60-40$ Anvil

[kyotie11]

Does any one know where I could but an actual anvil and not a railroad track for 60 to 40 bucks? Also equipped with a Pritchel and hardy or Hardie (which ever way)?

[Glenn]

How much would you like this anvil to weigh?

How far are you willing to travel to get the anvil?

[Marksnagel]

Wow Kyotie,

 

You are asking a lot. Like Glenn asked, What weight are you looking for.

If you are looking to spend no more that $60 for an actual anvil then you are looking at one that weighs at the most 30 pounds. Thats at $2 a pound. 

 

Still, there are times that people stumble across a great deal from some guy that has one in his old barn. You may get lucky. 

 

As Grant Sarver (RIP) told me, tell everyone you meet that you are looking for an anvil. Your barber, your baker, everyone. You never know when one might turn up.

 

My thoughts: Leave no stone unturned when looking for an anvil. And keep the largest stone you find just in case you can't find an anvil.

 

My first anvil was a piece of RR track. My second was a RR car coupler knuckle. I now use a "real" anvil but still use my RR track and coupler knuckle from time to time for different needs.

 

Mark <><

[5starhobo (blake)]

mount a RR track to a large stump (i mean really mount it down so it won't budge) and weld a square tube on the end for a hardy hole, you can make a punch plate to slide over the hardy hole.  That works. Anvils don't come that cheap for a decent size. unless you want an ASO 

[SnailForge]

I once thought the same thing. But it turns out that usually for that price, you get a chinese anvil shaped object that is made from simple cast iron, and which will crack or dent with heavy work.

 

You could get very lucky I suppose, but around 2$ / pound seems standard for an actual anvil.

[Frosty]

I'd like a 200+mph McLaren P13 for $2,500-$3,000. Anybody know where I can get one? Ooh ooh, I'd like an A-10 Warthog on floats too.

 

If wishes were horses beggars would ride.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[matei campan]

on "leboncoin.fr" (France) I saw several great anvils in that price range, I even saw 2 anvils at around 150kg in very good condition sold for 25 euros (they were gone in hours). unfortunately France is not too close to me, and maybe further to you. so, that's not impossible. If you're lucky, you can get one for free (as I already got one), and, if very lucky,  you can find someone to pay you to get rid of his anvil :)

[Chinobi]

ill go halfsies on the Warthog with you Frosty!  every other week swap it from CA to AK? :)

[Dan C]

Until anvils from heaven fall from the sky, make a plan on how you're going to earn enough to buy a useable used anvil.  As 5starhobo suggested make a RR track anvil into something like this.  I made enough money from stuff I forged on this one to buy my current 190lb PW.

 

You'll appreciate it a lot more by earning it!

[Frosty]

ill go halfsies on the Warthog with you Frosty!  every other week swap it from CA to AK? :)

 

Okay, we'll need amphibian floats but that shouldn't be a problem, I'm sure the guys who sell the Warthog will make them for us just because we're such likable guys. What color should we have them paint it?

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Dan C]

Pink, for when pigs fly...

[Frosty]

That works, who's going to laugh at an A10? Pepto Bismol pink good? If I'm flying pink I want to be REAL PINK.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Chinobi]

no half measures when it comes to pink assault craft, they have to know you are serious.  floats are good for me too, land it in the harbor and not have to deal with the airports :)

[Dan C]

That'd work for me.  Like you said, who's going to laugh at an A10?

[Quarry Dog]

At that price point I don't think you'll find a very good anvil.  Most likely the closest thing that would resemble what you're thinking is an ASO, which would be a waste of your $60.  Instead, I would go scrounge around scrap yards until you find a massive piece of 3" or thicker steel.  It looks like 70 cents a pound is the going rate for steel around there, so I would imaging you could probably go home with a 60-90 pound piece of steel at that price, depending on your bargaining skills. 

 

The most important thing to remember is that it ain't gotta be pretty.  It just has to work.

[Timothy Miller]

He can buy an arc welder and a cutting torch but wont spend money on an anvil?  The logic defies me. 

[Quarry Dog]

If you're referring to the video I posted, that was done as an example of something that a lot of newcomers would not consider when trying to source a useable alternative to an anvil.  The big lump of steel that operates as the face was the main point of that video.  You don't really need the "horn" attached like that, you could make a couple of staples and fix it to the edge of that stump and it would work just as well.  I figured that was a pretty simple concept.  Some helpful solutions, instead of tearing down another post, might actually get the OP started on building up funds for a "proper" anvil, right?

