Anvil

It's about 12" square and 8" thick, weighing a computed 200 pounds, with a handy 1" hole bored through it on one side. I have it sitting at a convenient height on a 24" diameter piece of Hackamatack (Eastern Larch) stump.

About the only thing it needs is a horn for making curved stuff. But for straightening, flattening and just generally beating hell out of stuff, it's as handy as a pocket on a shirt.

And the price was right...

Ever since reading what you had to say about your Border Collie under the topic Trespassing Laws, Hunters, and Dogs a week ago, I've been meaning to tell you that I think you're a good guy.

All the best, Stan

I just thought of a couple of things that might be of interest to you. A number of people who are connected to the welding shop at the local CC in some way, including the head of the department, have made their own anvils. I made a small one for my wife to use for jewelry making out of a length of railroad rail--no horn or holes, of course.

The department head at the college welding shop made a 150lb anvil out of lengths of forklift forks and filler metal. One summer evening about three years ago I watched him apply about 50lbs of filler metal using dual shield wire feed set at about 250 amps---wearing a short sleeved shirt. Turned his arms red. The resulting anvil was literally a work of art, as well as being everything a high quality anvil should be. I've got forklift forks to make one for myself but it's not a high priority as long as I've got the use of the college shop.

Recently two other instructors made anvils, one for himself (I haven't seen that one) and one for the school. The one for the school is made from a 44" X 8" length of 6" plate. It currently has a raised triangular piece in the center and is on axles in a frame so that it can be turned to use whichever face is appropriate. The plan is to air arc gouge hemispherical depressions of various sizes for beating curves in sheet metal, etc. I'm taking a wait-and-see position on that idea.

All the best, Stan

You can resurface (re-edge in your case) an anvil using hardsurfacing electrodes, then grind to the required amount of finish. You'd want to read up on resurfacing procedure before you did it because there are things you definitely wouldn't want to do. The time I saw it done it involved dumping a ton of heat into the anvil with a rosebud before starting the welding. Still, it didn't seem all that expensive for what was accomplished.

All the best, Stan

I have several but then Im also a blacksmith.

BTW, I heard once that when you buy an anvil the price is set by about 10% for the anvil and 90% shipping and handling.

Can-crusher
Flea-flattener
Mouse-masher
Paper weight
Tractor tie-down

'course I don't have an anvil, so these are just silly suggestions.

Nathaniel

I use mine often to heat and bend or unbend. Sometimes I look for excuses to use it as I come to realize more and more that on a cold winter day with the woodstove humming, the placement of some of my tools is part of my past and just flat out makes me feel good.

Old wiley coyote sure had lots of good uses for anvils.

I have 3 anvils that I have acquired over time: The broken one (has no horn) sits beside my workbench for general use, the ugly one is in my metal working area mounted on a section of elm log, and the "good" anvil is going to go in my forge building when I get it built. I haven't set the forge back up since I moved.

Enjoy your new anvil.

Cliff (VA)

Gene

• Anvil Magazine

The thing I probably use an anvil for the most is to straighten metal. Next would be to unstraighten metal. Often a long scrap of steel that I intend to use to strengthen a weld will not be perfectly flat. Usually I can make it flat with some cold working; I can always make it flat if I take the time to heat it. Similarly, a rod or bar can be straightned or bent, as required, by using the Hardie hole (square) or the Pritchell hole (round).

I have used the anvil and forge for elements of metal art projects (which you could tell your relatives you intend to try, although eventually there'll come a "put up or shut up" event with that claim), but blacksmithing is not my process of choice. Still, when you need to quickly shape a piece of metal, and precision is not an issue, there's often no better way to do it than with a forge (or rosebud) and an anvil.

All the best, Stan