myoconstruct Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 Hello, my name is Jared. I am collecting equipment to start blacksmith. I have a few anvils im looking at within an hour drive from my house and i would appreciate any advise on what anvil you would choose. Pics 1-4 are of a Hay-Buddon made in Brooklin NY. The owner says he thinks its dated from the late 1890s. He cant find a serial number. He is asking $800. The 5th pic is of a fisher stamped 1910 and 25( i think), it weighs 250lbs. The owner painted it all black except for the top. He is asking $700. It comes with the stand. Pics 6and 7 are of a Peter Wright 150lb. I dont have anymore info on it. It comes with the base. He is asking $700 I havent done any rebound testing, I dont have a ball bearing. Quote
Jonnytait Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 Hi Jared, welcome to the forum. Now this is just my opinion, but if I was you I wouldn't buy any of them. Many people will tell you that an older anvil is a better but that's not always the case. I would be looking into buying a new cast steel or cast ductile iron anvil with that budget. Plenty of choices in the USA. For example a brand new cast steel Emerson anvil, 100lb can be had for around $870 Quote
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 Out of all of them, I would pick the Hay Budden (Farriers anvil), although at $5.40 a pound it's over priced I would offer $500. The Fisher has too much damage and the Peter Wright has some damage too. Quote
Marc1 Posted June 14, 2020 Posted June 14, 2020 i like the Hay Budden. Sure you can buy new anvils that are good quality. Problem is that the comparable prices are light farrier anvils and that will limit you in what you can do on them. People will tell you they forged a boat anchor on a railroad track, but the facts are a tad different. What else have you found? 7 minutes ago, Irondragon Forge & Clay said: Out of all of them, I would pick the Hay Budden (Farriers anvil), although at $5.40 a pound it's over priced I would offer $500. The Fisher has too much damage and the Peter Wright has some damage too. Unfortunately, everything seems to be overpriced. Whoever quotes the date of manufacture instead of the weight and condition, is trying to pretend "antiquity" has some sort of value. Quote
myoconstruct Posted June 15, 2020 Author Posted June 15, 2020 After i posted this, i found an farm estate sale on CL with an anvil, swage block, metal work table with vise and a band saw. I connected my trailer and drove 2.5h to his barn. i didnt know about the band saw until i arrived. The anvil is a Hay-Buddon 104 serial number 12407 (see pic). Thats all the pics i have tonight. tomorrow i will post more of the anvil, block, vise and band saw. All for $300. He through in 3 tongs, 3 hammers, 3 hammer heads(need handle) and a bunch of stock metal. Quote
JHCC Posted June 15, 2020 Posted June 15, 2020 Awesome deal. The edge of the anvil is a bit chewed up, but you can work around that (especially if you make a hardy block for when you need a good, clean edge to forge on). Good job moving quickly on the deal. I look forward to seeing the rest of your haul. Quote
forgedinfire123 Posted June 15, 2020 Posted June 15, 2020 If it were me, I would buy all 4 anvils. Anvils are like good health, luck, and brains. One cannot possess too much of any of these Quote
ThomasPowers Posted June 15, 2020 Posted June 15, 2020 Now that was a great deal! (Even with the drive...) Glad you jumped on it as good deals on anvils have a half life of hours if not minutes theses days. Quote
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 15, 2020 Posted June 15, 2020 Only thing I can say is, did you wear a mask during the transaction? Definitely a steal. Quote
myoconstruct Posted June 16, 2020 Author Posted June 16, 2020 It turns out the pic I posted of the rusty fisher isnt the actual one im looking to buy. After stopping by the sellers house today i really wish i took pics of it. I was there to buy a forge. The anvil i was looking at today has a horn in good shape, not deformed on the end. Plus its date is stamped 1910 and 250. I will post pics asap. Pics of items I picked up at estate sale. Quote
Frazer Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 Looks like you made out like a bandit! Some good looking tools there! Looking forward to seeing your shop all set up. While one edge of the anvil has... some signs of use haha, it looks like the other one is in pretty good shape, but maybe that's just the picture. Either way, she still has a lot of life life in her! I am also a little jealous of the flatter, put a handle on that bad boy! Quote
JHCC Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 Really excellent buy. $300 is basically a good deal on the anvil, and everything else for free. Quote
ThomasPowers Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 What he said! Hay Budden is a top drawer anvil; you basically got a great starter package there! Quote
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 Yep... ya done good. One suggestion on the band saw is to take off the gear box cover and grease up the gears. Mine needed it after some 30+ years of use. Quote
Frosty Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 SWEET SCORE!! Good move passing on the others you showed us, especially the one welded to the stand. <shudder> I would've loved having part of that when I was starting out but I lived in Alaska and that trove would probably go for maybe a couple thousand here. There's a local Craigslist selling an 80lb.PW for $700. I hope you bought a lottery ticket that day! Frosty The Lucky. Quote
ThomasPowers Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 Well I see such attempts to sell on a regular basis down here; but I'm hoping that none of them sold at such inflated prices! Quote
Frosty Posted June 16, 2020 Posted June 16, 2020 It's the norm here, a nice 5" Columbian let vise was on Ebay and Craigslist for almost 2 years for $1,600. It finally just disappeared, I expect someone showed up with a $100 or two and took it home. Frosty The Lucky. Quote
myoconstruct Posted June 17, 2020 Author Posted June 17, 2020 This is the fisher i was looking to purchase. Quote
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 17, 2020 Posted June 17, 2020 So that picture is after the owner did a lot of grinding on it... yes, because the picture in the first post #5 looks to be in much worse shape. Also another member bought it. Quote
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