[Frosty]

no half measures when it comes to pink assault craft, they have to know you are serious.  floats are good for me too, land it in the harbor and not have to deal with the airports :)

 

Floats are good for fishing trips too you know, that's what most of us use them for.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Timothy Miller]

If you're referring to the video I posted, that was done as an example of something that a lot of newcomers would not consider when trying to source a useable alternative to an anvil.  The big lump of steel that operates as the face was the main point of that video.  You don't really need the "horn" attached like that, you could make a couple of staples and fix it to the edge of that stump and it would work just as well.  I figured that was a pretty simple concept.  Some helpful solutions, instead of tearing down another post, might actually get the OP started on building up funds for a "proper" anvil, right?

I don't think some one who is only willing to spend $40 to $60 dollars on an anvil has a very high commitment to learning the craft.  It takes years to build up equipment and skills. 

[Frosty]

That'd work for me.  Like you said, who's going to laugh at an A10?

 

Game? We have tourist season but you can't shoot them. <sigh>

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Frosty]

You're right Jerome, we shouldn't be mocking him though I don't think he's been back. so what if his expectations are so unrealistic as to be. . . nevermind. There's little doubt he doesn't have the skills to build an anvil like the one you posted the video about or he'd do it.

 

But weren't you pretty discouraging to the guys who just go ahead and start beating hot iron on a piece of RR rail instead of investing the time and money to make an anvil like yours? And think of all the swage, cut offs, fullers and dies a little disk grinder work will put on a piece of rail not really possible on yours.

 

Regardless, you are right, we shouldn't mock folk for having unrealistic expectations. I apologize Kyotie11. Keep lookig eventually you might find a "real" anvil for a few bucks.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[ThomasPowers]

Actually you are more likely to get a good anvil for free than really really cheap as folks will sometimes give away a good anvil to someone who will use it but if they are selling it they generally want top dollar or beyond!

[Dan C]

Keeping your eyes & ears open and saving your money for a good useable anvil is want I'd recommend.  Joining a local ABANA chapter, learning & meeting the people there,  In the meantime find a suitable piece of steel that you can hammer stuff out on & sell.  Have a plan and move forward.

 

And watch out for pink A10 Warthogs, they can ruin your day.

[Nobody Special]

If I ever find one for that price......you'll be the second person I tell. (first will be "honey! you'll never believe the deal I got on this anvil!!!).

 

I recommend saving, earning, and eventually pass the word to EVERYONE that you're looking. Sucks to wait, but 20 bucks a month would still get you a 100 lb anvil in less than a year.

 

My wife makes me set limits and put a little aside every month. I can earn more for my hobbies, but it has to be honest profit.

 

So....say, if I make a knife and sell it for 100 bucks, I still have to subtract the coal. And the gas I spent picking up the scrap metal. And the belt I bought for the grinding. Darn her and her realistic goals. Don't know where she got it from.....not like I made her do the same thing with her chicken hatchery when she started it...... :D

 

Also, if we're buying amphibious, pink, A10s, why not make it a convertible? Or sit on a foldout hovercraft instead of floaties. With a T-72 on a hovercraft for a lifeboat!

[The Chukster]

There  are deals out there to be made, you just need to keep checking estate sales in your area or the ones a bit out there in the rural areas of Utah.  I got my first anvil, a Fisher 70# from 1903,  at an estate sale where the farmer had sold his land to a developer.  The estate auctioneers did not even advertise they had one, I had to call them up and ask them because I thought an old farm would have had one.  They went hunting (probably checked the dictionary first to learn just what an anvil was) and came back to me that they had an "old one stamped 1903" but could not see any manufacturer name on it.  They were going to post a picture of it on their website but luckily for me, they either forgot or never got around to it.  

 

I was one of the first one's there, found the anvil and purchased it for the $40.00 they were asking for it.   I probably could have paid less, they looked surprised when I handed over the $40.00 without any haggle.   Got the anvil home and wire brushed it and what is when I saw the Fisher name embossed in it.  

 

Advice is to sign up on those estate sale internet sites and just be patient.  Your anvil is out there, just takes time to find it at a good price.