# Anvil ?



## flyrod444 (Sep 6, 2017)

I have had every thing to set up a small coal forge for many years. Hoping to do it this winter. The old anvil needs to be trued up and top made flat again. What is the best way to go about this? I have a large hand held belt sander and a side grinder. This anvil must weigh around 250 lbs. I can see that it is a Peter Wright but the weight markings are dinged up so bad a can't read them.
Thanks,
Jack


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## T-N-T (Sep 6, 2017)

You can talk a machine shop into surfacing it with a machine.  Maybe.  Not everyone wants to try and load something that heavy though.  Call around?


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## onedude (Sep 6, 2017)

A very experienced blacksmith I know recommends using it like it is for a while and see how it works for you. You may find that it is plenty good enough like it is. Some people have messed up their anvils trying to straighten them up. How bad is the top? Take care,
Doug
Jn. 3:16


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## Anvil Head (Sep 7, 2017)

I agree with Doug. Use it for awhile before you attempt to "fix" it.
Sometimes a little swayback is just what you want, depending on the work you plan to do. Be careful about machine shops some of them are pretty hardheaded about what they think is "right" and can really screw up an otherwise decent anvil. I've seen this happen way too many times.
If you just "gotta", use the side grinder sparingly and go slow. You don't want to do any hogging, just makes clean-up leveling that much more difficult. Unless the deck is really bad don't try to do too much to it....easy to ruin a good thing. If you have to get it resurfaced with welds, make sure you go to someone that has a reputation for restoring anvils correctly. Although quite a few good welders think they can - very few actually can (just another way to mess up a good anvil).


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## sea trout (Sep 13, 2017)

Pictures????


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## Georgia Gator (Sep 15, 2017)

Where is the best place to a decent anvil?
Thanks for y'all's help.


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## Anvil Head (Sep 16, 2017)

Decent is a relative term. What are your intended uses, how big, and how much are you willing to spend? Mighty large pool of possibilities and alternatives with a lot of brackish water to search through. 
Good anvils are rarely "cheap" and to most not even "reasonable" these days (you can partially blame that on media shows like "Forged in Fire", etc.). However, due diligence and serious hunting will produce results, just got to do your homework and a lot of foot work.

This little homemade "anvil" only weighs 50#+30# of stand, yet it will perform as well as 125#'s of traditional anvil in the right hands. It only took a minimal amount of side-grinder work, a little mig welding here/there, and some thinking. The forklift tine was mine for the asking, but you can find them in a lot of scrap yards for pennies on the pound.
No, not going to do any big ornamental iron work on one like this, but you can produce some mighty fine cutlery on it. I did a 14" south western bowie on it with no problems (but then hammers are my friends). 
So think about what you are wanting to do, plenty of alternatives out there. If you have the time and like camping, come on up to my Trackrock Hammer-in, Sept 29/30 and check things out. You'd be surprised at what can be done with minimal expense and a little effort. Might even let you try this little anvil.


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## Georgia Gator (Sep 18, 2017)

Thanks for your help, aswell as invite.


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## flyrod444 (Sep 19, 2017)

Here is a picture. It is 28" long to tip of the horn. 
Jack


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## Anvil Head (Sep 20, 2017)

That's a pretty nice anvil as is. I'd use it as is for a while. Plenty of "flat" just behind the step at the horn for forging blades and most things. The swag seems to only be dominating one side to a little over mid way, however it is deep enough to seriously compromise the rest of the hard plate if you have it milled down to true flat.
My 268# Haye-Budden has a swag (not quite as severe), and I learned to use it as a straightener for slightly over-curved work. 

With most projects you will not be using the entire deck, usually less than 3"x3" area. That is mostly the reason there is a swag in that one area, it was the previous smith's sweet spot for what he was doing most of the time. The only part really "working" for any smith is the surface area under the hammer blows, the rest is just support mass. Energy vectors for the most part go directly away from the point of impact so it is mostly about hammer control and knowing where to hit when. 

Find or make you some hardies that fit the hardy hole, grab your tongs and get some heat going. Ol' Pete just wants to work!

ps - if you do decide to reflatten the deck later, I'd recommend finding a certified welder that has re-worked anvils before and can provide references to prove he knows what he's doing. It is real easy to ruin a good anvil like that one using the wrong rod and/or technique. Have seen it done way too many times.


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## sea trout (Sep 21, 2017)

flyrod444 said:


> Here is a picture. It is 28" long to tip of the horn.
> Jack



 nice anvil!!!!!!!!! Heel looks great and flat, horn looks unused!! Love it thanks for sharing!


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