Show me your ANVIL

[Outlawmws]

Wow! VERY nice job on those! That msut have been some hours!

 

[LuckeyLoser]

Many many countless hours.

 

[harley jim]

I just found this thread, there are some nice anvils here

 

[Jackfre]

This is my 98# Hay Buden. Nice anvil but I have hardly touched it, so time for a new home.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Thought I would ask the opinion of the informed here. I have these four anvils. I plan on keeping only one and thought I'd ask what the consensus is on the best one. First, I am not a blacksmith. I want to keep the best one as an option for down the road. The one on the bottom is a Vulcan about 110lbs, second up is the Mouse hole forge maybe around 100lbs, third is a Trenton about 85lbs, and the top one is a Fisher maybe 75lbs. The vulcan is probably the most chipped around the edges but the heaviest. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[Outlawmws]

What does the bounce test show you? I'd started there.

How bad is the chipping on the Vulcan?

 

[Adk Mike]

This one I’ve had for a few years. No markings on it it weights 242 pounds.
I use it in the shop. It was a nice find.

 

[harley jim]

I pick this up for 65.00 it looks like a Hay Buden but there are no Mark's on it to prove either way

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

What does the bounce test show you? I'd started there.

How bad is the chipping on the Vulcan?

It's pretty significant chipping on all the edges. I've looked at a few videos and I think it's within my skillset to repair it (which I will probably do if I sell it or not). As far as the bounce test the Trenton and the Mouse Hole are the highest rebound.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'd pic one of those two then, all other factors ignored...

 

[Zelo]

This is my 98# Hay Buden. Nice anvil but I have hardly touched it, so time for a new home.

How much are you looking to get for it?

 

[Chris Christiansen]

Hi Everyone. New to this forum. Found an anvil today and thought I'd share some pics with you. Also, hoping someone could offer some info on origins of the possible maker. I think this anvil is a West cast steel brand, circa 1930's? but I'm not positive. Could anyone confirm, please? thanks! And I'm sure most folks want to know how I found it and details.
Antique shop, northern Illinois.
Sale tag said WEST brand and weighs 114 lbs
I paid $560 for it, so that's about $4.90 / lb.
Very loud ring, rebound seems consistent across the face/table and is remarkably flat, "heel-to-shelf" (lengthwise).
Thoughts anyone?

 

[harley jim]

I dont have any info for you, but that's a nice looking anvil

 

[Zelo]

I think you got a great deal. Everyone in my area seems to think any anvil is worth $1000 regardless of weight or condition

 

[Zelo]

Here is the small Vulcan I was given. I just threw the straps together and I’ll be bolting it to a big ponderosa round. There is 1” dense rubber under the anvil which hopefully will deaden sound to some degree. I think it should do the trick

 

[ncgun99]

Picked these two up today. They are never for sale where I am or crazy expensive. Still paid too much but been wanting one for a while.
The smaller one will get cleaned up and go back for sale.

 

[Zelo]

How much does the smaller one weigh and what are you looking to get?

 

[ncgun99]

How much does the smaller one weigh and what are you looking to get?

It’s 122 lbs. I’m cleaning it up right now then I’ll know better for a price.

 

[Vwpower]

this is all I have

 

[Zelo]

Let me know

It’s 122 lbs. I’m cleaning it up right now then I’ll know better for a price.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Not an anvil, but smithy related...

I inherited a post vise that someone had cut the post off of to mount on a bench (yeah, I don't get it, but... ) It's otherwise a great vise, but man, I've seen vises like that (similar situation, cut off post vise) with busted off mounting tabs.

I'm wondering if it's possible to effectively replace the missing post (with, IDK, round stock or something) so I can get some strength back in it, or if a repair like that wouldn't be worth it.

 

[Zelo]

You might be able to braze some round stock to it. I’ve never seen a repair like that on a post vise but I’m sure you could figure something out

 

[jpickar]

I would weld it with some medium strength rod. Strong enough to take the beating but not so hard as to crack and break from use. Grind each end you are going to weld to a cone shape and build the weld up until you have it larger than the post diameter and then use a hand grinder and file to get it to shape and you would have a repaired post vise that would last a long time.

 

[Zelo]

Welding will definitely work if the vise is forged and not cast.

 

[Outlawmws]

Lassen, the primary load on the post is straight down. That was the purpose of the post to begin with, so definitely yes, repairable. Make a bit of a socket in the vise "base" - bevel as mentioned, and weld/braze.

Add a flange at the bottom to take the load. Most flanges are really small so I would make it a bit larger. maybe 1- or 1-1/2" larger than the OD all around (so 2-3" in diameter bigger)

 

[Renegade1LI]

Just thought this would put into perspective how cool school was way back when!

 

[racecougar]

It's old, heavy, and rusty, but it's handy from time to time.

 

[Augus7us]

I have a couple post vices. One the leg is short on. My plan was to use a piece of pipe as a coupler and a piece of round stock and weld them together.

