to set one right.

[Don A]

Dave,

If you're persistant, you can find some good deals on Craigslist. You have to be quick though.

Have you ever tried "Search All of Craigslist"?

http://www.searchallcraigs.com/

You can refine the search regionally after you start your search.

This one came up today south of Nashville:

Anvil in Murfreesboro

Surely a man that would drive to N. Georgia for a craft fair could justify a long-distance anvil run.

Don

[arftist]

Forget the trenton, way too much work to be worth paying anything for it. The most important part of the plate is gone. The columbian could be good, but only for nshort money. The waist repair looks pretty good from what I can see in the pics. Looks like oxy-ace weld, done by a pro.

[pkrankow]

Another thought while you look is to fasten your existing anvil down securely. In your video you just have some spikes preventing sideways movement, you want to anchor it so you reduce bounce too. This will improve the feel, and prevent flattened feet. Run some straps over the feet and tighten them down tight. You will like it, even though moving it becomes a bit harder, so pick up a hand truck.

Phil

[FieryFurnace]

Another thought while you look is to fasten your existing anvil down securely. In your video you just have some spikes preventing sideways movement, you want to anchor it so you reduce bounce too. This will improve the feel, and prevent flattened feet. Run some straps over the feet and tighten them down tight. You will like it, even though moving it becomes a bit harder, so pick up a hand truck.

Phil

So I'm going to assume y'all dislike ebay! LOL

I really don't use ebay but I keep an eye out for something in case somebody sells something insanely cheep. I also like to well versed in the going prices so I don't get ripped off. I've only ever bough one blacksmith thing off ebay and that was just an enormously large pair of tongs!

I've been using craigslist some! I dislike using it becuase of the difficulty of searching each individual place, however, I'm converted to it now that you showed me that "search all of craigs list" link. That's great! I found a 300lb for $400 but it looked like it had some sway in the face!

Maybe I'll call around on our local radio stations and see if I can hook up with something cheep! A couple of weeks back I saw a VERY nice 150# go for $330, and a really poor 100# go for $150.

As to the above, I have an 87 lb Trenton on a 100 lb stump so getting it up in the air 4 feet to load it on the trailer would be a real challenge if the anvil were attached to the stump. I have a fifty pound cast ASO that I could use for demos, but it has no ring. The ring attracts people! So I have to use the Trenton for demos, so I have to leave it loose on the stump. That's why I want something heavier to do my main work on and just keep the Trenton for travel.

I'm in no hurry, as I don't have my shop ready yet. But I'm just browsing, pricing, and if I stumble accross something that is a good deal then bingo!

Dave

[ThomasPowers]

No you don't have to leave it loose on your stump. You just need to fasten it down such that it's easy to unfasten when you need to move it.

I've done well talking to people directly when hunting things. Folks I know are more likely to give me a good deal.

[pkrankow]

try http://www.craigslook.com

I did buy a post vise off Ebay, and shipping was 4x what the vise cost!
Then again the bid was $10
Phil

[Timothy Miller]

You want a 200 lb shop anvil how much do you want to spend on it?

[pkrankow]

No you don't have to leave it loose on your stump. You just need to fasten it down such that it's easy to unfasten when you need to move it.

I've done well talking to people directly when hunting things. Folks I know are more likely to give me a good deal.

a couple of ideas, at least 3 are bolted and can be removed with some, but not too much, effort.

If you only need to take it down to go to shows this will be no problem at all.

Don't use the adhesive but I haven't tried taking mine off yet.

Phil

[Timothy Miller]

Fine ignore my question and miss out.

[FieryFurnace]

I wasn't ignoring your question I just was in town all day and haven't seen it!
I'll suppose you are insinuating that you have a 200 pound shop anvil?
Not sure what I want to spend......really I'm just pricing. I'd like to maybe see about trading for one when I sell my blacksmith trailer. I was actually hoping to get lucky and trade the blower and vice on the trailer for a Champion 400 and trade a portion of the trailer itself for an anvil......probably be hard to find someone with both that wanted the trailer though. Just thinking out loud really!

A detachable stump system would be good! I don't know though! I'd have to pull those existing stakes out and I just put em in......and the stump is GREEN! Ok so yea I got a chainsaw and 30 acres of woods; I could cut another stump! LOL

There are some pretty decent looking deals on craigs at the following link!

