Is this anvil good enough for a beginner?

[Ariscot]

I've been in the market for my first anvil now for a month or so but I haven't found anything yet. I found an 100lb anvil from out of state that will cost $100 to be shipped to my door and I I can buy the anvil for $150.

From what I know, it looks to be an english style anvil, but I don't see any maker marks. Also it doesn't look to be an ASO, but I might be wrong. There is some face damage so that's why I think it's cheaper than others I have seen.

My question is, is there something obvious I am missing, and is it a good deal/good first anvil to work with?




Edit: I just noticed the pictures are very tiny, I'm trying to fix it now.

[fluidsteel]

Well.... It appears to be a Vulcan. They are real anvils but on the low end.

That'd be $2.50 a pound shipped. Kinda high if you ask me.

When I am searching for anvils on CL I check 5-6 times a day. I've seen good deal anvils posted and removed in less than an hour. If you didn't look often, or download the search app that automatically notifies you, you'd never know there were anvils to be had in my area.
I've found enough good deals that I have run out of money now!!!

I'd say pass on the 100# Vulcan unless you have been looking a long time with no luck.

[Everything Mac]

In picture 6, the left hand edge looks pretty xxxx screwed if you ask me. And the right hand edge isn't all that great either. It looks as though the hard plate hasn't been welded to the body all that well.

I'd say pass personally. As fluidsteel said, it's quite a high price and I reckon you could get something in better condition.

It would get you bashing metal I'm sure but, you would be better off finding a local scrap merchant and getting yourself some rail road track.

All the best

[quint]

Where are you located at, I didnt see it in your profile.

[Ariscot]

Sorry I haven't set my profile up yet, I'm in Houston.

Thanks for the info and I'm glad I waited. I check CL a few times a day, but everything that comes up is in terrible shape or $3+ an lb. I guess I just have to be patient.

[pkrankow]

anvil
http://www.speedymetals.com/pc-1168-8321-3-4140-hot-rolled-as-rolled-plate.aspx
don't let anyone say a solid plate isn't an anvil! (I have no clue on shipping)




How about you search for used forklift tines, or call up a service place to get a scrap tine. A 30# anvil that is very well supported and fastened will outperform a 100# anvil sitting loose on a stump.

Making a hardy through plate isn't hard. If you have help you can drift it hot, if not you can cut it with cold chisels.

Phil

[ThomasPowers]

Now repeat after me: THE INTERNET IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO FIND A GOOD ANVIL CHEAP!
THE INTERNET IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO FIND A GOOD ANVIL CHEAP!
THE INTERNET IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO FIND A GOOD ANVIL CHEAP!
THE INTERNET IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO FIND A GOOD ANVIL CHEAP!
THE INTERNET IS A TERRIBLE PLACE TO FIND A GOOD ANVIL CHEAP!

So saying you are trying to use it to find a cheap good anvil is rather self defeating right?

For one thing people who are actively trying to sell anvils on it are generally trying to *MAKE* *money*! Being at least somewhat internet savvy they can find out that anvils are going high and decide that theirs should go high too even if it's a beat to pieces ASO

Secondly shipping is a pain and a bother and an EXPENSE. You want to be hunting anvils local to yourself.

And they are out there *everywhere*! Remember that every old car repair place, Farm implement repair, Farm, Ranch, Boat repair, Old Factory, old Plumbing business and even *hospitals* had anvils. I have a great uncle by marriage who told me about using the smithy at a Sugar refinery in Kansas City. I met a WWII orthopedic smith who worked in a smithy in an old hospital in Columbus OH. The plate glass factory in Ft Smith AR had a full smithy including powerhammers that were sold off cheap when it closed. My big post vise came from a Car repair shop that had been in the same location for 80 years. My HB came from an HVAC company that moved to their "new building" in the 1930's.

I found more good cheap anvils when I lived in Downtown Columbus OH than ever I did when I lived in OK, AR, NM.

So get off the keyboard and start talking to folks! When I needed an anvil for a friend's Fine Arts Metal's class I asked around at church and had one that same day. When I go to the fleamarket and see "barn junk" I always ask if they left an anvil back at the barn as too heavy to bring. I once found a small hardy in a box of plumbing parts, bought it and then asked the dealer where the anvil it went to was---back home in the carport---mint Vulcan so I bought it too.

Ask *EVERYONE* my main shop anvil, a 515# Fisher in MINT condition, came from a fellow at a fleamarket selling greasy car parts I wouldn't have picked out of a dumpster FREE; however he Howdy'd me so I stopped and gave him my spiel about being a smith looking for an anvil---he didn't have one but his Uncle had a big one he wanted to sell---later than day I loaded that Fisher into my pickup for US$350 (had to use an engine hoist)

Finally when you are finding anvils that are not on the market they will often ask you to suggest a price. I always start a US$1 a pound---you can go up; you can't go down and have the money to hand, a good deal can have a half life of *minutes*!

And before everybody thinks I was Mr Moneybags---I bought all these anvils solely with my allowance of $20 a week + what I had from making and selling forged items. (It helped that I could borrow against my future allowance from the household funds I will admit. Sticking to a budget meant that even though only 1 of us was working we always had household funds socked away!)

[Ariscot]

Thomas thank you very much for the advice. I think I was just getting to impatient. I have talked to some people and found one lead, but they weren't interested in selling me one.


Phil - I'll look into the plate, that's a very good idea.

[MOblacksmith0530]

I made and older style Brazeal anvil with the flat radius and butcher about 10 years ago out of forklift fork and it has worked well. I don't use it as much now but drag it out whenever there is a need for more anvils in the shop (usually a hammer in). In my opinion mass is more important than many other factors and steel is MUCH better than cast iron. Find a big chunk of something put it on a stand and use it. The money you can make if you are creative will buy you the really nice new or not notch used you are dreaming of and it will help you decide what you need and what you don't. I have a check anvil in my shop that our group did a group buy on in the early 2000's and it was my main shop anvil for many years until I was able to get the Ozark pattern of my dreams. A blacksmith MUST be creative and if you get anything you will find a way to use it and thus smarten (hillbilly for educate) yourself in the process. If you were closer I would let you dig through my scrap pile to find something you could use. Hit up some scrap yards in your area they get big hunks of mystery steel in from time to time that you could make work.
Get to hammering and the rest will come if you stick with it.

[Thomas Dean]

Howdy from East TEXAS!! and welcome to IFI! I'm assuming that is Houston, TEXAS and not Houston, MO. With that thought, check into HABA!! That is the Houston area ABANA group and they are very active and super friendly! that web site is www.habairon.com they have their next meeting times/location posted and GO!! You will meet like minded folks and all willing to help. Usually at meeting there will be some tailgating where you can possibly pick up a decent anvil or what ever.

Listen to Thomas Powers on the "Ways of growing your anvil collection"! I have used this method with with success as others have.

Also, for what it's worth, I doubt that this is a Vulcan as there is no Vulcan emblem on the side, no weight markings on the center of the front feet, and this has an indention in the middle of the back feet that Vulcan does not have. The Badger anvil has this and from what I can tell from "Anvils in America" this one has the 'look' of a Badger....JMO tho.... Now go check that HABA site!