archiphile Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I am about to purchase my first Anvil. The choices are as follows: 300+ pound Peter Wright at $500 Good Flat face and edges 4 5/8" wide face 27" overall 11" high 1 1/4" hardie not sure on the pritchel hole size 250 pound Peter Wright Flat face and good Similar dimensions the problem with this one is that someone mounted a vise on the end of it and cut and drilled holes for it. Which one would you purchase? I told the gentleman that I would be back in the morning to with a decision.Any assistance would be greatly appreciated Best Archiphile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 I would take the first one- without the holes- unless the drilled one is very cheap and you can fix the damage- which is not necessarily an easy job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethersin Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 How much is the 250lb? And is the mount there not salvageable? I don't know much by any mean's, but how long have you been blacksmithing for, and what skill level are you at.. if one is cheaper but your a novice.. it's probably a better idea.. though obviously in the long run the better is ... better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 "Marry them both"! (and sell off one at a profit) What's the price on the "altered one"? Can you still access the hardy hole? If there is a good drop in price due to the alterations I would probably suggest going for it and spending the excess money on other tools. They are both large anvils and I hope you don't move very often. If they are about the same per pound cost go for the larger unaltered one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
divermike Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 It all depends on what it is for, if permanent and stationary, I would go for the bigger one, I have one and it is the best. The whole drill and tapped thing would be interesting to see, but probably not too good for the anvil. If it is going to have to be moved alot, neither is a easy one for that. Can you take pics and show us your decision? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 What Thomas said. If you can convince the seller the drilled one is indeed damaged goods and get it at a reduced price I'd buy both. All things being equal, I'd buy the larger. With the smaller altered, it'd be no contest in my mind. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 Thomas $250 is the price on the altered one. All, I am experienced in metal working as I have been a professional welder for 10 years. I am rather familiar with steel and such. This would be moved maybe three times total. From his shop to my car, from car to dolly, from dolly to stand and stop. The other tools I can make and I am building my own forge (coal) so the issue really comes down to ROI. If I sell a mortising chisel, for example, for $80 to $100 and work for four days a week I could pay off the purchase fairly quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happycat Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I'd probably go for the cheaper one as long as the holes don't interfere with the work surface. If it's still in nice shape even with the holes, 250.00 is a lot to pay for an extra 50 lbs of steel (for the big anvil). Of course, if you can swing the bucks, buy em both and sell the one you don't like on ebay. They seem to fetch pretty good money there.... Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Dean Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 What ThomasP said, buy both only make a counter offer for them. Maybe $100-150 less for the 2...the worst he can say is 'No'. $600-650 for the pair...just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Bigger is better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archiphile Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 Why is bigger better. What does a heavier anvil accomplish that a smaller one will not. Is it a matter of efficentcy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Yes, the more mass under the work the more abuse the work takes at every blow. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Bigger is more inertia---when you strike down on a piece the anvil "strikes up" due to inertia so the bigger and more solidly mounted an anvil is the more work goes into moving the metal and the less is lost in moving the anvil and stand. It is noticable when switching from a small anvil to a large one that you work faster and with less effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 one of the shop anvils weighes 7 cwt and is on a cast stand filled with concrete ,the stand isnt very high! , all the strikers that have worked on it ,say the hammer just falls through the iron ,the down side i find is that big anvils can be hard work and slow you down shoemaking ,you need skates on to get from the pike to the pritchill hole and if the work needs to work around the anvil ,its a long way ,olso you can catch your knuckles when chopping down over the far edge on a anvil thats 7 or 8 ins wide , we used them for heavy work ,for a good jobbing anvil i think 5 cwt is a good size about 5 1/2 to 6 ins wide and about a yard long ,the heavy anvil is 8 ins wide and 42 in long and thats too long for the sort of work i finished up doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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