1942 Arm & Hammer Anvil Refurbish and Stand Build

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 14, 2016

1918 & 1942 Arm & Hammer Anvil Refurbish and Stand Build 208lb and 65lb

I wanted to post up the refurbishment of my Arm and Hammer anvil as well as the stand I built for it.

208lb

Its a 1942 from the serial numbers reference in the book Anvils in America.
The two steam hammer forged parts of the anvil were arc welded together at the factory and the hardened steel face was forge welded on.

Arm and Hammer Factory ceased anvil production in 1950 with approximatly 52000 Arm & Hammer anvils made.

The stand was made out of Power pole cross beams and bolted together with 1/2" all thread rod.

railroad track hold downs keep the anvil from moving side to side and railroad spike hold it tight to the surface of the stand

The hammer holder is a control box mount for a railroad terminal box made by wrrsc (western railroad supply co)

IMAG0081_zpsv9yks8k8 by PWRstroke_smoke

IMAG0084_zpsnbthoxoa by PWRstroke_smoke

IMAG0085_zpsoli3hxgk by PWRstroke_smoke

IMAG0082_zpsfc5qstwc by PWRstroke_smoke

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 14, 2016

All cleaned up with remnants of the original paint left behind.

IMAG0088_zpscyi5zyet by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0089_zpsm8hfvxwu by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0090_zpslksknfiu by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0093_zps1uocvkpw by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0094_zpsc18hrw9r by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0100_zpssvsptldn by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickrhttps://flic.kr/p/Vidgc7

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 14, 2016

Power pole crossbeam stand:

IMAG0146_zpsumt7l1jn by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0149_zpscg5omb9p by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0152_zpsk6tqvxbw by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 14, 2016

IMAG0153_zpst15g6uxz by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0167_zpsvndhqyhr by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0168_zpsti6wzvby by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0169_zpszig4emxn by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0170_zpsytqvffm9 by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0172_zpsn7ntcfhe by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG1205_zps0xtcg35o by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

cptn_zippy · Jan 14, 2016

Looks almost too nice to use. Excellent work!

Monkey Milk · Jan 14, 2016

hmm, I got two that looks like that but they say VULCAN on the side. Maybe vulcan bought the rights? Looks good. Did it crack and got welded up?

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 14, 2016

I believe Vulcan was it's own company, they had cast bodies and a similar style hardened face plate. the weld was how they made them from the factory after 1940 they welded the top and bottom hammer forged pieces together.

Monkey Milk · Jan 14, 2016

interesting, thanks for the info.

RustnGrease · Jan 14, 2016

Wow, the face on that looks perfect. I used a similar design on my stand, should serve you well, also great idea using the RR pieces for tie downs, i never thought of that.

ZRX61 · Jan 15, 2016

If that was mine I wouldn't be able to resist firing up the welder & grinder to make the original weld *disappear*. I'd probably also have a go at the underside of tail.

Jazz1 · Jan 15, 2016

Thats a great looking anvil. I had not seen that brand. Good idea on the stand. I used rad supports from old truck to anchor my anvil to a piece of lumber. Secures anvil as well makes it easy enough to drag around shop instead of "walking" the whole unit.. I can also swing the supports down to lift anvil off.
Interesting hammer holder...good to see things repurposed as opposed to running to HF to fill the cart.

FJ 432 · Jan 15, 2016

I like that a lot. Cool stand design. Your idea?

drivesitfar · Jan 15, 2016

Smoke: I'm curious how the rebound is on your anvil since the body was broken and brazed back together about half way up from the feet. this might have been the weld/braze that Milk was asking when you said the top was welded on at the factory.

i'm guessing that weld wasn't done by you because it looks pretty old.

nice looking stand anvil combo and can you take and post another picture of the hammer's holder with the hammer out of it?

thanks

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 15, 2016

Jazz1 said:
Thats a great looking anvil. I had not seen that brand. Good idea on the stand. I used rad supports from old truck to anchor my anvil to a piece of lumber. Secures anvil as well makes it easy enough to drag around shop instead of "walking" the whole unit.. I can also swing the supports down to lift anvil off.
Interesting hammer holder...good to see things repurposed as opposed to running to HF to fill the cart.

Very nice hold down system I love it. Everyone comes up with their own unique ideas for strapping an old anvil down!

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 15, 2016

drivesitfar said:
Smoke: I'm curious how the rebound is on your anvil since the body was broken and brazed back together about half way up from the feet. this might have been the weld/braze that Milk was asking when you said the top was welded on at the factory.

i'm guessing that weld wasn't done by you because it looks pretty old.

nice looking stand anvil combo and can you take and post another picture of the hammer's holder with the hammer out of it?

thanks

That weld halfway up the middle from the feet is an arc weld done at the factory. That is how arm and hammer merged the base and top of the anvil.
With early arm and hammer anvils the top and bottom half were forge welded together later anvils were arc welded together.

