Anvil stand questions.

[Pr3ssure]

So I'm gonna be buying everything I need to make a nice anvil stand this weekend and I'm wondering if there's any certain types of wood I should try and get. I'm probably going to use 4x4s or 2x12s and glue them and run an all thread rod through to keep it secure. I was wondering though about how to anchor the anvil to the stand. I was thinking about putting hooks on the stand and running chain around it from two sides and using something to tension it, I know some things to do it but don't remember what they are called.

Also what are good ways to secure the stand to the floor/ground, I will have it on concrete. I think with my anvil being 161 pounds with a solid stand it shouldn't jump or move around but I'd like to secure it once I have a permanent spot for it.

I was also wondering about using concrete as a stand, like making a wooden mold and casting a stand from concrete. I have read mixed things about doing that but no solid info on the rebound and how to make it hold up to beating the anvil on top of it.

[Daswulf]

I used 4x4s for my first anvil stand and lag bolted them together. To hold it down I ran 4 large screws at the curves at the feet then some chain around either side and lag bolted those where they met to the stand.  After years of work it's still holding up. 

[ThomasPowers]

I wouldn't know; over the last 36 years I don't recall every buying stuff for an anvil stand that wasn't a raffle ticket or scrapyard finds.

Currently I have 3 stands from mine timbers, 1 timber per stand! (actually one timber that turned up when my neighbor was leveling a field next door and I cut it into two pieces, the other MASSIVE one a gift from another smith), one stand from RR Bridge timbers---fished out of a stream in flood and looks to be from long ago when discarding creosote timbers in a stream when rebuilding things was the common method. 3,4? stands made from 2x12 oak salvaged from a scrapped horse trailer---free as the scrapyard doesn't like non-metal "inclusions" and a metal stand got in an iron in the hat raffle, Oh yeah , a stump for extra tall folks and a stand for my Y1K stump anvil made from a 6x6" timber with 4x4" along the ground to provide more stability. Previous stands included one built from waterbed boards, a hollow tree trunk---traveling set up

As much of my equipment travels my stands usually take anvils "dropped in". Often semi circles cut from 2x6" that fit the curve on the side of the anvils---NOT the best method for a permanent set up! As it doesn't reduce the ring and so other methods need to be used for that.

OTOH my "permanent" anvil just has a handful of fence staples,U, to keep it from wandering on the top of  the massive timber; of course I didn't add them for several years till I notice that it was creeping under heavy sledging---about 500 pound Fisher anvil, no quieting needed either!

TL/DR Whatever you do will probably work and running wood with the grain up-down is better than side to side.  Fastening the anvil down should be done so it helps kill the ring.

I would NOT ever permanently affix it to the floor  Leave yourself the option of moving it at a later date---after years of small stuff you may get a commission to do a major gate and need the anvil farther from the forge for swing room! (so removable bolts...)

[Will W.]

Some people frown on laminated wooden stands, but thats how i made mine and it works a treat. Just take 2x12s and screw them together until youre at the size you need. You could use glue alone, but i prefer a mechanical bond. 

As far as holding the anvil down... ive never had to deal with that issue. My Fisher has holes cast right into it for lag bolts (an excellent design choice.) Maybe you could make U shaped nails and put one on each foot? I like the idea Das gave about the chain too. 

I wouldnt recommend concrete as a stand. It may work, but i would question its ability to hold up to repeated hammering. If you go that route, i would use plenty of rebar, running vertically. 

[ThomasPowers]

My laminated stands use bolts, junkyard power pole bolts or guard rail bolts. I used an electricians drill bit to drill through all of the boards at once, (held them together with pipe clamps with them arrayed on a good true surface...)  Never needed more than a few bolts per stand.  Never heard anyone pooh pooh vertically oriented laminated stands, just horizontally oriented ones.  Shoot there was a fellow making powerhammers commercially with vertically oriented laminated "anvils".