Hi folks, im looking for a budget Anvil, my budget is around 300 dlls ,  My current Anvil is a 25 Lb RR on a 40# wood stand

I know any anvil would be 100 times better than my current anvil.

Atlas and NC are around 300 dlls and 70#... i can get 200# of 10" x 12" in height for 225 dlls, of course no hardy hole, so probably would spend another 50 - 80 to a shop .

if you guys can help i would appreciate it.

been forging for around 6 months, times a week, 3 hours a day average, forging mostly knives, and tools for friend. ive only used 5160 for knives and tools. and a36 for general forging.

complete beginner of course but with lots of will to learn.

Ironpp

Have you tried looking for a big piece of scrap steel?  You can make a portable hole for hardy tooling. A log with a hole lined with square tubing will work for a hardy hole. I use a piece of vertical rail and I don't mind using it. It's 115 lbs though so maybe that's why it seems ok. 

The difference between a big hunk of steel and an anvil is the anvil will have a hardened face but I don't know if the difference in the amount of steel in the 200 lb piece  would make up for it not having a hardened face.

Let the debate begin!

Pnut

I didn't ask what types of things you are going to be making. If it's large projects that require a striker you may be better off with a two hundred pound piece of steel. If you're making small things I might just go ahead and get the 70#  anvil or maybe save up for a little longer and get an anvil in the 120# range.  Tough decision. 

Pnut

New anvils, fall 2019, go for $6.00 to $9.00 per pound. The new standard for anvils and Anvil Hype may help.  Also look up TPAAAT for ways to find an anvil.

 

A collection of improvised anvils should answer a lot of your question.

 

well the 4140 round bar is hardened to 28 from the manufacturer, also ill be making knives and small work.

 

I'd step up to a better improvised anvil plus a good postvise to hold the hardy tools.  Also you can find scrap with square holes already in it; things like wear blades on bulldozers; here's an example folks are probably getting tired of me posting: 2 1"sq holes with round tops, 50 pounds scrap US$10 (The hardys would sit flat if I had drilled a hole in the wood under each one.)

Also have you looked at this one?---120# of 5160 cost of US$25 + time.

http://www.marco-borromei.com/fork.html

I did the exact same thing you are doing when I started. I really wanted to grow in blacksmithing but I was pretty broke so I couldn't afford an anvil. So I went to the machine shop and bought a 130lb drive shaft (7 inch diameter). Yes it was not very hard and there was no hardy or horn bug I made everything from hammers to hooks o that thing. I waited saved and eventually bought a new anvil. I now use that drive shaft as a striking anvil. 

You would be surprised how much you can do on a flat metal surface without a horn. I also will add that the anvil I bought was the NC cavalry (112lb, very good quality) and this is sufficient for working larger stock despite what some would say would require a larger anvil. 

Whatever choice you make, I hope it benefits you to the fullest.

well so the drive shaft would be a good option? i know i need mass for forging, currently hitting with a 4lbs hammer.

 

Any piece of solid steel that's fairly heavy. Don't give yourself tendonitis using a hammer that's too heavy. 

Pnut

Yes the drive shaft will work. Just save up money to get an anvil as you go.

Work the TPAAAT and find an anvil at a reasonable price; save so you can jump on it when the deal appears.  The half life of good anvil deals tends to be measured in hours...