Mankel Anvil

[bigb]

I have a chance to add to my collection, I have not yet seen it in person but the owner sent me this pic and is interested in trading it for some electrical work we are doing on his fix-up house. He said it weighs 125 lbs. I have Googled Mankel anvils and read some older threads on them and I see they are good anvils (with the exception of the stolen castings but I don't know when that was, or if there will be a date on this one). I also read that Mr Mankel was still around a few years ago  and I might give him a call. In the condition shown with the stand what do you think, $300-$400?

[Rojo Pedro]

Looks like a good one b.  

Here in the SOAZ that would go $400-500 easy. 

[bigb]

Thanks RP, have you been to any of the Tucson open forge events?

[Rojo Pedro]

I have. Everyone is real friendly and its a great place to meet our brethren.

They get a good crowd and normally have several forges - anvils going. They encourage the kids and newbies to give it a try which I like  

I need to join the group and keep forgetting. I will tonite - thanks for the reminder and maybe see you at the next one  

[bigb]

I've gone to many but will really miss Harold Hilborn, his were the best. You've probably seen us, myself, my son and my grandson have gone. Grandson in 1st pic me and him in 2nd pic. One time they put his picture in the monthly magazine

[bigb]

I finally got it. She weighs in at 115 lbs and I got the following rebound with my ball bearing: HORN=75-80%, FACE BETWEEN HORN & HARDIE HOLE=90+%, HEEL=80%. The top is very nice and flat with no pitting. There are some welds on it where someone put on a couple of springs and also appear to be  some beads on the front of the base. My cost was one service call, then when I went to pick it up he said the arena light was out so I fixed that in 30 min plus one new photocell so really I barely got anything but some of my time into it and about 1.5 hrs of my helper's time ($33) and a $15 photocell. This make #3 for me, all good quality ones. Seems like in the beginning you try to find anvils, then after a while they find you. Oh almost forgot, I got a nice heavy stand with it.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

Very good find. The spring may have been for a chain stock hold down

[bigb]

9 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said:

Very good find. The spring may have been for a chain stock hold down

There's a spring on each side and I think they were hooked into the stand. I'm thinking about grinding them off, the welds look like bird poop anyways. 

[Marc1]

Grind away with the conviction of the righteous.

Never ceased to amaze me what people do for (not) anchoring anvils.

If there is something I can not watch is a bouncing anvil. 

[bigb]

15 hours ago, Marc1 said:

Grind away with the conviction of the righteous.

Never ceased to amaze me what people do for (not) anchoring anvils.

If there is something I can not watch is a bouncing anvil. 

Not sure what you are trying to say, you would leave them? I always secure my anvils but not with welds.

[Marc1]

Ha ha ... what I am saying is that you are correct and to grind that ugly spring off the anvil.

You can then anchor properly with U bolts flat bar, anything solid. A spring is only good to stop he anvil from ringing, not stopping it from bouncing around. 

[bigb]

Ah got it. Ringing never really bothered me anyway, I had heard that springs or magnets can reduce it but didn't really notice any difference on my other anvils when I tried a magnet. No neighbors close to my shop either.

[Irondragon Forge ClayWorks]

If your anvils ring loudly, I encourage you to wear hearing protection or your ears will soon ring like mine do. I have quietened all my anvils by setting them in calking compound and solidly anchoring to the stands.

[Marc1]

Yep ... tinnitus (perception of a non existing ringing) is very annoying. I had tinnitus since I was a teen from the times when hearing protection was only for a wuss.

This days I use hearing protection for any activity, from forging to mowing the lawn, chainsaw, nailgun, everything requires some form of hearing protection for me. 

 

[George Geist]

The springs were for a saddle type hold down. They were sold by thoro'bred for fastening down swage blocks. An anvil equipped as such is indicative that a previous owner was practicing swaging race plates. 

There were as many ways to fasten a hold down as there were to pull a clip but those tack welded pieces were sold by them and worked pretty well. 

Guy that had it was probably practicing for his union (JHU) test. If only anvils could talk.

George