I bought another anvil today, one I can use! Thoughts?

[fordmustangbrad]

As some of you may have seen, I got a colonial anvil 135# and wanted to use it for making small iron tools and art on the hobby level.  When I was told that my anvil was colonial that changed my thinking.  I would hate to destroy such an irreplaceable relic. 

 

I had a fellow approach me about selling his ACME Trenton 80# last night and was asking $250.  I told him right away that I could not give that much, and offered him $100 which he later accepted.  I think it is from 1920 ish but have no idea, if you can help, please do!  It has some numbers below the horn(pictured).  80# is heavy enough to do some hobby work right?  What is the largest iron I can work with it?

 

I also got some neat large hammers, iron pestle(not pictured), nice free standing tool box(not pictured), few hand tools, an old manual jack(not pictured), an old Wilton vice, and some hand made wooden jig that I also need to get identified.  It has someones initials RDP and the number 67 in several locations.

 

Thanks for looking, now my next post will be things I have made!

[David Einhorn]

Looks like you did very well.  The photos on the right are a wood marking guage: http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/homemade-tools/simple-but-effective-marking-gauge/

[VaughnT]

Nice buy!  Using your colonial anvil wouldn't be a problem as long as you don't abuse it.  Still, nice that you put it aside for posterity's sake.

 

The wood scribe is a very handy tool to have.  Unless the tooth is very hard, you won't be able to mark steel with it, but it's still a very good bit of kit for the shop.

[fordmustangbrad]

Thanks guys!  I had no idea what that thing was. 

[56FordGuy]

Surely you don't mean you paid $100 for all of that. That would be a deal of a lifetime!

[George Geist]

Surely you don't mean you paid $100 for all of that. That would be a deal of a lifetime!

Even the original asking price of $250 was a deal.

Good score ;)

George

[nankbrown1227]

Beautiful anvil, that's a lot of tooling for a 100 bill, the big question I have is...... Wanna sale the colonial? Haha

[fordmustangbrad]

I paid 100 for the anvil and I paid 30 for the vise, 10 for all the hammers, and the other stuff was like 2 or 3 dollars each.  I ended up spending $180 total.  I am glad to have this anvil, it has a very nice ring to it, like my colonial but higher pitch.  Now I need to find a good forge, or learn how to make one.  Until then I will practice with copper.

 

@Nankbrown, I am pretty attached to my colonial anvil.  I decided against using it for metal work.  I think that it would be a shame if I broke a 200 year old anvil that is in that good of condition.  I hope you can find one near where you live!

[ThomasPowers]

Take a piece of soapstone or chalk and go to your anvil and draw a vertical line on the sides where the waist starts. Extend up and then connect the front two and the back two across the anvil face. Within those two lines is the sweet spot where you can do your heaviest work without damaging the anvil.  Though frankly for a 80# anvil I would not work much above 1/2: sq stock as it's jut inefficient

[fordmustangbrad]

Thanks Thomas!

[BCROB]

I love the pics of the anvils in home , just like part of the family !! , well done and a great find , congrats !!

[fordmustangbrad]

I wanted to show my first attempt at blacksmithing.  I realllllly enjoyed making this knife.  I tempered it in water because it is so thick, I didn't think oil was necessary. (If I am wrong please let me know).  This was done on my 80# ACME and my homemade foundry from when I was trying to do some sand casting(failure).  Thanks for looking!

[fordmustangbrad]

Does anyone know how to get a date from the serial number? ACME TRENTON Z 85 A 42648

[Jakesshop]

I show a date of 1904 for your Trenton  according to Postman's book.

[fordmustangbrad]

Thanks Jake!  Good to know!