Age Old Question...Does Anvil Size Matter?

[sparkymacker]

Remember we are talking anvils here ... I have been looking for a used anvil without success so far. They are out there, just not close enough to think about shipping. I was thinking about going south of the border to pick one up, but then there is the cost of driving and exchange rates. A member on here suggested I talk to Renato Muskovic as he is located only a few hours driving from me in Surrey and I usually head down there once a month for work anyways. I am leaning towards a large anvil, not for any particular reason just that that seems to be the way to go to me. Coincidentally Renato makes larger anvils, 370 ish and 620 ish and the price between the two is not that great (if I buy one I am going to be in deep anyways). Just wondering what others thoughts are on this; the 300 pounder is more than adequate for anything I am going to do, but would you bite the bullet and get the bigger one?

 

[Rich Hale]

Forge with friends or whoever you can find and see wot you like.

[Glenn]

You should size the anvil to the largest work you expect or plan to do.  

 

The current posts suggest a 150 pound anvil or larger as a good weight anvil.  An industrial blacksmith that is going to use his anvil on a daily basis to earn his living would, as suggested by the posts, want something in the 300 pound range or larger. 

 

Remember that an anvil should last a life time. Many today are on their second or third blacksmith and still working. They are after all just another tool. Choose the weight of the anvil according to the work you plan to do. And no one ever said you could only have one anvil.  

[sparkymacker]

 
If my wife were to find out the actual cost though....it would be the first and last anvil....of my life!!
 
I just find when you buy things, you always think down the road I should have bought a better one or a bigger one! I never plan to build things..they just happen so I like to be prepared!

[rustyanchor]

If you read the size anvils most folks on here seem to be using, a few have 300+ anvils, most seem to do just fine with anything from 100 on up. This is just what I am picking up from reading peoples posts and anvil purchases they talk about. Not a hard statistic.

I would think 300 would suffice for about anything you want to do unless you planning on going into industrial sized forging.

I am the bigger is better fan but I wouldn't take my 30-06 squirrel hunting (even for the really big fox squirrels we have here).

One of the members here was looking at a 400 pound HB anvil, I think the anvil is a nice anvil and to me the price is not unreasonable, I wouldn't pass it up, but do I need an anvil that big? Not really, but I wouldn't out grow it.

 

Random thoughts.

 

Mark

[Jim Coke]

Greetings Sparky,

 

I have several working anvils ranging from 80 to 500 pounds..  The larger anvils are handy but you always are drawn to the old favorite 150..  If you plan on assistance from a striker the big one is a much better target..   Just remember when you add an anvil to your shop the work begins making the tools that only will work in that anvil..  Yes adaptors work but are not the same..  Floor space and placement is a consideration .  I guess it depends on the type of work you plan to do...  On the plus side you can always sell it if it does not work out ..  Its like money in the bank....

 

Forge on and make beautiful things

Jim

[ThorsHammer82]

I am by no means an expert, but one of the trends I've seen in my research was that the more mass you can have under the hammer the better as it seems to move the metal better. I would love a 300+ pounder, shoot right now I'd settle for any true anvil. at least an anvil that was intended for metal. Currently I'm using quarry breaks. One from a rock crusher and one from a rock breaker. both intended to turn larger rocks into smaller rocks. but they've done the trick quit well as makeshift anvils.

[VaughnT]

Cost?

 

If you decide to cross the border to pick up an anvil, schedule the trip so you can kill several birds with the same stone.  Make a weekend of it and see the sites.  Take a week off work and make a vacation of the experience.

 

Size?

 

As big as you can reasonably handle.  The cost of larger anvils are usually pretty substantial, but they are worth it.  They don't depreciate over the years like a car does, and you'll never find a job that the gigantic anvils can't handle.  You might never need to make a ship's anchor, but you can......

 

I have a 300# anvil as my main anvil and have no problem working stock that's 2" or smaller.  I can't go heavier than that only because I don't have a power hammer or young elbow.  Anything below an 1" thick, though, is easy peasy!

 

You don't need a giant anvil, though.  If you're a hobby smith like me, a 120# anvil that's solidly planted in the earth is dreamy and easy to move when you need to.

[Colin Davies]

If you're willing to trade mobility for mass, you can somewhat make up for a lighter anvil by using a heavy stand. If the stand is massive and strong and you fasten the anvil really securely, they effectively become one big anvil. Look at power hammer bottom dies; similar idea. It's not going to help the horn and tail of say a narrow-waisted farrier's pattern much, though. If you plan heavy forging on the extremities, go for weight and a pattern like old German double horns, Nimba, etc.

[pike3e]

I have a 130ish lb fisher style anvil. Many times I thought about laying out the dough for a bigger one but am happy I spent some of that cash on a power hammer and press instead. It really depends on what you want to do. I would rather work the big stock on a press or power hammer than my anvil by hand. 

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning, Sparkymaker,

 

There will be a NWBA Spring Conference, May 14-18, at the Cowlitz Fairgrounds in Longview Washington. There is a large "Tail Gate Area" where everyone who has surplus, will bring it to sell. Everything from Soup to nuts to Anvils (new & used).

There is a training area where you can sign up for classes, at the same time when Demonstrations are on.

After supper, "Midnight Madness" starts. The forges are open to anyone and lots of interesting things happen. The last one standing, turns out the lights.

 

Renato makes a good anvil. I am not going to say otherwise, but, there are other choices. Try some of the anvils at the NWBA Conference, they have some Gladiators.

 

Hope to see you there. PM me if you want to ask questions.

 

Check out www.blacksmith.org for details for the conference.

 

We have Doug Newell coming to Victoria, April 26-27. Anyone is welcome to come. There is space to park overnight.

www.viblacksmiths.com

 

Neil Gustafson

[ThomasPowers]

If you were looking for a vehicle would you buy the dumptruck because someday in the future you might want to haul some gravel?  I might if it was cheap, easy to find, I had the money to spend and it didn't get in the way of my daily routine.

 

If you have to carry your anvil up the rickety stairs from the basement, across the kitchen and out the back door every time you wanted to forge a large anvil would NOT be more efficient over all (been there done that!)  If you will be moving a bunch  an anvil bigger than what 2 people can easily manage is a pain (my last shop move took more than a flat bed semi and cost a fair bit indeed!)

 

One of the best known "modern Smiths",  FW, worked his career on a 165# anvil.  And when I had to split off a set of tools to take down to my rental house just to prevent smithing withdrawal it was one of the 165# anvils that came along and not the 515# shop beast.

 

If you are planning to do large work it's more important to get a powerhammer than a large anvil and so save your money towards *that*!