ThomasPowers Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 got any places locally that work on tractors/catapillers/cranes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 McMaster Carr is one place you can order them from. Just one of many pages of "balls" they carry. http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-bearing-balls/=rcjgqh Other industrial suppliers like Grangers, MSC, Fastenal and so on probably carry them. I have a Graingers and Fastenal store local to me. I used to have an MSC right next to Graingers, but they closed that location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 OH! There's a Fastenal about 3 blocks from my house. Excellent! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Note that new ball bearings come in different quality levels---you can use the cheapest hardened bearing (avoid the unhardened balls sold by ornamental iron supply places) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Fastenal shows balls of various sizes listed online. The store may have to order what you want in possibly. https://www.fastenal.com/web/products/_/Navigation?term=ball&termca=&termpx=&sortby=webrank&sortdir=descending&searchmode=productSearch&zipcode=&filterByStore=&filterByVendingMachine=&r=~|categoryl1:%22600930%20Raw%20Materials%22|~%20~|categoryl2:%22611735%20Ball%20Stock%22|~%20~|categoryl3:%22600931%20Balls%22|~%20~|attrdiameter:1250|~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles R. Stevens Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Once was a day when every boy had at least one "steely" in his marble bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 My local paper offers free "farm related" ads, so I'm taking one out asking if anyone has an anvil in their barn. Hey, it's free... maybe I'll get a dozen! :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Once was a day when every boy had at least one "steely" in his marble bag. Man, I thought I was the only one old enough to even remember what a marble bag was! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Mam; I have 6.3 grandkids and I even know where all my grandpa's marbles are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thomas just so long as you haven't lost all your marbles.... :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 My grandfather was a real marble shark in his day and ended up with a large number of them. My Aunt has preserved them by getting clear containers to hold them and made lamps from them. My marbles are long gone----I took up smithing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01tundra Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Not sure how far you're willing to drive, but there is a guy that always has several anvils for sell on Craigslist out of Ashville, NC. May be worth the road trip, make a weekend of it and check out the scenery, it's a nice area to visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 of ball bearings I have hundreds, up to 4" diameter. my local scrapyard has them all over the place, seen several 1" and some 1.5" today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 If you can't find a hardened bearing, try using a small ball pein/peen/pien hammer. Hold the hammer loosely and tap the anvil surface in various locations. If the hammer seems to jump back at you, you got rebound and the face has some degree of hardness. The more the hammer wants to jump back at you the harder the face is. If the hammer kind of thuds on the anvil, the it may be time to try another anvil. Good luck in your search. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccustomknives Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Seems like the last time I was up in muscles shoels I ran accros one, but that was a while back. I've got a rather large section of RR track, it's accually one of the largest rails I've ever seen. About 8' tall and 3" across and about 2ft long. Weighs in at about 70 as it is. I'm planning on adding a little mass to the sides and making a horn. It ought to make a good starter. Good luck on your hunt, those anvils will turn up in some strange places. It only took me 4 1/2 years to find my fisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I'd be hard-pressed to turn down a 100lb Vulcan for $100, unless the face was chewed up something fierce. I really like the quiet of a cast-iron body. That said, I'd keep my eyes open for a post anvil while you're looking for a london-pattern anvil. A good post anvil might come along sooner than a london-pattern, and they are really handy for general smithing as well as specialty work. Considering the steel history of Alabama, finding a large chunk of iron to turn into a post anvil shouldn't be too hard...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Everything Mac Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 I'd snap up the $100 Vulcan too. Especially given the prices you guys pay! That will serve you more than adequately until you save enough for something bigger/nicer/ better. With the money you saved you could easily equip your entire shop..... In theory. All the best Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Buy the Vulcan as long as it is in decent shape. I have one that is #150 that I use as a loaner. As to farrier anvils, I have a 125# JHM Journeyman , and I have no hesitation in recommending it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Definitely snag the vulcan, then you can take your time and wait for the "right" anvil at the right price. Wrights are over rated (IMHO) and over priced, Mouse holes are ancient and have small horns but large amount of mass under plate. Buy the Vulcan, save up and look for a Fisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Seems like the last time I was up in muscles shoels I ran accros one, but that was a while back. I've got a rather large section of RR track, it's accually one of the largest rails I've ever seen. About 8' tall and 3" across and about 2ft long. Weighs in at about 70 as it is. I'm planning on adding a little mass to the sides and making a horn. It ought to make a good starter. Good luck on your hunt, those anvils will turn up in some strange places. It only took me 4 1/2 years to find my fisher. :( 4 1/2 years?! aaaagghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 When the guy gets back from vacay I'm gonna ride up his way and check out all three. He's up in Tennessee (God's country, went to school up there). Yup, the wisdom of buying the Vulcan seems sound, I've seen the photos and it doesn't really look any more beat upon than the other two. At least it'd let me start playing! There's always rainy Saturdays to go anvil hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Shoot *I'd* pick up a decent Vulcan at US$1/#----I'd sell it to someone new needing an anvil; but I wouldn't pass it by. I've done that to several Vulcans over the years; usually for what I paid + the cost of the gas to pick it up. Note that having an anvil seems to lure in others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpankySmith Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Oh, mystical powers of attraction of some sort? Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Reschedule rain and winter for a wednesday..so they do not mess with a weekend....jus sayin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyanchor Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I know of a 120+/-pound Trenton that is for sale in South central Kentucky, I believe it is one of the German made ones looking at the pics in AIA. The anvil looks like it is in decent shape and has a lot of life left in it. I haven't checked ring or rebound because I wasn't interested in another anvil that my wife would ask "Why do WE need another anvil?" "Why do you have 3 horses to ride, you can only ride one at a time" Is my usual reply, but she doesn't see the parallel. Hummm...hot steel on horse's head, swak with hammer, maybe not, I like the horses... The anvil is priced high at 425, which may have a little wiggle room, but not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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