MNG Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 Hey guys, Started this hobby about a year ago and have been using a railroad anvil until now. A Mouse Hole anvil showed up in my area that has been repaired. Wanted to know what you guys think. Its 180lb and he is asking $500 Should i stay away or is a good deal?? This is the link to the craigslist ad link removed Any help or advice is much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 Welcome aboard MNG (are you merciless?) glad to have you. If you'll put your general location in the header you'll have a better chance of meeting up with members living within visiting distance. I wouldn't touch it for more than maybe $100. If I needed another hardy hole. A new face that's perimeter welded on can't have very good rebound. For $1000 and a bit you can buy a new anvil that isn't an ASO. Perimeter welding a "new" face on was written up in some blacksmithing books about when arc welding was becoming practical. Unfortunately I've never heard of it working very well in the real world. I'd pass, at a distance. Even if I needed a better anvil than a piece of RR rail. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 You might post some pictures, seeing as commercial links are not allowed. Hard to tell anything about the repair, unless like Frosty and saw the post before the link was removed. That being said I would unequivocally trust Frosty's evaluation. BTW: Welcome from the Ozark mountains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNG Posted March 6, 2022 Author Share Posted March 6, 2022 Ok here are some pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 Frosty is right, the person who "repaired" it did more harm than good with just a perimeter weld. Probably didn't do a full contact weld with proper preheat. If the welder had followed the best way to repair an anvil it would be worth the $500 but I wouldn't pay that much the way it is. I would be surprised if that plate didn't come off after not much use. If the seller will tell you who repaired the anvil with contact info. I would ask them if they followed this. https://www.iforgeiron.com/topic/16998-robb-gunther-and-karl-schuler39s-anvil-repair-process/ http://www.anvilmag.com/smith/anvilres.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 The third pic from the top with the Mousehole logo, etc. shows a weld that looks to be breaking at the edge of the bead. Of course it just might be a spot the weld cold lapped at the edge of the puddle, just the sort of thing that happens when welding on wrought iron. Bear in mind I could be seeing something that isn't there on my screen. But it sure looks like it from here. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.