So, I was putting feelers out in my area that I was looking for a anvil that wasn't a railroad track. a good freind of mine IMed me that he knew of a few, I was like great well Friday he messaged me to meet him in town and well he said "here found you a anvil take it." So much to my joy I now have a 7 stamped badger anvil in good shape with good rebound for my first anvil and a small one I can't complain at all.

 

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You can't beat that with a stick! You've got a good friend there, make or do something for him to show your appreciation for doing such a great favor. Great score !

Good score, friends like that are a treasure, good anvil too. A little rough but nothing you can't do good work on. 70lbs is a good size especially when you're getting into the craft you'll be moving everything around till you get a good fit. 

You ARE going to put it on a better stand, YES? Stood on end structural steel isn't a bad stand but laying flat like that it's just too flexible. Not that it's going to bend like rubber but it will flex and you'll lose effectiveness. It WILL work mounted on it just not as well as it should.

Frosty The Lucky.

Nah I got a better stand for it a big piece of old barn post that I need to cut down and burry/mount in my shop that chunk of steel is temp for now.. it's just bolted/chained to the peice till I can get some cement and get my post sunk.

Are you sure you want to make your anvil's position permanent before you learn what you need your shop arrangement to be? I certainly could be mistaken thinking a #7 Badger is around 70lbs. new but you say it's a small anvil. That screams out to be a portable, not a permanent shop anvil. I'd build that little gem a portable stand, I like a steel tripod over a wood block but that's me. There are a number of sound designs for portable stands. The sand box is not only easy to move the anvil's height can be adjusted and leveled on the spot. I can't think of better for a guy learning a new craft. 

I recommend you save burying the post till after you've practiced the blacksmith's craft for a while, say a year or two. You really don't want to make permanent decisions before you know what you're doing. hmmmm?

Frosty The Lucky.

That's more what I plan on doing kinda got feelers out there for a 150 anvil that will need a good base due to a broken foot but want to get a idea of where I will place a anvil before planting my post

Good to hear. I'd gotten the idea you were a pretty practical guy from your earlier posts. 150-250 is probably the most practical shop anvil range. I have a 200lb Trenton that almost never leaves the shop and a 125 Soderfors that likes riding in the truck. If I need heavier than the Trenton I use the power hammer, heck I use the power hammer for anything that it makes easier. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Looks good, and your plan of action sounds good. I'm a recent convert to the steel tripod, and I only just decided to switch my anvil alignment from horn-on-left to horn-on-right. Having something that gives you both solidity and flexibility is a Very Good Thing.

That second picture down is a great show of the real thickness of the face vs the "fake" thickness cast projecting from the anvil!

As you can see the steel face is fairly thin so no grinding or removing any of it please!

No no not with how thin the tool steel is all I've done to is is a very light sanding to smooth down some of the hammer marks and get a good idea of the serface to see if there any cracks or major defects I need to keep a eye on sofar nothing more than some chips on the one side.

As nothing seems to lure other anvils into your smithy as well as having an anvil in use---use it!