Jump to content
I Forge Iron

Show me your anvil stands


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 1.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

On 10/24/2018 at 6:29 PM, hawk18 said:

Those darn bicycle lock people made that cable about 6 or 8" too short.  I may have to use a piece of chain.

Sounds like a natural early project to me. Forge/bend up a couple steel bands to clamp it down. Putting lots of wraps around the anvil is less stable than two single ones. Hmmmmm?

Nice stand Unimog. A flange up angle iron rim is my preference for holding the anvil, neither of mine move in use even without the hammer/tong racks wedging it in place. I like a tripod better than a quad but if you have a smooth floor it doesn't matter. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I finished my anvil stand today for my newly acquired anvil.

8mm mild steel plate TIG welded with 3 passes.

It rang a bit when on the stand so bedded the anvil on silicone and it has dulled it down nicely.

the openings at bottom are to allow pallet truck underneath to move around.

Here are a few pictures of the build and the finished article before paint.

Should I paint the stand and anvil blue or black? Blue feels like some kind of sin!3DE392F2-5CEC-47BD-A240-5D16A214C58A.thumb.jpeg.5f35be5bd610770558d8cb6abafef8c9.jpeg 

E6A3AC3F-DB11-47D3-B80A-996402724E0D.jpeg

8353C97C-8F1A-4ADB-9232-223C5D560843.jpeg

59CDC64C-D98E-41A7-A493-09A2BFC6BEEF.jpeg

3CF92116-E165-47B5-A61E-176E8385C567.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Made my first forge, burner, anvil and stand myself.

Made the anvilstand using a piece of railroad track and two different sizes of wood. Completely threaded/bolted together (left to right is bolted as well, but not seen on picture). Glued and bolted the anvil to the stand. 

1001135713_DIY_AnvilStand.thumb.jpg.2f407408f7a7746056680682339e9d51.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is my sound deadening stand I made yesterday since I live in the city. If I want to work after 9, this is a must. Its 4" x 3" x 3/16" base, with two 3.5" x 3/16" posts. The entire thing is filled with a slurry of sand and oil before I welded it all shut. I capped it with a 3/8" plate and used two 1/4" x 1" angle iron pieces with some thick 1/4 washers welded on and 1/2" grade 8 bolts to sinch it down. The base is somewhere around 125lbs-160lbs. I didnt want to break my scale weighing it. Thats a 150# Trenton on top.

This anvil rang like a bell. Now it just goes thud.

Now onto my gas forge I've been building burners for. That's what the propane tank in the last pic was for, but I decided I will go with that red 7 gallon pressure vessel instead.

 

20181213_124334.thumb.jpg.b7f83ce7b1d1d12b4b59ca152498f618.jpg20181213_140414.thumb.jpg.0f774302052af1d56dc043f1109f12e6.jpg20181213_183304.thumb.jpg.a95aae8f478a4accfdc6d01a4d64871a.jpg20181213_203339.thumb.jpg.b9d9895c09c73b2c36f39e3bf695de0f.jpg20181213_203906.thumb.jpg.eef3a6a7ce5904523ea522a3560f9049.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd put some diagonal braces from the feet area of the anvil to the foot of the stand to control the twisting factor of the main upright tubes..   There is a leverage factor as the anvil is taller so will add to the stress inherent in both side, horn and heel use..  

I know most will disagree and the stand if very clean now.. But I know how i use and anvil and I also know how it will flex in use..  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jlpservicesinc said:

 

It wont flex or twist. If the ends of the tubes were left open, eventually I would deform the top of the bottom center piece, but that is fully welded at each end to the side wall of another 3/16 tube about 1/2 from where those two posts are welded, so that's not gonna happen. With the ends fully welded shut, it makes a big difference in strength, specifically torque resistance. If it were to go out of square at all I would see oil seep from a weld since I ground them smooth. I would be shocked.

I could give many real world examples where I have put 1/16"-1/8" walled steel in situations where they needed to last forever and work under much heavier loads. Its how you do it, not the size. This is all 3/16" thick. If I didnt fill it with sand and motor oil it would still be 80-90lbs (guessing). I would say the weakest point is the 3/8 thick top, but since the posts are welded directly under the anvil, the sides are really just acting as something to strap it to. I used 1/2" bolts there, so I can tighten it as that piece moves over time.

The way it sits now, if I hit the anvil or my concrete floor with a hammer, they both make the same sound.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sure.. As pointed out. most will disagree and then sight kinetics of energy,, Blah, blah, blah..    

I wasn't going to say anything as it's a waste of my time..   But hey, guess I have time to waste and my initial thinking was correct.. :) 

Deflection is not destruction of tubes.. It's deflection..   Deflection is what I was referring to. Torque is twisting force and this force can be anything appling a twisting or rotational force...   Do what ever you'd like, believe what ever you'd like.. 

With 42 years of experience. I've tried all sorts of different ideas and have eliminated what does and doesn't work..   I'm not saying this from an ego driven stand point though most would assume this also, but from and experience stand point..   Agree, disagree, change, don't change.. I just know from experience how much a stand like this will move/deflect with "HOW I USE AND ANVIL"   

Even the anvil stand in the trailer which is built with 1/4"X2"X 2" sq tubing flexes even with all the corner braces..  It will also move the whole floor of the trailer as it's pinched into the main frame of 3" Heavy channel with 3/8"X 10" cold rolled encased.. this stand also rests on the ground.. 


