Got my self an anvil, now what is this thing?

[GrandLordKhorne]

I scored this anvil for free, it weights in at 108lbs on the scale but I know nothing ells about it. I’m wondering if anyone has any information that might be of interest. It seams pretty solid and it is in nice shape. Any history? Is this a good brand or was free too much to pay?

Note: that is not a big crack in the side, it is a funny little step in the casting, presumably where the mold hafts met, it only exists on one side.



Also, I just moved to ME. Any one up here with a shop that would be interested in meeting up some time (I have no shop to work in at the moment)

[steveh]

you got a great deal!it looks in fine shape.Vulcan anvils have a cast iron body with a tool steel face.once again great score!

[simmonds]

That is one of the better looking Vulcan's I have seen. Great looking edges and face. Seems to be one of the early castings too due to the clean detail on the logo. The later ones, the logo is hard to read. These are nice quiet anvils with sufficiently hardened tool steel face to do quality work. Usually these anvils were purchased by schools and have seen hard use by students beating cold steel and misses and chisel and punch marks everywhere. Yours seems to have survived well. Nice score. Chris

BTW - Approximate value in my neck of the woods would be around 200 to 300 dollars in that nice condition. Beat up ones usually sell for around a hundred. For free, you got a heck of a score!

Edited May 24, 2008 by simmonds

[larrynjr]

What part of Maine? Dave M lives in Southern Maine.

[GrandLordKhorne]

I live in Portland. One of the guys I work with is a smith, but he shares a shop and dose not have his own yet either.

[Dodge]

Ya done good, GLK. Yup. That funny line is exactly that; The parting line between the two halves of the cast mold. Why it is only on one side is anyones guess. Probably overlooked in production clean up and QA missed it According to "Anvils in America" by Richard Postman, Vulcans were made by the Illinois Iron and Bolt Co. of Carpentersville, Ill. from 1875 - 1969. Most were sold by Sears or Monkey Wards. Any markings such as a # 10 or a # 13? This is how they cataloged the size. In 1966, a 100 lber (#10) listed for $50.00 and a 130 lber (#13) listed for $56.50. FREE?!? Now THAT'S a good price!!! :D

Edited May 24, 2008 by Dodge

[Jmercier]

Bob Menard, one of the members of the board of directors for the New England Blacksmith's is out of Portland ME. You should be able to find him in the yellow pages as Ball and Chain Forge I believe.

[gustab]

I have that same anvil and it work fine .Been using my for 2yr.The only thing is the face is soft and my has some dent in the face . Good luck with it .

[GrandLordKhorne]

Thanks for the grate info guys. I will contact that shop up here when I get some spare time.

Ya, free may not precisely fit in this case. In reality it was a gift from a friend who I did a favor for. I did a bunch of welding for him last fall, fixing up the bucket for his backhoe. He was talking about taking it to a shop to have it fixed up but I told him I had a bunch of spare rod laying around (I had picked up a 40lbs can and only used about 10lbs out of it, didn’t want it sitting around either) and I would be happy to patch it up for him. I didn’t charge him for it (I generally don’t charge friends for my time, only for materials) and then months later I was talking to him and mentioned that I was looking for an anvil and he said he had one I could have. I asked how much and he said don’t worry about it I patched up his bucket for free I could have the anvil for free. Needless to say, no cash changed hands, so I guess free dose fit. He said he paid something like $25 for it at a barn sale a while back (one of his neighbors died and there kids just opened the barn and said offer what you want to pay for stuff, I got a killer deal on a scythe at the same sale).

[Dave M]

Non cash deal are some of the best, I just traded custom stainless meat hooks for 10lb deer jerky & 10 lb deer burger. I am in southern maine I am finishing up construction of my new shop. I am building a new gasser as I sold mine to pay for tools needed to build the new shop. I would like to hook up with local smiths once my shop is done. Right now I am trying to come up with more cash for vent pipes and roofing, I think by mid to end summer. New England Blacksmiths has a smithy in Brentwood NH. New England Blacksmiths I know they have classes and open forge time, thier site has all the info. Also New England School of Metal Works in lewiston ME. use to have open forge time you could rent plus they have Great classes:)

[Jmercier]

New England Blacksmiths are having our spring meet this next weekend in brentwood. Pretty sure there's day-of registration that doesn't include the food. Should drive on down, there's a ton of great people and great demonstrations and you'll meet people local to you. There are a few specialized groups in the area too, like for bladesmithing and the like.

[GrandLordKhorne]

^ I will try to make it if I'm not working.