FlatLiner Posted December 13, 2022 Share Posted December 13, 2022 Both my Sisco and Columbian anvils are glued to metal tripod stands using silicone. Both are quiet enough to use without hearing protection. But the forklift tine post anvil that is bolted to a granite base on the other hand is loud as a church bell. I had to wrap that one with a chain to quiet it down and even then it's still louder than the other two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 13, 2022 Author Share Posted December 13, 2022 I like that inner tube idea, I was actually thinking about that the other day. First I have to get an anvil, but I am going to line out my forge first. Twisted has one and a blower I am buying on Friday. Going to get them home and start figuring out how to fix the ash trap and blower connections. It is a large round cast iron forge and will need some work, but I am sure I can get it lined out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Bullet Posted December 13, 2022 Share Posted December 13, 2022 Getting back to the subject, I know I said I wasn't in a hurry about buying one of these, but after thinking about it a bit I went ahead and ordered one. It came fast! It was in an intact crate, FedEx backed up my driveway to deliver next to the house, (I was there and took possession with a hand truck) after opening, yeah, there is some bondo and patches on the underside, but the top is pristine flat and hard, providing twice the surface area and many more options for pounding metal than my old anvil. That is good. And it only cost $239.99 delivered. That is cheap! Sometimes there are exceptions to the rules. Now, is it the best? No. I will probably do some mods to make my hardy tools fit and besides the odd location of the pritchel it is much too large and needs cleaning out. I'll probably do some grinding and flap disc work on the horn, but that is part of the fun. I will never get rid of my old anvil. I don't know what brand it is. I think it was a cast iron with a welded on face. It has the vague shape of an eagle on one side. It's adequate, but not great, but it was one that was given me by my wife's grandfather who I loved very much. The sentimental value far outweighs any practical value it may have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 14, 2022 Author Share Posted December 14, 2022 That old Anvil your wife's grand pa gave you probably would have some great stories to tell of all the metal forged on that welded surface. At one point I thought I was going to have to find a piece of hardened steel and weld it to a harbor freight anvil... but found out about these anvils and relaxed, they are within my price range. (Honestly I dont think my welding skills would have done the trick, last time I tried welding cast iron I just burned the cast iron...). I am still deciding on which of these to buy. The 66 lb is cheaper and gets me started, but the. There is 110 and 136 lb anvils. I know my self very well, I get the 66lb, and it won't be long before I am buying the larger anvil anyways... doesn't matter if I actually need it or not, my mind will justify it's purchase anyway, I know how I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lary Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 Just like with muscle cars there is no replacement for displacement. I see the 60kg version (with the blue paint) keep coming up on sale. Maybe just a regional thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 16, 2022 Author Share Posted December 16, 2022 I hope I can catch the larger one on sale when I am ready to buy. In the mean time I do have a small section of railroad track.. I actually forgot I had it. It isn't very big but I think for drawing out S hooks and getting a feel for how to work a forge, manage a fire, and how to move the metal... it is a start. I also have a Harbor Frieght Anvil I bought a few years beck (before I knew better) I figure I can scar that thing up real good while learning technique and hammer control. Maybe when I get a better Anvil, I won't mess it up trying to learn... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 Oh man, there is a pawn shop i frequent, they had a 200 lb anvil they sold for 100 bucks last week, i found out earlier today when i stopped in, so now there is a note to all employee's to call me if anything like that comes in again. i hate it when i miss the great deals... well might have been a great deal, i actually don,t have any information on the anvil in question, but i wish i would have known..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Bullet Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 As I mentioned earlier, I am making a few modifications to my new Vevor 132. First I made an adapter for the one inch hardy to fit my 3/4 inch hardy tools. It’s just square tubing with about an inch of the sides folded down to make a flange to hold it in place. Then I used my flap disc grinder to round off a part of the far face corner. The round hole (I don’t think it was ever intended to be a pritchel) is much too large to use while punching holes. I have a few stainless steel rollers. I don’t remember where they came from but the hole in the middle was just right. I turned it to fit on the lathe and milled a flat to match. I’m pretty happy with the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Nice adaptation. It will be much more useful than the big hole. How do you like the Vevor for forging on? How is the rebound? GNM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 17, 2022 Author Share Posted December 17, 2022 this is what i what i want to know... i like that what you did with the Roller there, i will have to keep an eye out honestly i have heard about this overly large pritchel on these anvil and how they could be a problem, and it being placed poorly on the anvil. i will thinking close to you idea with a block of steel covering that matched the deck height of the anvil, cut to fit over the horn with something welded to the bottom to hold it in that pritchel or what ever it is. since i have not gotten mine yet, it was only thoughts, but the way you did that one looks to simplify the my solution. I was worried my solution wouldnt have enough steel meat to take the blows. Since i never