Anvil Stand

[Arbalist]

As so many have shared their ideas (thanks!) for an Anvil Stand I thought maybe I should show my effort. In order not to upset the neighbours too much I had decided on something made from wood rather than risk a steel stand that might be a little noisy? I had hoped to just use a lump of tree trunk but haven't been able to find anything, next up was to use some large lumps of scrap timber but again nothing to be had locally. You can bet various items will crop up now I have a stand I ended up buying the timber at a garden centre ("garden sleeper") at more than I wanted to spend - free is nice if you can get it! Pictures show construction, simply bolted together with threaded rod. I cut the centre piece longer and laid it on edge to improve stability. The "handle" at the top looks like wood but is in fact some composite alloy/resin tube I had to hand. The whole thing seems to work well.

Vic.

[ThomasPowers]

I like your design, timbers run vertically so there is good coupling, (not the program!), and less loss of energy. you have a hand hold to lift by if needed.

Myself I would have pushed the piece laying on it's side more toward having the working side flat so I wouldn't trip on it when I moving fast to get a weld.

You could also use it to support an upsetting plate, I think the hammer handles will pick up a bit of scale the way they are sticking up. May not be a problem if the Surrey you are in is the UK but out in the New Mexican (USA) desert all wood *wants* to burn!

Now brand your forge name into the flat sides! (but don't breath the smoke, if it's garden lumber it's toxic!)

You won't need the following advice for years, (or until your *next* anvil); but for other people: To find a stump in thickly settled areas calling a tree trimming and removal service can help. You may have to give them a couple of quid; but on the other hand you can request the exact length you want. Over here I would causually offer a sixpack of beer to a crew doing the work for such "unbilled" services.

[Arbalist]

I needed the handle as I'll be working mainly outside in summer and a little in the garage in winter, so easy movement seemed a must. Yes, I did think of putting an upsetting plate on it but was not sure how well it would work, perhaps the wood would absorb too much of the impact? If I try it how thick should the plate be do you think 3/4" or maybe an inch? Thanks for the input! Surrey, UK by the way.

Vic.

[ChrisB]

Some nice looking "kit" you have there.

[philip in china]

Good to see another Brooks anvil! Forging with ball pein hammers. You are as British as I am.

[Rob Browne]

Great desing that I am going to "steal" and as Philip said the ball pein hammer is very useful :)

[Arbalist]

I like the old English Ball Pein pattern hammers, but the three in the middle (upside down) are 1.5, 1.0 and 0.8 kg German cross pein hammers - which I'm starting to like .....

Vic.

[inazuma_x]

yeah i've always been fond of ballpeins too...though the exclusivity of cross/straight/diagonal pein hammers is kinda nice too not to mention their usefulness they're pretty much impossible to buy off the shelf down here in AU though...i did see a cheap chinese one (with a plastic haft) that was marked as a demolition hammer...$9...i bought it coz you cant really go wrong for $9...have yet to use it...am kinda afraid its going to explode the second i hit anything with it though have got a new hardwood haft for it and everything...just need to fit it...

[Arbalist]

I know what you mean, they do seem hard to find here in the UK until you know where to look. They also have different names which doesn't help. Over here they often call them machinists hammers although I did see a 0.8kg one in a well known DIY store marked as a "Flooring Hammer"! In Germany they tend to be called Locksmiths Hammers (Schlosserhammer). The heavier shorter head pattern are called Smiths Hammers (Schmied Hammer). Shipping could be a problem, but there are often many of these on eBay.de.
Schlosserhammer Peddiman Hickory, 1000 Gramm bei eBay.de: Handwerkzeuge (endet 16.09.08 20:20:51 MESZ)

Vic.

[philip in china]

Inazuma, You will be amazed to hear that we use a lot od Chinese hammer heads here. Most are very good although some need to be heat treated to get best performance. A western hickory handle and away you go. (The local handles could be better. If there is a flaw in them they stick a label over it).

Arbalist, on my 280lb Brooks I have a piece of 20mm plate nailed to the stump on which it sits. Actually 2 pieces which are sort of half moon shaped with a cut out the shape of the anvil base. That way they stop the anvil skipping about. I use them for upsetting but yes I think some of the force probably is absorbed but they do work. My number two anvil is a hofi of the same size. Of course that has the wonderful upsetting feet as one of the many revolutionary design features.

Of course for long upsets I don't think you can better a drop from a very heavy cut just on the floor in one corner of the shop. Bolt it down if you want but it isn't going to walk off. Better still embed it in the floor so it is the same level as the rest of the deck then you cannot have any problems from a trip hazard.

[ThomasPowers]

On upsetting plate: I'd go for as thick as you can find I have some 2-3" thich steel that sixe I'd use---or part of a tine for a fork lift would fit there and be a great surface to hammer on---make sure it's demountable so you can lighten the stand for moving.

Ballpeins; *very* common in the USA at boot sales, fleamarkets, etc. So much so that we often buy them and forge them into other things, tomahawks, punches, dishing hammers, hot cuts. For ones under 2 pounds in weight I try not to pay more than US$1 for them---and I have a bucket of them as stock for projects. I try to buy the ones that are not handled as they are cheaper and the handles will generally need replacing anyway---at one sale there was one I was trying to buy cheap and the seller kept harping oh how it had a brand new handle in it---so I easily pulled out the handle from the head and said he could keep the handle now how much for just the head...