.  Glad you like the stand enjoy..  I'd still add the diagonals..  :) 

 

torque
/tôrk/
noun
noun: torque; plural noun: torques
  1. 1.
    MECHANICS
    a twisting force that tends to cause rotation.
  2. 2.
    variant spelling of torc.
verb
verb: torque; 3rd person present: torques; past tense: torqued; past participle: torqued; gerund or present participle: torquing
  1. 1.
    apply torque or a twisting force to (an object).
    "he gently torqued the hip joint"
Origin
image.png.fa5ef08ec32761ab9a07976094ee3a50.png
late 19th century: from Latin torquere ‘to twist.’

I was just making and observation with insight and a freindly suggestion..   

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am afraid JJ is right. The stand is supporting the anvil in the center and when using heel or horn you impart rotational force be it horizontal or vertical.

The key of course is how much force.

I guess if you are going to forge a little strip of flat bar using 1 lb cross peen hammer, no harm done. if you will consistently use 4 lb hammers and swing like you mean it, some of the remanent force will go to the stand and i can tell you that a weld to a 3/16 wall and a 3/8 plate will not like it one bit. 

if it was 1/4 wall 6" square tube single column in the center  and 1" plate, you would have nothing to fear ... well assuming it is weld properly of course. As it is, and if you use the horn a lot especially sideways, you are going to crack the weld for sure.

Easy remedy, make some gussets and add some weld in each of the corners of the pipes under the plate and at the bottom, if you don't want to brace the columns.

Or ... unbolt the anvil and let it move freely. You get the noise back but you spare the stand. :)

Looking at your stand once more, I like the design even when I would not build it like that. To keep the lines, you can add 4 triangular gusset at each of the outside corners of the columns at the bottom and 4 at the top at 45 degree ...  and join both columns in the center with a vertical flat bar that fits neatly between them, say 1/4 of the way up from the base and short 1/4 of the way from the plate. It will still look nice and be much stronger. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Heres my anvil stand. I've spoken of it a number of times and finally found a pic of it. I've used this style for many years. The first was made from a stump large enough to turn Into a rectangle, and the whole base of my anvil was notched Into the top with an apron big enough to hold a few tools. When I moved, I left it. This one was made from a stump a bit small. The feet hung over the edge. So I figured out a way to have the whole base of my anvil on the log and an apron large enough to hold a few tools such as chisels, center punch or scribes. It too is notched into the stump. It is notched in deep enough to put in a out an inch of sand for easy leveling and to deaden the sound. The fit, as you can see is a close fit. With this setup my anvil does not move in any direction and I do not need any mechanical fasteners that may prevent me from using all the curves of my anvil. Its buried ~ 2' into the ground. Although it was not meant to be moved, I have moved it to three or so different shops. Alas, it is not built to be jerked out of the ground by a backhoe or a bobcat, so will not grace my new shop.

An unexpected benefit of this stump was its esthetics. I really like its unique shape, and still giving me all the room I need for an apron. Form follows function.

The thru bolts are 1"all thread with a square headed nut forge welded on the end. The washers too are hand forged. It was in use for about 6 years and moved 3-4 times. The log joinery was done with an Alaskan mill and a chainsaw. Never did I lose any sand. My new stump will be of this design and I may choose an undersized stump just to get this design again

 

Forging 'J' Bolts06.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My new anvil stand. It’s a simple design. Cut 4x4’s, glued and clamped five rows of four, routed, filed, and 1/4” flat stock forged braces (which are not affixed to the stand, but laid in 1/8” routed grooves).  No more tree stumps for either anvil!!! This is for my 155lb Peter Wright.

 

Opinions from folks with similar builds, or in the know:

- should I use calking compound between the anvil and stand, or leave it as-is? I would much prefer to have nothing there, but I’ve read differing opinions on this and would appreciate thoughts. The routed anvil groove is very flat, and there is no “jiggle” on the anvil legs. 

Cheers. 

CE6804E4-E8D2-4EB9-9B67-C043C5A8704E.jpeg

And I am actually considering tie-dying the whole thing Frosty. 

Or letting my son do a “graffiti theme” on it. The blocks it’s on will (obviously) be removed. They’re there from the linseed oil treatment. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would use it as is with the anvil clamped a bit somehow, and see how it goes. If the ring is excessive, you could just wrap some chain around the waist. Chain is all I use on my anvil on the wooden stand.  I've used thin rubber mat between my anvil and steel anvil stands that seemed to help a bit with the ring. I don't prefer caulking or adhesives myself as that would make it a pain to remove If you wanted to. Then there would be the cleanup after. Tho if it were a ringing nightmare and other things didnt quiet it down then it is an option. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed. I don’t want any gack on the anvil. It will have a chain for the ring as well as  forged flat-bar over the feet. Thanks man. 

5 hours ago, Daswulf said:

.  I've used thin rubber mat between my anvil and steel anvil stands 

Do you find that the rubber mat changes the rebound at all? It would be slight, if any, but curious. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...