Like mentioned all you need is something to transfer hammer blows down the post to the floor.

 

[Augus7us]

It's old, heavy, and rusty, but it's handy from time to time.

Nice anvil. Get it up on a log or some 4x4's so you still have a back.

And folks, please don't hit cold metal on your anvil face. All that does is nick and damage the hardened steel face and that transfers into your work.

 

[racecougar]

Nice anvil. Get it up on a log or some 4x4's so you still have a back.

And folks, please don't hit cold metal on your anvil face. All that does is nick and damage the hardened steel face and that transfers into your work.

It was just a random photo from 8 years ago...the only one on this computer showing that anvil.

I still have a back.

 

[CHRIII]

Finally finished refurbishing my dad's Columbian anvil. I posted it earlier (much) here. I wire wheeled it and soaked it in EvaproRust. I then put on multiple thin layers of Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO) and then allowed it to dry in the sun between layers. I polished the face with a nylon abrasive wheel, and then put a light coat of oil on the face.

The anvil weighs about 92 pounds. I don't know how much the tree section it's setting on weighs, but it is much heavier than the anvil. I routed out the 'seat' the anvil is in about 1/2 inch deep. I had to go deeper in the center as the base is slightly convex. It's currently sitting on a furniture dolly until I decide where it will reside long term.

I got the idea for securing the anvil to the stump from this YouTube video. The link starts at about 5:35, but the entire video is worth watching. I also like the method he uses to 'square up' the tree section.

Edit 2: I did not use his method. I did not see that until I had already 'squared up' my section. I used a method from another video; you lay the section on its side and measure from top to bottom and mark the mid-point every 5" to 6" around it. Then using the mid-points as reference, you mark one-half of the desired height on both sides of the mid-point. Connect these marks and cut on those lines. I think his method makes it more likely you'll make better cuts than the 'free hand' method I used.

I don't have anything to make the brackets like he did so I ordered these from Home Depot. The eye bolt and nut also came from Home Depot; I put a lock washer between the nut and flat washer. The chain is 1/4" purchased from a local hardware store.

Edit 1: I rounded the square corners on the brackets with my angle grinder. I knew I would tear the hide off at some point on those original corners.

Edit 3: The anvil IS secured by this. While I was moving it around, one of the dolly wheels must have not moved properly as it tipped over and fell onto the concrete floor. I had to use a come along attached to an eye anchor screwed into a corner post in the basement to get it all back onto the dolly. I had another dolly that I put beside the first and maneuvered the anvil and base so that it rests on both. I had to tighten the nuts on the eye bolts as the fall seemed to have 'set' the chains more fully.

 

[rckymtnab]

Hi folks, any info on what this anvil is? I am a newbie to anvils in most respects…it may be obvious with this casting mark.

 

[Outlawmws]

Sorry, no clue on maker, but I'm guessing its Cast iron, not forged? What is the bounce back like on top?

 

[rckymtnab]

Hey @Outlawmws , I think it must be cast but I haven’t picked it up yet. I will grab it Monday and can provide more details then. It is allegedly 200 lbs.

I dont quite follow your question on bounce back line, can you explain?

I will test rebound when I see it.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Outlawmws]

Sorry, that was supposed to be Bounce back like. not line, as in rebound...

Make them weigh it - I'd think well under 200... >100, yes (a 12X6X6 steel block is about 122) I don't see that here? Alum can is a bit under 5"...)

 

[rckymtnab]

Great, and good point. The guy has said it is a heavy 2-person luft but that doesn’t mean much as weight is deceiving. Good advice and I will bring a scale!

I have been reading about Johnstown bridge anvils but they dont have this marking.

 

[rckymtnab]

I picked up the anvil today. 150 lbs for $350 which is quite a good price around these parts.

The emblem is FsF but the second F is a mirror image of the first.

Anyone know the maker?

 

[Garage Junkie]

Hi guys, picked up my second anvil today.... I thought it was going to be a Hay Budden Farriers' clip horn anvil, but now that I have it cleaned up I'm doubting that. It appears to be hardly used, yet has a significant crack around the waist and another crack that seems to be related to a third pritchel hole that someone drilled. Rebound and sound are great.
Overall pics:






And some identifying marks I found:









Does anyone have any idea what the make on this is? With the overall shape and the concave bottom, I'm guessing an American make, though it doesn't really have the flats on the base to be a Peter Wright.

 

[Oregon rock crusher]

Looks from here like you have a Trenton anvil. They were welded at the waist from new. Also the oval depression on the bottom is consistent. Plenty of info with a search of Trenton. Often the marking on the side looked more like TREXTON because of an odd shaped N.

 

[Garage Junkie]

Thanks ORC, that is interesting and would certainly explain the "crack" around the waist. My Dad has a Trenton and the logo is very clearly marked on the side. The waist on his has a big goobery (technical term) weld around it that is unmistakable. I'll do some research on Trenton for sure. Thanks again.