Hoary Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 I got this piece from my inlaws in IN. It feels sturdy enough, it's about 3' long though and approx 2 1/2" - 3" wide. I was thinking maybe cutting and shaping the top and sides to create a horn maybe then cutting the rest in parts and welding them together to create a base to anchor down on a wooden stump.. maybe it will work but here's some pictures to show you what I got. Let me know your thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Not a good anvil: look at exactly how much metal mass is underneath a hammer blow---about 1/4" (the thickness); even a good chunk of leaf spring or a sledge hammer head would have more than that. Structural iron tends to be "light" and noisy---even when it's 100+ pounds of large I beam. I would suggest saving that for a cutting saddle and for making various bending jigs from and look for some *thick* stuff to use as an anvil. The local recycling place here has some 2"x4" steel solid that would make a dandy anvil expecially if stood up on end so that all the mass would be under the hammer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler Murch Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 That certainly isn't fit for a blacksmith anvil. I haven't had any trouble finding a suitably heavy block of steel at the scrapyard. Don't forget that a 100# block of steel is equivalent to a much larger standard anvil. A large percentage of the weight in a standard anvil is in the extremeties, horn, tail, feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 9, 2007 Share Posted May 9, 2007 AppMan, about 1 mile SSE of here---where are YOU? I've found scrapyards all over the states where I used to live; smaller places usually better than the big towns and cities. Note in real small places the scrapyard/recycling center/auto junkyard may be the same place but not listed seperately in the phone book... Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseff Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Not a good anvil, I agree. If I absolutely had to use it, I'd place it over a substantial block of wood or something. Better to find a hefty chunk of train rail or something. Joseff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphy Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 maybe not the best choice, but if you could possibly get some 1" plate, and an old engine block , it might buy you some time till you get an anvil. stand the block on it's end and attach the plate to the top. use your imagination, good luck;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphy Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 i think anvilfire has plans for make you own anvil. thats where i got the idea for my first anvil. of course that does require cutting & welding, if that is not at your disposal go on line to harboefreight.com thay have a small anvil, 50lb. for around $100, hey it's a start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evfreek Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 This does not look like a good anvil. But it does look like a good backbone for a belt grinder. A lot of homebuilders use a big piece of channel. That's what I'd use if for. Second choice might be some kind of vertical tool holder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primtechsmith Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hoary. Down on this end of Virginia I know of a few places our members go and get heavy drops that they commonly use for upset blocks, and anvils...Also there usually is one or two guys at out meetings with stuff for sale...even an anvil here and there. If you would like PM me(or go to the "Tailgating" page on Blacksmith Guild of Viriginia - Home) and I will send you the name and number of a guy who may have a few old anvils for sale here in Virginia. Peyton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Of course that $100 dollar cast iron HF ASO is only several times worse than a $25 chunk of steel at a scrap yard...(really!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmercier Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 When i get home, i'll post a pic here of a 'scrapyard anvil' which is just as good, if not better, than most other anvils of its size. (This is only 75lbs, but it works great, a hunk of 4140 with a pair of feet welded on and the face hardened) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferrous Beuler Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 Hoary, Not the best choice, but yes it will work and Thomas is right that this piece of channel will chime like the bells of St. Mary's (earplugs for sure). Men have been working hot iron for a long long time and I'm willing to guess that at the start of the iron age haybuddens and vulcans were even harder to find than they are now. So what did those guys do? Well they looked around and used whatever they could find. You found this hunk of channel and it will do for now. Go to your local machine shop ( any sizeable town has one ) and tell them you need a hefty drop. They should have an assortment to choose from. Also, end drops from round stock are sometimes concave, bowlshaped, and make a nice swage for all sorts of stuff, experiment. Whatever works, works. Good luck. Dan:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Zietman Posted May 10, 2007 Share Posted May 10, 2007 A sledgehammer in concrete actually works great, though now that I have a fisher, I don't use mine much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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