Katerine Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 I'm getting ready to make my anvil stand and plan on forging sitting down. I currently have the anvil sitting on a moving dolly I got from Tractor Supply, rated for 1000 lbs. Staring at it, trying to figure out how to approach this, the thought hits me...why not build the stand with the dolly as a base? Would this be asking for trouble or...? I can lift it (barely), but can't walk with it, so I need my anvil stand and forge on wheels. The forge is easy...I'm concerned about making sure I get the anvil right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Ok. I'll throw out my thoughts.....Loose the dolly and design an anvil stand that can be moved with a 2 wheeled hand truck. Chasing an anvil while working is no fun.....I picked up a 2 wheeler with 8" rubber tires @ HF for $64 IIRC. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Question: why do you need the anvil to be mobile? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Olson Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Im with dave on this. I started with mine on a dolly and even if i put blocks under it it still moved. I will be much better with a solid stand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 There was a post a while back about someone who mounted hand truck wheels on the back of their anvil with a socket for a pipe handle for levering it back and moving it around. Might be worth looking in the anvil stand threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrike Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 What I have done, is to put the anvil immediately inside the roll up door. The forge is on wheels, and rolls outside for venting, I stand between the two half in and half out of the building. Maybe that helps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Not only will the dolly be unstable, it will be a trip hazard. A hand truck makes easy work for moving heavy anvils and other stuff in the shop then getting out of the way.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 We've discussed at great length having a hard interface between the anvil and the ground and it's virtues over a floating one. The only method to efficiently mix the two I can think of; is to have a stand with retractable wheels. Jib Crane that will swing between the storage location and use location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 A moving dolly is probably not what you want here. A two wheel hand truck (dolly) type of design would be better. If the base of the anvil stand is flat on the floor and the wheels are not touching the ground when the anvil is being used there should be no more problems than any other portable anvil stand. As long as you have to tilt the anvil/stand combination to put weight on the wheels it's fine. Just make sure the anvil is secured well to the stand if you go that route - for obvious reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar.esq Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 I made a steel tri pod stand with bolted clamps holding the anvil to it. It's actually faster and easier to tip it up on one leg, pivot, and set it down. I can "walk" the anvil in and out of my garage without struggling over the cracks and bumps in between. The two wheel cart would be more work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katerine Posted March 1, 2019 Author Share Posted March 1, 2019 5 hours ago, JHCC said: Question: why do you need the anvil to be mobile? Makes shop cleaning day SO much easier, multi-craft & -purpose limited shop space, busted spine that left me with a paralyzed leg, interested in keeping the potential for a semi-nomadic shop setup...take your pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 On March 1, 2019 at 9:13 AM, JHCC said: There was a post a while back about someone who mounted hand truck wheels on the back of their anvil with a socket for a pipe handle for levering it back and moving it around. Might be worth looking in the anvil stand threads. That may have been mine. Steel tripod stand with flat-free hand truck wheels. Tilt it a bit and pull the axle and wheels off for use. Takes about 15 seconds. Unscrew handles when not being used, otherwise move like a wheel barrow when needed. If I were to do it again, I'd have put the wheels on a wider stance. My 270ish pound anvil puts the center of gravity a little high for the narrow front wheels, being that the handles are a bit close together too. Or the handle mounts (simple pipe couplers welded to the frame) could have been at an angle for a wider handle spread more like a wheel barrow. Hasn't been an issue as it's rare to move but it could be on uneven ground or slopes. I would also do the wood a little differently if re-making but I used what I had handy in the scrap pile at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 That wasn’t what I was thinking of, but thanks for the reminder. Let me see if I can find what I had in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Wheeled base for a post vise, but could be used for an anvil base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Found it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katerine Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 I was turning this over and over in my mind last night and was treated to a dream of the anvil wandering during hammering on something, then the dolly platform cracked, and before I could pull the next swing, the stand punched through the dolly and tipped over onto my bad leg. Safe to say... I hear y'all on the issues with using a moving dolly. :eek: Because of my bad leg, a hand truck and tipping solution is a higher risk than I'm comfortable with, but it got me thinking. (I almost wish I had gotten the 80 pounder instead of the 165, but....) If I put the stand on a mini pallet, maybe? Downside would be how to move it: from concrete floor over dirt/grass/gravel. There's no such thing as a rough terrain mini pallet jack, is there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I think the stand Kozzy posted would be your best solution, two wheels and two handles would be less likely to tip and the wheels are large enough to go over semi rough ground. Wonder if they make a drone that would lift that much weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katerine Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 Can't push a wheelbarrow with only one working leg. Believe me, I've tried. At best, it's exhausting and an exercise in keeping one's temper. If they do make a drone like that, I can tell you I'll never be able to afford USAF prices! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 I’m wondering if you might consider a moveable platform on spring-loaded casters. If you get the springs right, you could roll it where you need it, and when you step into the platform, your own weight would push it the rest of the way to the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katerine Posted March 2, 2019 Author Share Posted March 2, 2019 Sounds promising. I'll look into it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADHD-forge Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 i would use retractible casters witch are lever operated in the sense that when u use the lever the anvil would lift and the lever would be your steering and the when you release the lever it would be solid on the ground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Consider a set of 8 or 10 inch 2 wheel dolly wheels set wide enough to be stable. Raise one end of the anvil and base up and insert the wheels and axles into a receiver and insert a keeper pin. Raise the other side of the anvil and base and insert the 3nd set of wheels and axle into a receiver on that end, and insert a keeper pin. Idea is to make a the anvil and base wheeled so it can be moved. Once in place, remove the wheels. Tripod and swivel to the axle on one end for steering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 An arrangement like the retractable wheels on an old-fashioned typewriter table (remember those?) might be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave51B Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Got a tractor with 3 pt. hitch? Maybe a boom pole. Shot in the dark....... Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Okay, here's my thinking. Lifting is out as is balancing a weight on 2 wheels, bad leg challenge. So, make a steel stand and inside the legs weld smaller square tubing for "receivers" a smaller size will telescope into the as "barbs". Find 3 nice sized rubber wheels and tires, two that roll, one a caster. The larger they are the easier wheels roll. With me so far? Slip a couple pieces of the smaller sq. tubing "barbs" into the "receivers" welded between the stand's legs. The barbs don't need to be very long at all, maybe 6" max inserted into the receivers. Keep them even and weld a cross bar between them across the ends. Making sure the barbs slide easily in the receivers, weld a second cross bar spaced as follows. I'd have to check for the right distance I don't know off the top of my head what diameter axle the rubber tires from the Hardware store need. You want the cross bars spaced so the hex head of the right dia. bolt slips in easily but can't rotate. Yes? The bolt is to pass through the smaller sq. tubing with the head kept in place by the cross members, the rubber wheel slides on the bolt and you secure it with a washer and a fiberlock nut. Make sense so far? The front half of the roller works just like the rear, except you weld a piece of thin plate in the center to bolt the caster wheel to instead of drilling for axle bolts. Yes? Does this make sense? Give me a shout if not, I'm winging it here and will be happy to clarify. That's the whole thing. To move your anvil use a convenient prying tool say a shovel. Slip it under one of the stand's legs and pry it off the ground far enough to slip the rear wheel assembly barbs into the receivers. Do the same on front. Viola, anvil is off the ground on a easy to maneuver wheeled thingy. You can sit on the anvil and pole yourself around the shop if you wish. Reverse the process to take the wheels off but you can work the shovel from the far side through and under the stand and push the wheels off if you aren't steady enough to pull the wheel assemblies off. I understand stability issues I live with them every day. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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