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Caster wheels on my anvil base


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Hello  i am new to this forum and have a dim question...i am a new blacksmith rookie and was lucky enough to come across a 200# anvil sitting on a 100# iron base.  i put 4 caster wheels on the bottom of the base to move it around my shop.  each wheel has a small rubber surface area around the rim.  Is this a no no and potentially "deadening" the impact of the hammer blows?

 

Thank you for your advice...

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The anvil stand I was using up till this weekend was constructed of a large (20" diameter) hardwood stump placed on a custom 3 wheel dolly.  Two of the wheels were rather heavy steel on a simple 3/4" steel shaft.  The front support was a heavy duty rotating double steel caster that had enough friction to "lock in place".  My anvil was around 125# and this worked just fine for me. 

I think the 100# stand you have will add enough inertia to address most of you efficiency concerns for vertical hammer blows.  However if you ever use your anvil for any other type of work (upsetting off the far edge, tapering using the horn or anvil edges, opening up a v-groove...) you may find the anvil moving under you around the floor.  I would consider using the casters to move the anvil to locations desired, then rigging a system to lift the stand and chock the wheels up off the floor in use.  I would also be concerned about the rubber wheels getting damaged in a shop with a lot of hot steel flying around.

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The wheels are a good way to maximise your floor space. Rubber will eventually wear out, get damaged or burned, but that does not mean it is a bad idea. You will be the judge of that.

As for affecting hammering, the principle of the anvil effect is that the anvil mass will absorb the hammer blows even if suspended by rubber straps in mid air. The base is there only to make sure your anvil stays put and does not rock or wander. If you don't have brakes on your wheels, get a pair of hardwood wedges to block the base from rolling. 200 lb is a decent size and will take a lot of banging before moving anywhere.

What is it that you forge? 

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  • 1 month later...

Hello Jonathan Lee

Wheels on the bottom of your anvil stand is for sure a great way to move a heavy anvil around. 2 problems i have had with the issue of wheels on an anvil stand are that striking over time will damage the wheels / casters. Also, kind of goes without saying but anything on wheels can move easier, even with breaks.

What I would suggest is offset wheels on at the back side of your stand, attach them on the side of the stand instead of underneath. I have attached a picture of my anvil stand with this setup.....( ok, i had to take an image from the net because I cant seem to upload a picture from my cellphone camera, sorry )

This way it is 100% on the floor and not the casters giving you great even support and it will not move at all. When you want to move it you just have to tilt it back onto the casters and roll it away.

This setup will prevent any kind of damage to the wheels / casters and give your stand full contact on the ground for great support and even spreading impact force from striking over a wider area underneath the stand and not just the small spots where your wheels / casters are attached and contact the ground. I have this setup on all my anvil stand and i find it works great. Just an idea for you. 

Happy Heatin' and Beatin'!!!

Anvil Wheels - 1.jpg

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29 minutes ago, JCL BlackSmith said:

I cant seem to upload a picture

Welcome aboard, have you read this yet?  READ THIS FIRST  It will help you get the best out of the forum with tips like editing your profile to show your location and many others, some will help in staying under the moderators radar.:) To upload a picture it needs to be resized smaller so it doesn't time out.

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  • 1 year later...

Good Morning My Good Folks,  

I have been working on a version of the Diresta anvil stand so I would have an anvil stand that I can have retractable rollers. If you want to see that example check Youtube. I think in the end JCL has the most reliable solution since it is a fixed set of wheels.  I am using a car jack to lower the castors but I do not have the right castors for the load. 

Good luck, have a good holiday season and be well.  

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