Designs for an anvil stand

[JoeK]

Hello everyone.

I’m not new to blacksmithing but I’m pretty far from an expert and I’ve been using a rail road track anvil for about a year now. I recently won a brand new 120 pound JHM anvil from a contest and I really want to make a proper stand for it. I drew some quick designs on my computer.

*FIXED* Not drawn to scale.


The proper height of my anvil's face should be about 30 inches off the ground (my knuckle to floor measurement), the top will be an open box filled partially with sand, standing on four connected legs. I’ve chosen a sand base to act as not only a force/sound dampener, but also to make the anvil's height adjustable simply by adding or subtracting sand. My neighbor has a much better welder than I do so he offered to help me make it. I chose to go simple and then later I can add to it, like a little tool rack or a shelf on the underside. I’m hoping for a critique or advice on my design so what do you think? Thank you for your time and for reading. Best wishes.

This is my beauty. I want her to sit pretty.

[JoeK]

I just realized that my math is way off, I got a little confused there. But that is still the basic design. Let me fix it

*FIXED*

[VaughnT]

Looks like a workable design.  The only thing I'd change is to make it a three-leg stand so it sits level on the ground.  Four legs will give you a bit of wobble no matter what you try.

[Chuck in Ms]

Nice anvil Joe,
Here is two cents worth. Use 15 degrees for the angle on those legs instead of that long angle drawn (i know its not to scale). Even at 15 the legs will get in the way of your feet sometimes but anything less will cause problems if you ever try twisting with a fork in the hardy hole.
You want a tool rack so go ahead and make it when you build the stand. You could make it removable with either bolts or better yet hook on. This will keep it portable, and if the rack doesn't work it is easy to pull and modify or just set aside. If you don't do it now it will always be on that list of things waiting on you to get a Round Tuit.
The shelf....It will give you a place to pile stuff right? It will also hit your shin more than you might think, it will be smaller than you might think (especially at 15 degrees) and that stuff will fall off/out at exactly the wrong time more than you might think.
I offer these thoughts as help because I built my demo stand similar to the one you have drawn and use it very often. Wish I had put that tool rack and blacksmith helper on it back then.
Chuck

[ThomasPowers]

Note that knuckles to floor is NOT the correct height for most people nowadays. It was used back when a lot of sledging and top tools were used in the normal daily work. Most folks today like their anvil higher so they are not bending over it doing finer work. For knifemaking I like mine about 4" higher than the "proper" way.

Since everybody's body is built differently you can figure out what is right for *you* by starting at the old height and then raising it by bits until you find you are not hunched over it and your back doesn't hurt after a full day of smithing.

[JoeK]

Thanks very much Vaughn and Chuck, I will be taking all this to heart when I start to make my stand. :)

 

Note that knuckles to floor is NOT the correct height for most people nowadays.....................For knifemaking I like mine about 4" higher than the "proper" way.

Since everybody's body is built differently you can figure out what is right for *you* by starting at the old height and then raising it by bits until you find you are not hunched over it and your back doesn't hurt after a full day of smithing.

Really? Ive always been told the knuckle to floor measurement is still the gold standard. Since my end goal is to make knives I will be trying the extra 4 inches too, thank you very much. As I said one of the perks I wanted with my stand is to use the sand to make the height easily adjustable so I dont have to set anything in stone. Thank you everyone again. :)

[pkrankow]

One nice thing about a bit taller is you can build a low platform and step up effectively lowering the anvil by raising the smith.  Step down for fine work and raise the anvil by lowering the smith. 

 

Of course the platform needs to be big enough that it is not a hazard

 

Phil

[David Gaddis]

Since I have had an aneurysm recently my anvil was raised similar to the way Thomas suggested. It is indeed much more comfortable for the intricate work, as I cannot wail away with a heavy hammer for the next several months.

 

I personally think that most all anvil stands should be near 9  degrees, triangled, and very heavy. But mainly the feet should be quite generous in pad widths WITH mounted bolt holes into the concrete. Even bolts can be inserted into the holes for a bit of success and yet be removable for unforseen changes. If I really wanted the best the floor pads would be secured to the floor tightly. It makes all the differrence.

 

 

carry on

[WayneCoeArtistBlacksmith]

As to hight the new norm is "wrist high".  As was said earlier  "knuckle high" was the old traditional and was better for the striker.

You want to be standing up straight when working and avoid back pain from bending over.  You will also avoid the rebounding hammer hitting you between the eyes when you make a miss blow.

[ThomasPowers]

Especially in knifemaking a lot of old spurious information is still out there---like edge packing, a pretty good thing in the 1700's but now totally outmoded by better alloying of steel allowing normalization for grain refinement. However you still see it touted a lot! The idea that everyone has the same body form and so a *single* optimum exists I find very strange; of course I have an uncle with an extremely long torso and very short legs and so have seen the issues he's had just trying to buy clothing that fits.