BlacksmithSurvivalist Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 Hello everyone! This is my first post on these forums and I'm looking to for some advice on buying a particular anvil I'll be looking at this weekend. Its a 180lb Peter Wright selling for $450 ($2.5/lb) The seller has told me its has a wrought iron body with a tool steel face forge welded on top. He is also allowing me to do a couple test on it to make sure its okay. I plan on tapping it lightly to see if it rings clear and true and also to do a ball bearing rebound test. Does anyone have any other advice on what to ask or to test on the anvil? I've attached 3 pictures from the sellers ad. Thank you very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 It looks great.If it checks out ok GRAB it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Greetings Newbie, It would be a good thing to complete your profile so others can see more about you... One good thing I would do is to take a straight edge with you when you go to purchase your anvil.. It looks to me like the old girl has a bit of sway back... I think it is the typical wear marks of a farriers anvil ... Lots of horse shoes formed on this one ... It has been sanded and cleaned up to look good... Look for soft spots on the face... The pictures are not clear of the edges so I would look for weld marks... Good Luck All in all not bad... Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postleg Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 looks like a good anvil, price not too bad. Do your hammer and ball bearing test if it checks out, offer $400 cash go the extra 50 if you have to. then take it home and use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlacksmithSurvivalist Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Thank you for the quick replies and advice everyone! I'll definitely complete my profile asap Jim! :) I will bring a straight edge with me however how do I check for soft spots? What should I look for exaclty? Also as for weld marks do you mean Arc/mig weld marks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Yes, welding repairs are seldom done well, making a repaired anvil far less valuable or desirable. You can live with the sway, it doesn't really hurt most operations and helps some. Too bad it was sanded down though, likely lost a lot of good lifespan. Check for soft spots by repeating your bounce test all over the face. A soft spot will not rebound as high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Good anvils. Mine is a 200lber and although alot of the face is relatively soft compared to my HB and sodafers and it has a sway back and pot marks and very rounded edges it still does a good job. I dont use it much right now but it will allow you to pound out some metal. Mine has probably about 70-80% rebound depending on where I hit it, not super great but good enough. As long as it doesnt look welded (which should show up as slightly different coloring) and you dont get any flat sounding spots as compared to the rest it should be a good anvil, Note on that mine personally is pretty flat sounding, Ive heard these can ring pretty good but mine doesnt ring overly loud. Just so ya know not all of these will ring like bells. Look for consistency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlacksmithSurvivalist Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 I really appreciate all the advice I've been getting! arftist, if I do happen to find that it has been welded then should I avoid the anvil all together or offer a much lower price then asked? I think I'm prepared to go see this anvil this weekend and if I do buy it I will post some pics for everyone to see :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I really appreciate all the advice I've been getting! arftist, if I do happen to find that it has been welded then should I avoid the anvil all together or offer a much lower price then asked? I think I'm prepared to go see this anvil this weekend and if I do buy it I will post some pics for everyone to see :) Since you asked, I wouldn't buy it, because it is so unlikely it was done correctly and even if it was, it will be inferior to one which wasn't welded. However, you can work iron on any lump of metal; it is a decent size and fairly decent brand, so if it has been welded, and you can get it for significantly less money it will serve you. I am nervous about the belt sanding though so I would inspect the edges very closely. Also, bring a handful of dry sand and for your last test sprinkle the sand across the face and give her a good thump. If the sand flies high from any given spot, the face weld is parted there and your money will be better spent elsewhere. Don't let small chips in missing from the edges scare you off though; the Peter Wright top plates are very hard and tend to chip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlacksmithSurvivalist Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Okay thank you arftist! I'm sorry for all the questions but really appreciate all of your help everyone! Are nervous about the belt sanding because it may have had a lot of sway back or depressions in the face and the seller is trying to hide them by sanding? Which as was said in an earlier post that it has decreased the life of the anvil? As for the sand, what do you consider a normal height compared to sand that flies high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Belt sanding generally doesn't do much more than shine it up and do very little surface clean up. Generally not a problem. Belt grinding could but it would be unusual to have it done. As for how high sand bounces---noticeably more than areas around it. (There is a problem with harmonic nodes in peaks though) However a delaminated area will strongly reduce the ring of the anvil as a whole and sometimes you can even hear a buzz as the plate vibrates against the body. Easier than a sand test---unless the anvil is heavily fastened down that will also kill the ring and then the other test helps. As mentioned welding is an issue if it WASN'T done right. And you generally can't tell by looking, it is in use that the issues will appear. So if you see evidence of face welding you are taking a risk and risk == lower price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlacksmithSurvivalist Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 Thanks for clarfying Thomas! I'll be leaving tomorrow for a weekend trip and on the way back Sunday is when I'll be looking at the anvil. Wish me luck everyone! Thanks again for all the advice!! I feel much more prepared now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Okay thank you arftist! I'm sorry for all the questions but really appreciate all of your help everyone! Are nervous about the belt sanding because it may have had a lot of sway back or depressions in the face and the seller is trying to hide them by sanding? Which as was said in an earlier post that it has decreased the life of the anvil? As for the sand, what do you consider a normal height compared to sand that flies high?I just don't like removing any of the top plate on purpose. It doesnt make it a better anvil. That much sway makes straightening easy so thats not a bad thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlacksmithSurvivalist Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Hey guys! So I ended buying the anvil for $450 but I feel great about it and can't wait to start forging! Unfortunately I got sick over the weekend and the anvil is still in my trunk :( From what I tested it is in wonderful shape, the sway back was very minimal as was the metal removed from the top plate. It has no welding work that I could tell and rings beautifully. For the rebound test I drop a 1/2" ball bearing from 10" and it bounced from 8-9" consistently! Pics will be posted when its out of the car and I'm back on my feet again! Happy Forging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 so; where's this car parked? :ph34r: :ph34r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quint Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 Lol good deal then. Enjoy and be sure to post pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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