# yesterday's project - an anvil stand



## ncrobb (Mar 17, 2013)

I bought this anvil back in November last year on a work related boondoggle.  It was snowing pretty hard in Asheville and we needed some weight in the little SUV we were driving to make it home.  That's story I told my wife.  Anyway, its been sitting on the floor in the basement until yesterday.  The base is four lengths of treated 6x6 banded top and bottom with 5/4 decking board all screwed and glued in place.  I set the top band the thickness of the 5/4 board proud and then cut some semi circles to fill in around the feet to keep the anvil in place.  Knocked the rust off the anvil and gave it a quick shot of Rustoelum (except the top).  Now I just gotta figure out what to do with it.  I guess for now I can upset some pins on bolsters once I get around to learning that.


----------



## fishfryer (Mar 17, 2013)

ncrobb said:


> I bought this anvil back in November last year on a work related boondoggle.  It was snowing pretty hard in Asheville and we needed some weight in the little SUV we were driving to make it home.  That's story I told my wife.  Anyway, its been sitting on the floor in the basement until yesterday.  The base is four lengths of treated 6x6 banded top and bottom with 5/4 decking board all screwed and glued in place.  I set the top band the thickness of the 5/4 board proud and then cut some semi circles to fill in around the feet to keep the anvil in place.  Knocked the rust off the anvil and gave it a quick shot of Rustoelum (except the top).  Now I just gotta figure out what to do with it.  I guess for now I can upset some pins on bolsters once I get around to learning that.



Go back to Asheville the next time it snows,and get a forge for ballast. Maybe the wife will believe you one more time. Load up on old files,leaf springs,and so forth,and play with your new hobby. That's one possiblity.


----------



## gritsknives (Mar 17, 2013)

Awesome...if the wife figures out what ya Dunn just bring it to me for safe keeping! I won't try to use it or nothin!!!  Really nice!


----------



## Anvil Head (Mar 18, 2013)

Robb,
Load it back up and bring it down to Blairsville next month. Be glad to show you why it's called "The King of Tools". 
Also, you are not all that far away from RLo (Rick Lowe), lives just the other side of Asheville in Candler. He's not too bad with that kind of tool either. He can fill you in about Trackrock as well.
Looks a lot like a Haye-Budden, any markings? How much she weigh?


----------



## jbrooker (Mar 18, 2013)

Way to go, now load it up and bring it to Trackrock like Anvil says that way we can take a closer look


----------



## ncrobb (Mar 18, 2013)

Thanks guys, I've been trying to figure a way to get over to the Trackrock happenings but with work and everything else going on I just don't think I am gonna make it this time.

fishfryer, I had lunch today with my boondogglin' buddy.  He was still laughing about how I got the anvil.  I told him next time he saw the guy to ask if he had a forge.  I am using one I cobbled up out of a truck drum and a shop vac.

Carl, one side has 64 KGS and the other has 1-1/4 CWT and ENGLAND on it but between these two you can see something has been ground off.  I think the body is cast but the top is flat and not beat up.

Robb


----------



## Razor Blade (Mar 18, 2013)

Looks like you have a fine anvil, and a nice stand. Scott


----------



## Anvil Head (Mar 19, 2013)

Sounds like a Sheffield, but be hard to tell without a closeup look. Is there a partially visiable seam around the waist about half way up (narrowest crosssection)? Is the stamping smaller than 1/2" high?  They often cast in two parts. Not all that critical as long as the anvil has a sound deck and good rebound.
Since it's marked in kilo's, it's probably not real old, the oldies were normally in stone weight. A series of 3 or 4 sets of numbers. Weight converts to just over 100#'s (101lb6+oz). Great size for blade smithing, unless you plan to do a lot of hawks and swords. Managable for a travel anvil. 
Rule of thumb is not to use a hammer any larger than 1:40 ratio for best efficiency, energy displacement wise....so 2.5#er is about right, 3 will work but not as well, more work on your part for no better results. 

Sneak over and see RLo sometime. He'll take you over to Blacksmith Depot and really mess with your wallet. You might be able to pm him from here, but I will drop him an email just in case. He's good people.
Now you got to start collecting hammers and tongs. Sort of like fishing gear....always more to get (Praise the Lord!).


----------



## fishfryer (Mar 19, 2013)

Anvil Head said:


> Sounds like a Sheffield, but be hard to tell without a closeup look. Is there a partially visiable seam around the waist about half way up (narrowest crosssection)? Is the stamping smaller than 1/2" high?  They often cast in two parts. Not all that critical as long as the anvil has a sound deck and good rebound.
> Since it's marked in kilo's, it's probably not real old, the oldies were normally in stone weight. A series of 3 or 4 sets of numbers. Weight converts to just over 100#'s (101lb6+oz). Great size for blade smithing, unless you plan to do a lot of hawks and swords. Managable for a travel anvil.
> Rule of thumb is not to use a hammer any larger than 1:40 ratio for best efficiency, energy displacement wise....so 2.5#er is about right, 3 will work but not as well, more work on your part for no better results.
> 
> ...



An imperial hundred weight(used in England) is 112 lbs. A hundred weight and a quarter would be, 112+28=140lbs.. fishfryer


----------



## ncrobb (Mar 19, 2013)

I looked at it again and it has a cast seam that I can see up both sides of the body but it has been cleaned up much better on the top half.  The letters are cast in and a little under 3/4" tall.  I converted the 64 kgs to pounds and got 141.  That is what it feels like when you grab it!  I saw some pictures of other anvils that look just like it and the were made by John Brooks.  I read that when a company called Vaughan bought the Brooks company out they also bought the existing stock and ground off the "BROOKS".  Its off the net so it may or may not be true.


----------



## Anvil Head (Mar 20, 2013)

Yeah, I back tracked on my conversion #'s, misentered the kgs's, sorry about that. The anvil:hammer ratio is just a rule of thumb, mind you. A lot depends on how well it is "stumped"... spported. Just if you go too heavy and your anvil is jumping you are wasting energy.
Brooks has a pretty good rep for a decent midrange anvil and should serve you very well. Caution on cast iron based anvils, they do not hold up well to "bigger hammer" abuse. The cast iron can mush out and separate from the deck plate if abused. Not a common problem with bladesmiths, but some mechanics can be a bit wreckless. Just always "strike while the iron is hot" and you'll be jsut fine.


----------



## aabradley82 (Mar 24, 2013)

Ya'll fellas would probably hate my anvil. One of those aluminium based jobs. 125lb size but easier to load/unload several times a day


----------



## Anvil Head (Mar 25, 2013)

aa
Hate's a pretty strong explitive. Never had the opportunity to use one of the Al based anvils, always wanted to try one out. Bring it over to Trackrock in a few weeks and let's see what she'll do. My very first anvil was a block of marble that weighs around 30#'s. Did my very first forging on it and still have it. Sometimes I do a quick demo on it just to show it can be done.
Only anvil I ever came close to "hating" was one I saw in a yardsale yard on the way home from a bass tournament. She looked to be around 250#s and pristene from the road. Found a place to pull off and ran back to check it out. Looked better the closer I got (should have given me a warning).....sale sign said $200 (another warning). Turned out to be cast aluminum yard ornament. Got back to my truck and someone had stopped and relieved me of three Allstar/Shimano casting rigs. Yeah, guess I don't like that one much.
Not kidding about Trackrock. Check thread/announcement further down.


----------



## John I. Shore (Mar 25, 2013)

Good looking setup, hope it works well for ya.  Stand looks great.

John I.


----------

