kjbarth Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 I've got a few anvils, a 151# PWright, and several RR track pieces from 1' to 4" of varying track heights that all get used. I'd really like to find some piece of steel to make into a post anvil (what I call it, maybe another term is more appropriate). What I want to make or find is a 5" - 6" diameter round or 5" - 6" square up to about 30" in length (shorter would go in/on a stand) piece of steel. Would use this primarily for smaller knife blades and straight razors. I've tried googling "post anvil" and tried searching on various sites but I'm not really finding anything. I see a lot of post vices and only a few pics of things I think could work but no names attached that would make my search more focused. Is "post anvil" the right term? Any help with the right terminology to use to search for what I'm looking for is appreciated. Thanks, Ken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T Deck Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 Stake anvil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 25, 2018 Share Posted June 25, 2018 Have you looked through this thread? https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/52308-a-collection-of-improvised-anvils/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51 Papy Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 KJ Go to you tube and search "post anvil". There are several. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 7 hours ago, kjbarth said: I want to make or find is a 5" - 6" diameter round or 5" - 6" square up to about 30" in length Look for a place that repairs hydraulic cylinders. Or a machine shop that handles large items. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjbarth Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share Posted June 26, 2018 4 hours ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Have you looked through this thread? Yes, thank you. 2 hours ago, 51 Papy said: Go to you tube and search "post anvil". There are several. I have now and there are several videos that gave me some good ideas 4 minutes ago, Glenn said: Look for a place that repairs hydraulic cylinders. Or a machine shop that handles large items. There are a few scrap yards within about 20 miles of my house but I'm not sure if they accommodate or allow people to come in and look around. I will be calling around to see if any allow this or sell scrap. I'll also look for machine repair and truck/forklift repair places to see if they have anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 26, 2018 Share Posted June 26, 2018 Ahhh sometimes a deal can be made unofficially for a box of doughnuts some morning. I knew of a coal mine in a different state that had a dedicated contract; but if you were local and showed up around lunchtime an industrial accident involving a front end loader, a pile of coal and your pickup bed sometimes accidentally happened... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Hammer Posted June 27, 2018 Share Posted June 27, 2018 Beautiful accident! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51 Papy Posted June 28, 2018 Share Posted June 28, 2018 KJ I found mine by walking into the shop of a local repair shop of a large road construction company. Told him my story and asked him if he had anything or knew of anything that would work. He was only to happy to get the back hoe breaker out of his shop. He wouldn't let me pay him anything for it. Great guy! He seemed to enjoy the pictures of the anvil and the gifts for he and his secretary. BTW that was about the fifth stop I made. Don't give up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjbarth Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Not giving up but I've called at least 50 so called scrap or salvage yards within 20 miles of me. Most don't allow people to look around the yard and only receive scrap metal and pay cash OR only deal in auto parts but nothing of a size I can use. The few that did sell didn't have anything like what I was looking for but were interested and most offered suggestions of other places to try (which was nice). I may have more luck in West Jersey or eastern PA or maybe mid-upstate NY. It's 2 hrs to Pocono's and 3 hrs to Albany for me so need to justify drive time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Next step is to go up the scrap stream: companies that are producing the scrap that goes to the scrapyard. Dozer repair, road construction companies that might have hydraulic breaker bits, etc. Problem is that you need to get past the front office in large companies and "out to the shop". Small companies often have a tighter interface and a box of doughnuts to the office manager may turn into ****STEEL**** as they may be related to a lot of the shop people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Don't forget to try with fabrication shops and milling shops. Theres one more local i go to and they are always nice and let mw and my friend pick through their "resource piles" of ends, cuts and excess. Sometimes they have large chunks as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou L Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Welding shops usually have loads of scrap steel in all sizes as well. The one I visit is definitely owned by a hoarder who has romantic associations with old metal. He’s sitting on a gorgeous 200+ pound anvil But is attached to it. I would visit welding outfits and find one with the most chaotic exterior possible. You are welcome to drive the couple hours (maybe 1.5 hours) to Logan Steel near me. I’d happily meet up with you and show you the place. You can get massive A36 columns anywhere from 4” to 18” diameter in a variety of lengths. Steel prices went up and they are now charging 1.50 per pound but that’s living in the Northeast for you. The manager was willing to let go of those big columns for half price (.50 cents per pound) last time I asked about them. Maybe you can get half price. Also, I saw that a Metal Supermarkets store opened up near you. I’m not sure what they are about though. Good luck, Lou Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjbarth Posted June 29, 2018 Author Share Posted June 29, 2018 Yes, I saw that Metal Supermarkets is in Fairfield which is the next town and about 2 miles from my house. I'm not sure how they work; whether I can just walk in or not but I did contact them yesterday to get quotes for a couple pieces of metal though I haven't heard back from them yet. Haven't had the chance to drive by their location yet even though it is close. I figure they will be expensive and am trying to go the scrap route first until it doesn't make sense to continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted June 29, 2018 Share Posted June 29, 2018 Look up a local paving company or one that that does concrete removal, and locate a used hydraulic breaker bit that they use to bust up the concrete. They come in sizes from small to huge. Concrete plant / recycler , ask about a used crusher hammer. Hydraulic shops - rams excavator, backhoe,earth moving companies/rental/repair shops - ask for large bucket pins. Industrial pump shops - impeller shafts. Of course you also tell them what you are doing this for and they may have another item that would work. The bakery I work at has large horizontal mixers and the drive shafts are over 3" diameter, and we have a few worn out ones (spun bearings), so get creative and make friends with various maintenance mechanics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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