My new Combination of Anvils, Vulcan and Power Hammer Base

[Charcold]

Long time since I've last posted because it's been that long since I've been able to do anything but plan for a wedding! We had the bridal shower last weekend and my grandparents surprised me with an old Vulcan (80lb?) from a family member's barn. It came mounted already on the stump and appears that someone drilled holes in the feet long ago allowing for lag bolts. With a level on the face it looks about dead on so I have no plans to remount it unless the stump starts to show some more worrisome cracks. Only had time yesterday to heat up some rebar and try out a few simple tapers and simple bends with the pritchel hole. She's seen a bit of work but seems to have very solid edges other than a small knick on one side. The horn is smooth and the surface is pretty flat. Face dimensions are 3.250" x 11.750" or so, with a 1" hardy hole. I was surprised at how quiet it was when working, then looked online and found that these cast iron body Vulcans are notoriously quiet. My neighbors will be pleased! After messing around forging a bit I lightly wire brushed off the top of the anvil with a bit of oil. I'm thinking about using some tool oil of some kind on the body of the anvil just to prevent any rusting moving forward, and I'm open to any advice on that. I've read some suggest doing nothing, applying a bit of oil, or painting the body. I have also read the faces can get quite thin so I have no plans to do any grinding at all on the face. It's a bit pitted but the power hammer base is dent free if I would ever need a perfectly flat face. 

The other picture is of my other recent pickup. It's a base to an old power hammer that I was told was from the 30's or so. It weighs right around 85 lbs, and is about 9" x 8" obround. Built a stand out of some 4x4's and some 1.5" sq. deck railing boards. The base has a key on the bottom so it was fairly easy to built a stand for. Seems like this will work great for chisel work or anything larger, and it's a very hardened steel with good rebound. When I first got it a while back I heated up a railroad spike and flattened it out a bit just to see how working on it would be. Much improved over the railroad track on-end and sledge hammer head that I was using previously. 

On a personal note I'm still doing mostly reading and working my way through the ABANA Hand Forging program a chapter at a time when I get the  chance. 

[ThomasPowers]

wire brush and clean the anvil and then wipe a coat of boiled linseed oil on it. (and dispose of the rags properly!)

[Glenn]

Raise the anvil height to make life easier on you. Knuckle height when you are standing straight or wrist high is a good place to start.  Adjust as needed until you get to the proper height for you. It could be no more than putting the anvil and stump on a couple of flat 2x6's. Not ideal but it will work.

[Frosty]

Yeah, that was my first thought, raise that to YOUR working height! If you use Trewax on your freshly wire brushed anvil as rust abatement you won't have to worry about the rags at all.  A cup brush on a disk grinder is fine just wear PPE to save your eyes with your back.  

Frosty The Lucky.

[Glenn]

With the cup brush, ALWAYS orient the brush to run OFF the work piece when close to an edge.

[Charcold]

Thanks for the advice all, I will get a proper measure on bringing it up to knuckle height and add some risers. Will add some casters so i can tilt and roll it as well to save my back. Hit the front with a wire brush last night and I can see a faint "9" on it, so it's a confirmed 90 pounder

[JHCC]

Great story! Nice to get an anvil that suits your needs so well, and to have it be a family piece is that much better!