Peter Wright anvil

[Lance G]

I’ve been looking to get into blacksmithing for a while now and finally started getting things together. I found this Peter Wright anvil today. I wasn’t super excited about the plate that was welded on, but it was supposedly done right and re heat treated by a local machine shop here in okc. Haven’t had a chance to test with a ball beating but it does seem to have a good ring to it and I can’t find any dead spots. After seeing how much these usually go for I thought $240 was too good to pass up. Any thoughts/advice on this?

[Marc1]

My instinct says forget it, but the price is what some may ask for a piece of rail ... 

A pity to do that to such an old PW. 

May be a good first anvil that will soon be superseded by another bigger and better? 

[Lance G]

I would like to replace it eventually, but that will probably be a few years from now.  Do people really get that much for a piece of rail? If so I need to meet these people lol.

[Glenn]

Locate and talk to the fellow that did the welding. He will be able to tell you many things about the anvil and the welding and the heat treating.

Can you make the anvil pay for itself with product you make and sell? 

[MC Hammer]

Make the best of it as the damage is already done.  It may provide you with many years of good service if done correctly.  Not all welders and machine shops know what they are doing from what I'm told.  If you haven't bought it, I'd pass.  For that money you can find an anvil that has not been welded like that one.

[ThomasPowers]

Do the ball bearing test.  If it's 70% or greater in the sweet spot buy it.  You have already done the ring test that seems to indicate a full penetration weld if it was done correctly.  (the sides don't look like a highly skilled welder did it...)

I used to live in OKC; I remember visiting a VoTech in DelCity? that had a lovely anvil with a base made from tourching out the interior of a swage block....

Watch out for my 199 pound cast steel anvil that was stolen out of my back yard in 1982!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

That plate is thick enough that even if it is just a perimeter weld - which it probably is- it wouldn't give a broken bat thwack sound when tested. If it was touching in the middle, when the welds cooled and shrank they hopefully pulled the top down tight to the old face.

If you already bought, use it, and don't worry about it. Look up the thread on anvil stands, pick one, and get going.

[ThomasPowers]

I've seen a crack in the heel silence a hammer tap fast made 6" away by the horn before. It's didn't have the heartbreaking delamination buzz to it though. (My first chance at a BIG anvil was at an auction and the face *buzzed* when tapped; Glad I tested it *before* but still a waste of time and travel...)