I got this 2" x 20" x 20" block a while ago and just finished up a stand for it tonight. Made from scrap wood and old bed frame angle iron. The next step is to put some different radiuses into one of the edges so I can stand it up and use it as a die anvil. Eventually I'd like to make a few different sized holes through the face for drifting and some shapes in the other edges too. I guess I need to invest in an angle grinder now...

Man , that's nice , put in some shapes and you will be making all sort of things .

On 9/12/2016 at 4:45 AM, Lionel h said:

Man , that's nice , put in some shapes and you will be making all sort of things .

Thanks. Does anyone see any disadvantages to putting one long taper on the top like this:

 

As opposed to individual dies with a hard transition between them like this one by Brian Brazeal?

The downside might be that it would be harder to locate a specific radius. Also, you wouldn't have the two dies on the left of that anvil. 

2 hours ago, Ridgewayforge said:

The downside might be that it would be harder to locate a specific radius.

I thought of that but an anvils horn is the same way and it's never bothered me. As for the 2 butcher type dies, they could go on a different side of the square but I'm not sure I'd actually use them.

Pardon my ignorance but how will you radius the edge like that with it laying in the stand.  Brazeal's is up on edge.  That is an awesome stand. I'm confused though.

17 hours ago, natenaaron said:

Pardon my ignorance but how will you radius the edge like that with it laying in the stand.  Brazeal's is up on edge.  That is an awesome stand. I'm confused though.

Thanks for the kind words. The stand is made to hold the plate either horizontally or vertically. See the pieces or angle iron extending down in the middle? Those form a channel to hold it vertically.

You'll use it on edge a lot more than laying flat. Outside of a layout table or small assembly table laying flat isn't a lot of use, it's too springy to effectively hammer on.

Frosty The Lucky.

5 hours ago, navasky said:

Thanks for the kind words. The stand is made to hold the plate either horizontally or vertically. See the pieces or angle iron extending down in the middle? Those form a channel to hold it vertically.

Missed those.  It makes sense now.

20 hours ago, Frosty said:

You'll use it on edge a lot more than laying flat. Outside of a layout table or small assembly table laying flat isn't a lot of use, it's too springy to effectively hammer on.

Frosty The Lucky.

Yeah I'm only planning to use it flat when I have a striker, which is rarely, or when I'm drifting something.

With a chunk that large, I'd be really curious about the cost to have a local shop water-jet it into a swage block.  One of our members here did similarly just because it made it super easy for him to use the thing to make bottle openers.

Using it as an anvil wouldn't hurt since you'll only be using the edge.  I wouldn't want that long tapered radius since it doesn't really add anything to the functionality and the taper can bungle things up real quick just like it does on a london-pattern anvil's horn.  Better, in my view, to have known radii like you do with bottom tools so you know exactly what you're getting and can swap out as needed depending on what you're doing.

On 9/16/2016 at 9:24 PM, VaughnT said:

With a chunk that large, I'd be really curious about the cost to have a local shop water-jet it into a swage block.  One of our members here did similarly just because it made it super easy for him to use the thing to make bottle openers.

 

I actually looked into that but the costs were waaay too high for me.

 

On 9/16/2016 at 9:24 PM, VaughnT said:

I wouldn't want that long tapered radius since it doesn't really add anything to the functionality and the taper can bungle things up real quick just like it does on a london-pattern anvil's horn.  Better, in my view, to have known radii like you do with bottom tools so you know exactly what you're getting and can swap out as needed depending on what you're doing.

 

Interesting perspective. I hadn't thought of that.