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Show me your anvil stands


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Just finished my new anvil stand for my 300# double horn anvil. It’s made from a block of oak with a recess routed in the top, a layer of nitrile rubber between the anvil and stump. The anvil is held down with 5” coach screws and clamps.

my 100# London pattern on it’s oak log is in the background 

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My MIL made me a cover for it to protect it when outside and to reduce the groin to horn contact pain!

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When my friend cut me the log he cut it a bit short (see thread) and when I got it home I decided that it was also a bit wide when sitting end grain upwards (I wanted to minimise cutting with my little 14” saw!). I think it will be solid enough even if it cracks a bit when it fully seasons!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's my stand, it's basically a really sturdy frame with 4" x 4" legs then clad with tongue and groove 1" thick reclaim pine which was reversed to hide the groove. Then filled with two bags of sharp sand to add stability, it weighs a lot more than my anvil and is really stable. It's anchored into the frame with an angle iron plate that is a really tight fit to the anvil and then held down with two four inch bolts.

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Hi big gun doctor. It is a Victoria omnimil 01. They were later sold by Elliott. It has a 30int vertical spindle and a 40int horizontal, they are driven independently. It’s a lot more ridgid than a series 1 Bridgeport as it is based around a horizontal mill, but the turret head makes it really flexible ( the opposite of rigid???!)

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We had a SAJO combination mill in our small shop that took #40 tapers in both spindles. Later I picked up a Bridgeport copy for home.  I need to bring my machine shop equipment from CA down to my place here in NV. I have a #2 Van Norman horizontal that takes #50, two Monarch lathes, Clausing hydraulic surface grinder, the Millport mentioned above, and a 16" G&E shaper.

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  • 2 months later...

Good evening.  

My anvil and tongs arrived today.   Monday I built the stand based on my observations of this thread and not knowing exactly what I want yet.  It's 12" square of hemlock with 10 cabin screws holding it all together.  I hollowed out the bottom about a about 1/2" except an inch around the edges.  I put caulking under the anvil and then used 1/4" bar stock to secure it down with lag bolts.  

I had the anvil measurements and calculated the height based on my wrist, I figure I can adjust as needed, if needed.

It will get me started as soon as i get my forge set up.  

Thanks for all the information on this site, it is very helpful.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I haven't had the chance to use it yet.  With family and work stuff, I'm behind on my forge.   I've rigidized and put my first coat of cement on, but its still tacky.  Not too warm here lately which isn't helping.  I currently have my heat gun blowing some warm air in it to help speed it along so I can get the second coat on it.   Was hoping to get my first forge and anvil time in this weekend, but doubtful now.   

I did score a good size break rotor, 4" deep by 9" around, from my mechanic this week.  will try to get that set up this weekend.  Also called an Agway 25 miles away and they have blacksmith coal, so I may go up and get a couple bags.

I'll update when I've been able to get some work going.

Have a great Easter weekend everyone.

Mike.

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Happy Easter Mike! That sure is a beautiful anvil and a pretty darned nice stand under it. I'd like it a little wider myself, I can pull hard enough to scoot my anvil when bending on it. 

When you say you coated your forge liner with "cement" surely you don't mean Portland cement or the first time you get it hot HOT splinters of the liner will come popping out the doorways like Satan's popcorn!

If you're using a proper refractory drying it out is the wrong thing to do almost all the types we need in a propane forge are "Water SETTING," This means it absorbs moisture to set and cure.

Frosty The Lucky.

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We at Fraser River Forge use hardwood tree rounds, preferably something dense with a good rebound like maple or oak. We find white oak to be the best option amoung the species that grow in Vancouver.

-J

 

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On 4/15/2022 at 8:57 PM, Frosty said:

That sure is a beautiful anvil and a pretty darned nice stand under it. I'd like it a little wider myself, I can pull hard enough to scoot my anvil when bending on it. 

Thanks Frosty.  I'm pleased with how it came out and how solid it is.  When you say wider, do you mean under the horns or the sides?  Not knowing exactly how I'll work, I wanted it as minimalistic as possible while being solid.  I also wear a leg/foot brace due to an injury so I don't want things too cumbersome when I'm working.  I also see some people post that they don't want their stands or tools under their horns so I avoided that in this iteration.

I also noted that my original post says I used 10 cabin screws, that should have been 10" cabin screws and a bunch of them.

With regard to the cement, yes I mean refractory stuff.  I was following the instructions from the forge maker and it was only to get the last bit of moisture out prior to the second coat.  I did get the second coat on later last night and will see how everything sets later today.

I have to say, I'm really enjoying the tinkering part of just getting set up.

Thanks everyone.

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I like a wider base under my anvils so they are less likely to tip over under a lateral load like bending or scrolling heavy stock. 

I've been using steel tripod stands under my anvils for a few years now, they're really solid and damp the damagingly loud ring from my Soderfors. The Trenton is loud too but nothing is like the Soderfors on a wood block, it would make your ears ring through muffs and plugs after a couple hours.

WHEW, a proper refractory!  Follow the instructions for sure. 

Frosty The Lucky.

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  • 3 months later...

Anvil stand I made for my 55 lbs. Trenton anvil.  Sides are construction grade 2x12's, then filled with sand 12" deep.  Sand is sitting on a bottom of 4.5" wood boards that have been laminated with perpendicular grain.  Hammer and hardy storage are set on pins and compressed inwards with the cam strap.  The storage shelves go beyond the face on the backside of stand for a place for me to store tongs.  I may replace strap with a steel cable at some point, but the strap was here and easy, cheap to replace. The workbench casters work well in the one direction but very tippy moving stand the other way; Stand is very sturdy when sitting on its own legs.

The anvil makes a dull thud now, no ringing at all.  Also the anvil does not move when in use, though it has not yet been used extensively for bends.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi guys,

Here is the tripod I made for my 60kg anvil. Nothing fancy. Only a hole under the round hole of the anvil to allow me to insert some long bar.

To reduce the noise I tried to add under the feet a sheet of rubber (4mm) covered by a thin aluminium plate to protect it from hot parts.

The anvil is also fixed to the tripod with two tapered square irons.

I think the pictures are clear enough.

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The noise reduction works pretty well. Much better than a magnet or a chain. 

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