heard anyone suggest this, i am assuming drilling a pritchel hole on the back end of the anvil is a BAD idea? In all the reviews i have read and watched not one person have ever suggested it, so i am assuming that wouldnt be a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Bullet Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 I originally thought I would cut my pritchel mod flush with the surface but thought better of it. The roller has a nice radius to start easy bends as it is and if it gets in the way I can just pop it out. The face has reportedly been hardened to ~45-55. This would make drilling difficult unless you spot-annealed it with a torch, a chancy operation IMHO. George - Rebound is reasonable, not exceptional. It is slightly better than my old anvil but not so hard that I would worry about chipping or cracking on a miss hit. I'm satisfied with it. The increased work area over my old anvil feels almost luxurious. I was considering a Rigid 165, but I don't think I can see over $1100 USD difference in what I could do with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 Drilling a pritchel: I've seen it done on some early anvils; of course they tended to be fairly soft ones...Remember this is a tool and not a graven idol.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatLiner Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 13 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Drilling a pritchel: ...Remember this is a tool and not a graven idol.... Lol Thomas, some people won't like your comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 It's OK; I'm worrying less and less about things lately; but please remember I have a fairly good alibi now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Bullet Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 1 hour ago, ThomasPowers said: Remember this is a tool and not a graven idol.... Said the man with a "harem of anvils". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 That was my wife's term for my paltry few anvils.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted December 17, 2022 Share Posted December 17, 2022 I think they're all like that Thomas. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 18, 2022 Author Share Posted December 18, 2022 I missed a good deal on a large anvil at one of my local pawn shops, told the owner call me next time something like that comes in. Also have an auctioneer who does a lot of the local estate sales and such looking for items for me and is going to call if he finds something at an auction. I can see a need for two maybe three anvils, just for around the shop, more than that and i think my wife will put her foot down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 Okay here is a serious question, the Acciaio Anvils they sell on Vevor's site come in three sizes. 66lb, 110lb, and 132lb. now i am thinking the 110lb anvil. honestly I think the 66lb is too light, and the cost difference between the 110 and the 132 doesnt justify the added cost of 60 dollars for 22lbs more weight. I have seen good reviews on all these anvils on you tube, from more than one smith, they never say wow this is great but all agree it is a good beginners anvil that works well. so i am looking to buy one this weekend, and after finish repairing the plumbing to my house... (thank cold weather snap for the extra chores) i am going to work on a wood block base for the Anvil. and wait for the anvil's arrival. Hopefully soon i will be cranking out tools, hardies, and small project developing my skills. So is the extra cost worth the extra 22lbs? or will I be just fine on the 110 lb model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I have used our 110 pound Vulcan for 30+ years and never wished we had a larger one. Probably because we have a 30 pound Star Power hammer for larger stock work. Although the small extra cost would be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted December 30, 2022 Author Share Posted December 30, 2022 Small 26 lbs and they want almost 60 dollars more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George N. M. Posted December 30, 2022 Share Posted December 30, 2022 I think I'd spring for the extra $60. While you may say, "This anvil is too light for the work I am doing." it is less probable that you will say, "This anvil is too heavy." That said, I started out with a 100# Vulcan and it worked well for me for years. I still have it as my backup/student/travelling anvil. I wouldn't recommend anything less than about 100# unless nothing else was available/affordable. "By hammer and hand all arts dio stand." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted January 2, 2023 Author Share Posted January 2, 2023 Well i did it, and the 132lb is on the way... I also go lucky and found a guy with some new cross Ties, he wants 25 each s i am going to buy two of them, and use at least one to make my Anvil stand out of. I am actually going to bury one end of the stand about 2 foot into the ground, then lay another tie side ways at the base to mount my harbor freight anvil to, and my plan is to use it as a upsetting block until I find something better, for that matter i have that RR track piece i could use as an upsetting block... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 "Don't build a stand till your anvil's in hand!" (To get the height right.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkans Posted January 8, 2023 Author Share Posted January 8, 2023 I got some measurements from the site I bought from it has the height listed, so I have made a plan, but since I don't have the ties yet or the anvil it is all on hold... tomorrow I am going to looking for some red clay to mix with some fire brick and wood ash to clay in my forge.. still need to get the plate and pipes to make my air inlet and ash dump with. I did find a nice cross pine 8lb sledge and made a handle today for it and cleaned it up. And I have cleaned up my forge body, and just try to figure out where I want to lay everything out in my work area. Eventually I want to put a shed cover over my work area so I am trying to lay it all out with that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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