The top hardened steel face plate is just forge welded on, Im not sure i they do that before or after the two halves were arc welded together.

the gouge marks on the underneath side of the heal are the left over forge marks from the steam hammer forging.
rebound is over 90% on this one.

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 15, 2016

Ill post a pic of the hammer holder when i get home. I dont have anymore of it close up.

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 19, 2016

some literature advertising how the anvils are made in 2 pieces.

ah1902.jpg.b05e0c2b2369a1cc0cd455f309d95086_zpscyvzm2qy by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

HoosierBuddy · Jan 19, 2016

Nice! I really like the stand too. Great job!

Phil

drivesitfar · Jan 19, 2016

PWR: i had no clue that a new anvil would have that braze or weld across the middle of it when leaving the factory. thanks for the old picture too that i saved to my laptop.

PugetDude · Jan 19, 2016

Great post, PWR!

Black Frog · Jan 19, 2016

The confusion between Arm & Hammer and Vulcan anvils comes from the use of the very similar logo of an arm holding a hammer. The similarities end there.

They are two completely different companies. Vulcan was made by Illinois Iron & Bolt Co. in Carpentersville, Il. The were made similar to Fisher anvils, cast iron body and steel face. But the Vulcan steel face is much thinner, and generally considered to be a lower-quality anvil. You find many of them really beat up. The cast logo on the side is raised above the surface.

The Arm & Hammer anvil is a very high quality wrought iron anvil with a forge welded steel face, made by the Columbus Anvil & Forging Co. in Columbus, OH. They did not make the numbers of anvils that Hay-Budden, Trenton, or Fisher did, but they are just as high quality. You'll find a serial number on the front foot of A&H anvils. The logo is stamped into the surface of the side of the anvil. There were at least four different A&H logos used at different times.

Vulcan anvils have no serialization.

I have lots of advertising from A&H through the years, and even a few photos of the actual plant.

greenbikemike · Jan 19, 2016

Real nice,like the stand,I've been looking for an anvil,my dad had a railroad "homemade" one,I'd settle for that right now.
So I've been looking and I saw 2 Arm & Hammer anvils on Craigslist the other day,listed as big and heavy,they looked to be good shape and very similar to yours,$75.00 each! I did a quick search and TRIED to jump on them....gone...I have to get up earlier.
Nice setup....

Greenbikemike

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 19, 2016

HoosierBuddy said:
Nice! I really like the stand too. Great job!

Phil

Thank you!

drivesitfar said:
PWR: i had no clue that a new anvil would have that braze or weld across the middle of it when leaving the factory. thanks for the old picture too that i saved to my laptop.

your welcome glad you enjoyed the old advertisement.

PugetDude said:
Great post, PWR!

Thank you!

Black Frog said:
The confusion between Arm & Hammer and Vulcan anvils comes from the use of the very similar logo of an arm holding a hammer. The similarities end there.

They are two completely different companies. Vulcan was made by Illinois Iron & Bolt Co. in Carpentersville, Il. The were made similar to Fisher anvils, cast iron body and steel face. But the Vulcan steel face is much thinner, and generally considered to be a lower-quality anvil. You find many of them really beat up. The cast logo on the side is raised above the surface.

The Arm & Hammer anvil is a very high quality wrought iron anvil with a forge welded steel face, made by the Columbus Anvil & Forging Co. in Columbus, OH. They did not make the numbers of anvils that Hay-Budden, Trenton, or Fisher did, but they are just as high quality. You'll find a serial number on the front foot of A&H anvils. The logo is stamped into the surface of the side of the anvil. There were at least four different A&H logos used at different times.

Vulcan anvils have no serialization.

I have lots of advertising from A&H through the years, and even a few photos of the actual plant.

Great Info BlackFrog! Thanks and if you feel like sharing some of your old advertisements that would be much appreciated.

greenbikemike said:
Real nice,like the stand,I've been looking for an anvil,my dad had a railroad "homemade" one,I'd settle for that right now.
So I've been looking and I saw 2 Arm & Hammer anvils on Craigslist the other day,listed as big and heavy,they looked to be good shape and very similar to yours,$75.00 each! I did a quick search and TRIED to jump on them....gone...I have to get up earlier.
Nice setup....

Greenbikemike

Thats is a very good price!!! they never come up that cheap here and if they do they only last minutes on craigslist.

Black Frog · Jan 19, 2016

A&H anvils are a high-quality tool, but they did not spend the time finishing them as nicely as Hay-Budden or others. For example they left noticeable steam hammer forging marks on the underside of the heel. Why spend the time (equals cost) finishing that when no one sees it, and it doesn't really serve a useful purpose? They provided the customer a top quality tool at an affordable price by not doing the unnecessary steps.

