This is my first anvil,  possibly a bit bigger than I need but it was local.  I'm interested in identifying it,  it looks like a Peter Wright but then again so do many others.  It certainly works well whatever it is,  rings like a bell,  weighs approx 506lbs, so I'm well pleased and looking forward to some more projects.

There are no easily visible stamps on it,  apart from some punched initials,  probably a former owner.  It has the handling holes I have seen on pictures of PWs,  and what I can only describe as "ripples" on the sides and horn - I've tried to photograph them.

The total length is 34 1/4",  width 6 1/4" and height 14".

If anyone can tell me a bit about how these anvils were manufactured I'd be very interested,  I read somewhere that the factories were built by rivers so that the red-hot anvils could be dropped into the waters.  Is this true ?

 

 

Take a wire wheel to it mate, will help you see any markings.

DId you weigh her on a scale? Shouldn't be more than 375 lb if my calculestimator works.

Very nice size, any way you lift her   

No,  not weighed properly,  weighed on 200kg scale and went off the end of it until some weight was supported.  That steel stand is welded on,  so that must weigh a bit too - I don't know how much though.

Anvil mills were built by rivers for a couple of reasons.  First, waterwheels would power everything from the furnace blowers to the trip hammers to the grindstones. Second, Yes: water would be used for quenching. However, you don't quench an anvil  by dumping it in a river; you need a large volume of water moving rapidly over the surface to break the steam jacket (see "leidenfrost effect"). To that end, manufacturers would build large reservoirs that could dump out a lot of water very quickly. The hot anvil would be placed beneath, the valve would be opened, and gravity would do its work. 

it's strange that it doesn't have a step. other than that i would guess PW.

9 hours ago, Catweazle said:

 

If anyone can tell me a bit about how these anvils were manufactured I'd be very interested,  I read somewhere that the factories were built by rivers so that the red-hot anvils could be dropped into the waters.  Is this true?

Nope. The were just heated face down on a normal forge until they got tired of sitting and watching it, then they would lower it down into a small pipe full of motor oil using a forklift. Then they would jump out of the fork lift and have at it with their fire extinguishers to keep the flames from catching their car on fire!

Just a joke realated to a previous post.

3 hours ago, C-1ToolSteel said:

Nope. The were just heated face down on a normal forge until they got tired of sitting and watching it, then they would lower it down into a small pipe full of motor oil using a forklift. Then they would jump out of the fork lift and have at it with their fire extinguishers to keep the flames from catching their car on fire!

Just a joke realated to a previous post.

Did they use waterwheels to power the forklift ?

I'm joking of course - I found that video when researching anvils,  I was expecting the oil to boil over and set the car park alight.

6 hours ago, Tubalcain2 said:

it's strange that it doesn't have a step. other than that i would guess PW.

It does look like a PW,  but I can't see any stamps on it,  so I wonder if it's a copy from a less famous maker.  Not that it really matters,  it's a keeper,  I don't imagine I'll ever need a bigger one for my amateur metal beating efforts.

I'd like to see the anvil /  hammer they made it on,  that must have been huge with a big waterwheel to power it,  or perhaps steam.

Is it worth cutting the steel stand off and mounting it to a stump ?  Or am I overcomplicating things when I should just get on and mangle some hot metal ?

1 hour ago, Catweazle said:

Is it worth cutting the steel stand off and mounting it to a stump ?  Or am I overcomplicating things when I should just get on and mangle some hot metal ?

Depends on its height, does it fit you? I have found its best to just start making things, you can get so wrapped up in tools and setup you don"t move forward. Congrats on a nice anvil find.

5 minutes ago, marcusb said:

Depends on its height, does it fit you? I have found its best to just start making things, you can get so wrapped up in tools and setup you don"t move forward. Congrats on a nice anvil find.

You're right,  I've made that mistake before.  I'll bend some metal and see how I get on with it.

Thanks all,  I'm off to find some project ideas.  1st up will probably be some tongs.

2 hours ago, Catweazle said:

Is it worth cutting the steel stand off and mounting it to a stump ?  Or am I overcomplicating things when I should just get on and mangle some hot metal ?

Having recently switched from wooden stump to steel stand, I would say NO. As long as it's solidly made and at a good height, leave it as is and get to work!

I would say not a PW.

Missing the tell tale ledges on the feet.