So, I'm a new blacksmith, taking all the classes that I can at my local community college and fine myself wanted to work on more things at home.

 

While my teacher is trying to help me find a proper anvil from various places that he knows of, but I want to try to get my start sooner rather than later. So I'm on a quest to find a decent stand-in until I can get a 'real' anvil.

 

I know about using a bit of railroad track, but I'd like some more area to work with as opposed to the end of the track standing on one end.

 

I've also seen one person who managed to procure a very large/heavy gear-like thing, I've seen forklift tines used, and I've seen sledgehammer heads as well.

 

I don't live in a rural area by any means, Austin TX, so I'm on the hunt through craigslist, ebay, and everywhere else that I can think of.

 

Does anyone have any tips to find a proper anvil or can point me in the right direction for something that I can use in place of one?

 

thanks.

Do a site search for TPAAAT. Follow the directions.

 

How large a diameter is your hammer? 

Only the metal under the face of the hammer will move during impact. So any piece of metal larger than your hammer face will do as an anvil.

 

You mentioned railroad track standing on one end, a very large/heavy gear-like thing, forklift tines, and sledgehammer heads as anvils.  Quit looking and see. These are the starting anvils to use while you look for an anvil.  I have a piece of rr track between the forge and my anvil. You MUST pass over it to get to the real anvil. It gets used a lot.

 

I made one inquiry and found a 60# good condition for $75 in Austin and  a Blacksmith Anvil no weight given - $300 (Devine). 

 

Read the anvil section front to back and take notes. The answers to most of your questions are there waiting for you.

on rail you dont have to use just the end, you can use the top, sides and bottom too

A 110# anvil just hit your local radar for $135.  The ad doesn't include the name brand.

As Miles would say "Timing is everything"!   I just got back from a work week long trip to Austin and we could have met some evening.

 

A section of large shafting will also make a good anvil.  Remember for over 2000 years an anvil has resembled a large chunk of wrought iron/steel and for a bit over 200 years it's looked like a London Pattern anvil.  Japanese swords, viking swords, the gates of Tijou, etc were all forged on things that would not be considered a "real" anvil---but that didn't prevent them from doing world class work!

 

As for not being in a rural area THAT"S GREAT because there were certainly a lot more anvils in cities than in rural areas! Worth repeating: there were certainly a lot more anvils in cities than in rural areas! Factories almost always had a complete set up or 4 in their maintenance departments  (pretty much any factory---I know that a sugar refinery did, a glass plant, etc; also car repair back in the early days, even hospitals often had a smith on tap for orthopedic work---I talked to a smith who did such work in a Columbus OH hospital during WWII.)  Now the city anvils are perhaps hidden away a bit deeper; but if you are not willing to work; perhaps smithing is not for you...

Do a site search for TPAAAT. Follow the directions.

 

How large a diameter is your hammer? 

 

[...]

 

I made one inquiry and found a 60# good condition for $75 in Austin and  a Blacksmith Anvil no weight given - $300 (Devine). 

 

Read the anvil section front to back and take notes. The answers to most of your questions are there waiting for you.

 

I saw both of those ads on craigslist, the $75 one has had several emails from me with no response, and the $300 has gotten a couple as well, but no response either. And I have an app that send me notices every time anyone posts anything in Texas or in surrounding states.

 

I'll take a look at the TPAAAT method and take notes.

 

My hammer is one that we made in class, i think it has a 1.5" rounded-square head, so much better than the one that I bought at lowes.

A 110# anvil just hit your local radar for $135.  The ad doesn't include the name brand.

 

I just got the notification, thanks for the heads up though.

 

I sent him an email and am keeping my fingers crossed.

Don't disregard the use if something other than a London pattern Tommas made a really nice double horned bick from a rail road spike sledge, and their are more smiths using something other than a London patern in the world than are. As Glenn pointed out, often your old make shift anvils will still see daily use.

I emailed the 60# last week and the guy said it was sold.  Why he doesn't remove the ad I don't know.  To 2nd or 3rd what Glenn said, I have a 200# PW but still often use my RR track anvil that sees like regular use.

I never meant to infer that I was only looking for a London pattern or that anything other was inferior/not really an anvil.

 

Really, the only thing that I am looking for is mass behind my hammer blow, a hardy-like hole, and something that can function as a horn. I don't have access to somwhere that I could harden a softer steel.

 

Sorry if I cam across as arrogant or unwilling to work to find something to use, I only posted this thread because I've been looking and saving for a couple of months and was looking for some advice.

dont worry about it, here we see the same questions most days and some of the old curmudgeons get a bit cranky, they are not so bad when you get to know them.

 

if you have welding gear and access to a scrapyard you can make yourself a nice post anvil from a piece of rail on end with a base on it, a short piece welded at the top so the end of the short piece buts up to the flat bottom of the upright with the rounded top level with the top of the upright, now you have the top rail end for heavy hammering, the short horizontal for a gentle curve and radiused edges.

on the opposite side of the upright weld on a tooth from the bucket of an excavator for your horn, then add 2 pieces of flat to the inside bottom of the top of the upright to make a hardy hole

I made this using an Hydraulic breaker chisel as a starting point

 

 

 

similar idea from other member

 

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This was my starter anvil, still sees plenty of use.

 

caotropheus; I like yours has a lot of character!  (The other one needs a wreath of marigolds around it...)

caotropheus that looks great

That is pretty awesome.

There is a 390 lb double horn on the Austin Craigslist for $800.  It has a little swayback but looks to be in good shape.

 

I'm in New Braunfels and have a 133 lb Peter Wright in very good shape that I would let go for $450.  PM me if interested and I'll email you some pics.

Being in a hurry, my advice probably won't apply much to you, but I got my last anvil from the classified ads in the weekly newspaper.

The ad read "large anvil in good condition".  I called and asked about it - Its pointy on one end and has a hole in it.

He did not know what he had.  I picked up a 165# Peter Wright in good shape (1 chip on edge) for $200.

That is cheap here in Massachusetts - and no shipping - this anvil was 2 miles from my house.

 

Old people have old stuff and are not always internet savvy.  As far as I know I was the only one to respond.

 

My advice is to get something to get you by, then wait for a good deal.

 

Good luck,

Bill

To get back to your original topic.

Locate your local scrapyard,and inquire if they sell scrap, or will allow you to scrounge around some.

Check with any structural steel fabricators, or steel suppliers, to see if they have any large heavy sectioned scrap, or drops.

Check with earth moving equipment, forklift, farm equipment, etc. repair shops for scrap.

Hydraulic shops may have a large diameter scrap ram.

City and county maintenance shops.

Large industrial companies like refineries, concrete/cement , power stations, etc. Will have maintenance facilities, if you can talk with the right person you might score what you are looking for.