Here's an earlier ad from 1902, very "no frills" and basic.

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 19, 2016

Black Frog said:
A&H anvils are a high-quality tool, but they did not spend the time finishing them as nicely as Hay-Budden or others. For example they left noticeable steam hammer forging marks on the underside of the heel. Why spend the time (equals cost) finishing that when no one sees it, and it doesn't really serve a useful purpose? They provided the customer a top quality tool at an affordable price by not doing the unnecessary steps.

Here's an earlier ad from 1902, very "no frills" and basic.

Thats a great ad! I actually kind of like the steam hammer marks. The character of each anvil is so different and the marks just add to that unique character of the arm and hammer.

Columbus Anvil Sept 1916_zpsfsw9giqj by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

IMAG0090_zpslksknfiu by PWRstroke_smoke, on Flickr

Black Frog · Jan 19, 2016

I have had many anvil company signs made up based off of old advertisements, and then "aged" to look old. So based off of the A&H concept of no-frills, just a quality product, I designed this sign layout for A&H. Like I mentioned they had several different logo styles through the years, this composition uses aspects from a few different ones. Basic, plain, but cool.

Enjoy your A&H! They are a great anvil, and if used correctly will be around for another few lifetimes of use.

PWRstroke_smoke · Jan 19, 2016

Wow that is so cool, I would love to have one of those made. Nice work!! A smaller version of that would look great hanging on my new hammer rack

PWRstroke_smoke · Jul 3, 2016

For those anvil gurus out there check out my little 65lb arm and hammer anvil:

1918 65 lb Arm & Hammer Anvil Refurbish & Stand Build

ZRX61 · Jul 3, 2016

I think the temptation to smooth out & polish the horn on that would be too much.

greenleaf4902 · Oct 13, 2021

The base of a Arm &Hammer anvil is not in anyway forged. These are cast of an inexpensive steel. That is why they exhibit the familiar casting lines of the sand mold.

TailGunner3000 · Oct 13, 2021

greenleaf4902 said:
The base of a Arm &Hammer anvil is not in anyway forged. These are cast of an inexpensive steel. That is why they exhibit the familiar casting lines of the sand mold.

Their own advertising clearly says "wrought," which is forged, not cast. Also iron, not steel.

What are you basing your comment on?

greenleaf4902 · Oct 14, 2021

There is a book about anvils . Do you have it?
The base of the anvil is cast. And obviously so, by looking at it.
The body of the anvil is forged from wrought iron. The body of an anvil is not the base. They are two entirely separate components. If you have the book, and read it, you would know that.
Here is a picture of the chapter Arm &Hammer Anvils. Discussion of the A&H base. Trenton anvils did the exact same thing.

Maui · Oct 14, 2021

Black Frog said:
The confusion between Arm & Hammer and Vulcan anvils comes from the use of the very similar logo of an arm holding a hammer. The similarities end there.

They are two completely different companies. Vulcan was made by Illinois Iron & Bolt Co. in Carpentersville, Il. The were made similar to Fisher anvils, cast iron body and steel face. But the Vulcan steel face is much thinner, and generally considered to be a lower-quality anvil. You find many of them really beat up. The cast logo on the side is raised above the surface.

The Arm & Hammer anvil is a very high quality wrought iron anvil with a forge welded steel face, made by the Columbus Anvil & Forging Co. in Columbus, OH. They did not make the numbers of anvils that Hay-Budden, Trenton, or Fisher did, but they are just as high quality. You'll find a serial number on the front foot of A&H anvils. The logo is stamped into the surface of the side of the anvil. There were at least four different A&H logos used at different times.

Vulcan anvils have no serialization.

I have lots of advertising from A&H through the years, and even a few photos of the actual plant.

This looks right. I have a 100+ lb Vulcan anvil (cast) and had owned an 150 lb Arm and Hammer anvil (wrought). They are very different anvils. The Arm and Hammer came with an original cast iron stand which I fortunately decided to keep. I’ve never seen another one of these stands anywhere, including the internet.

steaks&anvils · Oct 14, 2021

Maui said:
This looks right. I have a 100+ lb Vulcan anvil (cast) and had owned an 150 lb Arm and Hammer anvil (wrought). They are very different anvils. The Arm and Hammer came with an original cast iron stand which I fortunately decided to keep. I’ve never seen another one of these stands anywhere, including the internet.

This is GJ, we need pictures of your stand. I'm sure you posted somewhere already, but we want it here too!

Maui · Oct 14, 2021

I've never posted pictures of it anywhere, but I'll be happy to take some and post them here after I return home this weekend. It's an interesting design.

Kscardsfan · Oct 14, 2021

Maui said:
I've never posted pictures of it anywhere, but I'll be happy to take some and post them here after I return home this weekend. It's an interesting design.

Can’t wait to see that.

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