300#
That one looks like it might have some sway......gona see if I can get some more pictures. Pretty decent price though! And BIG! Big's good......'cept when you are shipping! LOL

BIGGER
I'm going to see if I can't get some more info on this one as well! Price is good and I have a friend who doesn a lot of business in Ohio....maybe get him to pick it up for me!

Just some thoughts!

[ThomasPowers]

Note that "bigger" is just a chunk of steel that has been heat treated; no heel, horn or hardy hole. The other one looks like the better deal to me.

[pkrankow]

I am surprised at how reasonable the prices on the two original anvils went for. Then again they were both repaired or rough.
Phil

[FieryFurnace]

Yea they didn't go for as much as I thought, but still, when you add shipping it's pricey. And no I wasn't the winning bidder! LOL I just watched!


I called about the 300 pound anvil! It has a sway in the middle and appears to have been repaired around the hardy hole and the very end of the anvil. Also, from the picture, it looks like the horn is a little smushed.

I have emailed about the 400 pound one, but have received no reply. Thanks for the heads up on that. I was a little suspicious just because I've never heard of a Japenese anvil.

I'm talking to some folks localy as well and telling them to keep their eyes open.

I'm also going to try our local radio stations.

And as a little update; we framed up some more of our barn addition, which has to be done in order to lay the pad for my shop. Making progress which is good, and I hope to be able to start a "shop build" thread soon!

[ThomasPowers]

A japanese swordmaker's anvil is a rectangular chunk of steel. It's what they use for forging swords. Some american blademakers are now using them as they are much cheaper than a London Pattern anvil and provide great mass under the hammer.

They look a whole lot like a sawyer's anvil as used in the USA and other places to true up large (several feet in diameter) circular saw blades back when...

The point is that the London Pattern anvil is the "swiss army knife" of anvils with lots of bells and whistles but not specialized for any one thing. Most of the world uses anvils that are not london pattern ones and so you shouldn't limit yourself or break your budget getting one.

[FieryFurnace]

I may have come across something local! Little nibble on the hook! I spoke with my pastor's mother at church last night and she emailed today and said she has located a 200 pounder for $180. Trouble is the seller "may" already have a buyer. Trying to get more info there!

Man do I wish I had some extra pocket change! I came across an AWSOME deal on craigs today! 25 lb. Little giant, gas forge, three-5 gallon buckets full of misc forging tools, and an anvil of unknown weight for $2750. It would save me the trouble of building a hammer and trying to locate a welder that would do the job, might provide the anvil, VASTLY increase my tool selection, and would give me a gasser to boot. The catch is I would not be able to pour a slab or even install a hood in the barn so that I could forge indoors. Ahhhh well!
I am trying to find out more about that anvil though! It'd be nice to get the anvil and tools maybe......that is if the anvil is large enough!

I'll post the add elsewhere in case anyone is interested in it! Maybe, I don't know, like purchasing it and donating it to a worth cause! LOL

[MLMartin]

If you are using a gas forge you can use it inside without a hood, just make sure there is GOOD ventilation (air movement), tall ceilings are good. i guess you can look at it this way, if you can run a small generator inside the barn without choking yourself on exhaust, then a small gas forge should be just fine.

[Dragons lair]

If you are using a gas forge you can use it inside without a hood, just make sure there is GOOD ventilation (air movement), tall ceilings are good. i guess you can look at it this way, if you can run a small generator inside the barn without choking yourself on exhaust, then a small gas forge should be just fine.

Second that, Have run the gasser over 1/2 hr with the doors closed. Small exhaust fan at roof peak. CO meter never moved. Drove the JD in for maintance alarms went off in less than 30 sec. If ya run any thing inside get atleast
a CO meter or better yet A CO& gas meter.
Ken.

[Jayrocko]

I know this is just a little bit late on the post. :blink:  But if it still matters to the lugging your stump/anvil issue. they make handcarts that are for bigger appliances that has a strap on it to wrap around your material. On the back there is a little wheel or belt system that goes against an edge when lifting them up and down. If you have the clearance in your trailer  might be a good option once you bolt down your anvil. That or there is a ramp and a regular hand cart.

 

 

My .02

[Frozenforge]

When on the hunt for an anvil or tools its a good idea to have a cash on hand cause if its reasonably priced then it will be sold very quickly. Keep doing your research so you can recognize quality items quickly and know what your priorities are.

You can always get items to use for trading as well. I have found if you have something somebody wants you can get a better deal trading plus you make a new contact!