Tom W. Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Anyone know where in central MN/Metro I can find an anvil? I am just getting started and I need some equipment! Thanks, Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Remember that the london [pattern anvil has been in use for about 200 years and a big hunk of metal anvil has been in use for about 2000 years. I'd suggest asking forklift repair or rental places about getting a damaged tine for scrap price and use that for your anvil. See http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html for one such idea. And before you diss such an anvil remember that the japanese katanas are still forged on what looks like a rectangular hunk of steel. Once you have something you can use and the pressure is off it seems that london pattern anvils will start appearing at decent prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Hey Tom, Look at this post on anvils.http://www.iforgeiro...through-anvils/ There are a lot of different things out there being used for anvils. If you are not too picky, there are a lot of options out there as Thomas stated above. Mark <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hammer Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Based upon those responses, I would think there are no anvils in Minnesota. If you are patient, I suspect you will find what YOU are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I cruised Craig's List, Ebay and the classified ads out here for about 2 months before I finally found something I liked and could afford. Ended up with a 117# Hay Budden that was in pretty decent shape, and I only had to drive an hour each way (20 minutes off the paved road) to get it. Definitely be patient and diligent in your search. I saw lots of them in/around Michigan during my hunt. The additional price of shipping out here to California is what kept me from being able to bid competitively. You shouldn't have as much of an issue with that since you're quite a bit closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marksnagel Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Please don't take my suggestions to mean that there are no anvils to be had or that you should settle for anything less than what you want. I simply mean that while you are looking for what you want/need, you should not overlook the obvious around you that can hold you over. If I held out for the perfect anvil, forge, vice, etc I would never have started. Eventually I acquired an anvil and a post vice. I made my own 55 Forge from Glenn Conners BP and what tools I didn't find, I made, and still make as I need them. Don't let the lack of "proper" equipment hold you back. The only thing that you should not cut corners on is safety. Mark <>< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Definitely agree, Mark. My forge I cobbled together from a brake drum and some miscellaneous junk. My son calls it the 'ghetto forge,' but it gets the job done. I had my eye out for railroad track, big hunks of metal, etc, anything that would do in a pinch to hammer on. The first thing that happened to come along for me was a pretty nice anvil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonericks Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 have found that MN is a pretty anvil poor area (especially for a limited budget like mine), but they are out there if you are patient. I ended up using a beat up vulcan for the last two years until I found a pretty nice 145# peter wright for only 80 bucks last fall. Makes a heck of a difference for a newbie smith like me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I have a nice Roberts which was made for sears but it would be in the 3$ a # catagory. I live 100 miles from MSP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom W. Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Thanks all for the input. So I perused Northern Tool and saw the reviews on crappy, "affordable" anvils. I had been warned. I found scrap a place in town with a couple small (50#) anvils for $200 each. Yowsers. While there, I stumbled upon a piece of a train track and I thought hell, I could use this thing. So I got the tain track chunk, a hatchet head and several files for $35. Picked up some real charcoal a 2# hammer at menards. I roughed out a knife tonight to prove I could do it, but I now need to make a decision about the forge. I COULD make do with the fire pit and a hair dryer, but there's some sweet old cast iton forges on craigslist... I think if I heat a file to 1800 degrees in my fore pit I may lose the fire pit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Private Entrance Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 The brake drum and hair dryer I'm using work pretty darn well. I can get a railroad spike to bright orange with it. Cost me $36 for the drum, hair dryer, and some pipe for the draft. Now if I can enough to time actually use it, I've got some tools and maybe a knife or two to build. Maybe the 3-day weekend will be my chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Hmm "50# anvils" sound a lot like the Harbor Freight cast iron ASO's that are not worth a dollar a pound much less 4! I once used the broken knuckle off a RR car coupler---had a flat side and a curved side weighted about 80# and was free and was a GREAT anvil compared to an ASO! Somewhere on the net there is a video about a smith in Asia forging beautiful kukri's using the head of a sledgehammer as his anvil. It is the skills more than the tooling and you get the skills by PRACTICE! So far better to start *now* with improvised tooling than to weight till you get a "perfect set up". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
781 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 If you are going to do small things a bean can propane forge will do that. Charcoal can get spendy also unless you make your own out of scrap wood which I do. The guild of metalsmiths has coal in Anoka, Minn. it sells to members. It is at the school of horshoing where they teach beginers class Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom W. Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 I may join the guild. I blew through some charcoal tonight. So I bought a forge off craigslist tonight and I am pleased with it. I got a couple spikes red and a couple files bright orange. It's an antique cast iron forge with a hand pump. I got it with a hammper and some tongs for $200. There's my big expense (christmas cash) I can easily hook up a hair blower to it down the road. The railroad track will do for a while as a vice. I can't wait to do more on Sunday. Knives and tongs! I'll post a vid when I get everything together... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten Hammers Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 You have a very strong influence in Minnesota smithing. I'd suggest you meet the folks. There are many that can help and instruct you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom W. Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Just found out my neighbor across the alley has a 100# anvil in his garage and he'll give me a deal. Fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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