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A collection of improvised anvils


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BIG - Getting a better anvil (or anvil-like object) is definitely at the top of my wish list right now, so it can't hurt to check out. But, I doubt I'd be able to find a buyer anywhere around here that would be willing to pay that much for it. The guy selling it knew exactly what he had (what the item was, history/backstory, etc), only had it listed for $40, and was willing to take $30 for it. The market he was at isn't exactly small, either - it draws people up from NYC every week. Still, it can't hurt to look in to anyway, so thanks for the heads up!

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Just joined a few days ago and found this topic.  My local scrap yard had a big pile of forklift tines so I bought 6.  First project was this anvil.  Total weight is 265 lbs.  Used 3 lbs of the left over pieces to make the cross peen hammer.  I know some may give me grief for the perimeter weld or not just making a post anvil, but I like the bigger work surface.

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I think it will hold up but we’ll see.  Before welding, I drilled 3 holes thru the top and bottom pieces and threaded just the top piece.  I used 3 big bolts to pull the top and bottom together really tight.

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It's very stable even on my slightly uneven concrete floor.  If I'm hammering hard, I can keep the piece over one of the legs but I don't really notice a difference when using the middle.  I like the 3 round profiles.  They're easier for me to use sometimes than a tapered horn.  It doesn't have a hardy hole yet but I'm thinking about how to add one.  I tried the ball bearing test and it averaged about 75% which I'm happy with.  Altogether, I have about $110 invested (plus my time - but I work cheap).

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As you can see in the background of the one picture my old Vulcan is in pretty sad shape. My son had two slabs that measured 3.5 x 6.5 x 21.5 inches. I toyed with how to weld them together but decided against it. I had a 3.5 inch diameter slug that I welded on and a piece of angle for a hardy. Total weight 143.6# of mild steel. Any thoughts are appreciated for this work in progress. Three hours of forging this morning and I am pleased with it.

Laynne

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Looks like an anvil to me. 

If the square tubing doesn’t hold up for the hardy hole, move it over to the center of the back of the slab so you can guest it with more material. I have a small anvil with a 3” wide face and my other two have 4” faces. So 3 1/3” is plenty wide. Remember as Glenn is won’t to say “you payed for the whole anvil” so if you need a longer face, just hand the stock vertical and strik it against the anvil sideways.  

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Yeah, that looks like a perfectly effective anvil, good job. I'd put it right to work. Nice job.

If the hardy doesn't stand up try welding some long pieces of say 2" x 1" x  8" down the side with this hardy and cap it across the open side with another piece. Leave the center open for your hole. Scarfed out and full penetration weld 8" long isn't going to fail under mere human muscle.

Frosty The Lucky.

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Thanks gents. It will see some more work tomorrow. Where I welded up the hardy was a flange off of the slab about 3/8 inch thick. I clamped some one inch angle iron with one inch stock and welded it up. I got good penetration and a snug fit.

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I made this anvil out of a piece of 3X6 plate that I cut 16"long. I made the hardy hole by welding 2 pieces of 1" square bar 1"apart and then capped it off with 1/2" plate. I've made a couple of hardy tools out of a splitting maul. The anvil is mild steel (I'm pretty sure) but the metal still moves on it pretty well.

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I just picked this up today from work. It's a 120# anvil for straightening sawmill blades that we no longer use. So now I'm thinking it'll be my main anvil. Should I keep my makeshift one the way it is or do you guys have any ideas about how to modify it for other purposes? 

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I also got these from work and want to make some type of anvil out of them. They're about 35"X2"X4" the last 4"on each end are hardened steel but it's pretty chewed up (they came out of a diesel powered log grinder that tried to eat itself....) how about any ideas on how I could or should use them? 

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I've read numerous times on here that we should emphasize the fact that it doesn't take a fortune to get started. So far I have 2, possibly 3, anvils without a single cent coming out of my pocket! 

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I’d use your first homemade anvil as a strikers anvil mounted lower for heavy sledge work (its about 100lbs right?).

Maybe grind a radius and fuller on it as Laynne suggested, ala Brazeal.

The other ones can be used stood on end in a bucket or large stovepipe/sonotube of concrete to use as a bladesmiths post anvil, maybe section one of them and make large swages, a stake anvil, etc.....

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I like the Brazeal idea.  I think I'll grind some radiuses in it, I might do some hard facing on it as well.  Positioning one of the grinder hammers on vertically would be a good idea as well.  I like the thought of having the bolt hole horizontal to use for different bicks and mandrels and the like.   

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Nice scores Cannon Cocker! Yeah, keep the plate anvil it's a user and might end up on a bench or as a portable. The sawyer's anvil is a no BS made to be anvil. If you need something to swing BIG hammers at that's the one I'd use. I'm still not sure what guys are thinking when they make "striker, striking, etc." anvils. If you're not striking it it's NOT an anvil. It's part of the definition.

The big chipper hammers should be some version of 4140 or the equivalent, a big rock will cause them to grenade, sometimes spectacularly. How many did you score? I'd be thinking of trimming and mounting ONE on end for the beautiful depth of rebound but if you have a bunch then one flat up another round up for a magnificent drawing die.

The RR knuckle is a marvelous anvil, swage, . . . Oh who knows what you'll think of for it. 

Now I'm suffering scrounge envy. <sigh>

Frosty The Lucky.

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Frosty, I get your drift about the wording , etc on a strikers anvil, and any large anvil should be good to go for heavy work.

And you’re truly RIGHT.

But I think of “strikers’ anvils” this way: 

  1. You can use it like a portable hardy hole like the type you’ve mentioned before
  2. You can fab it for fairly cheap, cheaper in most cases than buying a second large anvil
  3. You could permanently mount it lower than your primary anvil specifically for use with two handed long handle sledges
  4. Most of us don’t have apprentices or dedicated helpers, unless we’re hosting a hammer in or have a full time shop. Because of this our helpers aren’t always the most accurate and skilled, and even a great anvil can suffer grievous wounds from a 10-12lb hammer swung full force.

Just my thoughts on why one would be beneficial to me, and why I’d call it a “strikers’” anvil as opposed to just anvil, because I’d usemostly with the help of strikers.

most bestest regards,

Steve

PS- man I can see getting all sorts of use out of that rail car knuckle, I’d love to find one for free.

 

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Cannon Cocker, swayer's anvils are pretty sought after for knife work. How much does it weigh?

I was told that the Fisher sawyer anvils have very hard faces as they were meant for cold work with a blade between the face and hammer at all times. This means that they chip easily if a missed blow occurs. Not sure how hard the face is on you brand.

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