Tool Talk
Blacksmith and Metal Working Forum => Blacksmith and Metalworking Forum => Topic started by: Mac53 on October 28, 2011, 07:22:09 PM
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Hey all- Hope I'm not doing this in the wrong place.
I have a huge love of anvils...The more unusual the better. At the moment I have:
- 200lb Hay Budden (perfect condition- my primary)
- ~170lb early(1790s?) Mousehole Forge - with the marking "Dicken" on it...haven't figured that one out...
- ~150lb early(1790s?) Mousehole Forge - much smaller than above, but nearly as heavy
- ~160lb unknown anvil with pegs coming off the feet on one side...appears to be from mid 1800s
- 110lb Harbor Freight (Surprisingly good anvil if you work on it a little, grind the horn, etc)
- 55lb crappy China anvil....
- Assorted rail anvils
- Unusual anvil made from 1 large I-beam and 1 smaller I-beam
- Lots of mini\jeweler anvils
- a few stump and stake anvils
I'm sure I'm forgetting an anvil or 2 in the corner of my shop, but you get the idea.
Well, what about you? Please share!
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My primary is the Fisher, posted here, 125lbs, with the date 1908 cast in. Fisher was known as the *silent* anvil, it does not ring. There is a Peter Wright about the same size hiding in the shop. The reason it is in hiding is, it is broken. I didn't do it, came to me thru the family with the tail broken thru the hardy hole. Then the I-beam my father used in the old shop, and a miniature jewelers anvil. The Fisher is the right size to go to to Demos. Would like to find something 250# or larger for my shop. But they run from 2 to 3 dollars per pound.
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I don't have an anvil, just a rail section with a "horn" cut in.
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So fare I have a 1928 200lbs Norris FISHER and a 145lbs no name anvil, I'm always on the look out for more....
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The 1908 Fisher, most people think the bird is an eagle, in relief on the side.
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-162 pound Fisher (1908 I think)
&
-70 pound Vanadium Steel from 1940's. Rings like a bell, nice size for demos.
I'm also VP of our regional association. Our shop is owned in conjunction with a local educational facility about 5 minutes from my home and located on their grounds. I can pretty much use it anytime if need be. Getting ready to start (actually, revive) once a month Forge Council meetings there. It is an awesome place. Just wish I could get more people to come out once a month.
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I'll have to wait till I get home. I haven't much bothered to remember the names of the anvils I have, but none of them are Hay-Buddens, Fishers, Mouseholes, or Peter Wrights. (jealous, here!)
The edges on the one I have most used are beat and chipped -- 100#.
A nice farriers anvil, about 75# that rings like a bell.
A still unidentified anvil-vise that belonged to my great grandfather.
Got another with the heel broken off (thinking of cutting off the horn and making a square anvil).
A scythe anvil from Germany -- no name.
A couple of 1 or 2# anvils -- mostly decorations
One nice bihorn jewelers anvil, set into a block of lead
A little sculptural anvil, nickel plated, marked "Industry."
One 12 inch section of RXR track
One 4" section of mine cart track
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My only anvil is an Atlas 4-1/2" L X 2" H and about 6 ounces LOL
I posted a pic of it with my Boley vise back in July but I am not able to get the link below to work. I'm not too good at the getting the pics in the posts so I kinda gave up on it
http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=983.0
Oops it does work -- I'm thrilled
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My 100 pound Hay Budden I wanted one I could move around.
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CRAFTS of NJ is having their November meeting this Sunday at the Fisher-Norris Anvil Museum in the Trenton NJ area. I have it on my revised to-do list for this weekend. Hopefully we get power back by then and I can attend.
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I have this one that belonged to my wife's father. I know nothing about it and it has very few markings.
We have a very similar one that we use in Civil War reenactments. I wish the tail were not so fat. Ours is 100# (per army regulations), and has a 3/4 inch hardie hole. No markings to speak of on ours either. Not much ring or bounce, but it does the work.
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Here's mine... I'm guessing the 220 means that it's 220#. What this thing really needs is a loving home. I can't honestly say I've EVER used it for ANYTHING, as shameful as THAT is. But maybe with my shop finally starting to take shape, I will find a use for it. I had to unbury it just to get pictures ... lol
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a131/JAEMERSON_/001-29.jpg)
(http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a131/JAEMERSON_/002-22.jpg)
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A good heavy anvil, it is nice when they don't move around on you when you are trying to work. The top of the horn being flat is unusual, am thinking it is for some specialty but not sure what. Most horns are round on top. Won't interfere with putting it to work though, nice to see it back in service.
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I have an unmarked about 100 pound anvil that is my wife Kathy uses and a Peter Wright marked 1 1 10 which is 150 pounds and several rail and I beam anvils. I also am going to include 3 more that are not anvils per say but are used to strike hot iron against, my 4 foot cone mandrel that has the top 8 inches broken off and 2 post vices. The small post vice has 4 inch jaws and the large post vice has 6 inch jaws. I'll try to get photos this week. Two years ago I just missed an 800 pounder. The man died and his wife sold his collection. I found out just to late.
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What this thing really needs is a loving home.
I have a loving home for all anvils- especially if you live close and don't end up having some room for it.
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Mac53, we'll see...as my shop continues to take shape... I will keep it in mind. I'm in Minnesota, BTW.
Edit: I'd love to barter torward a blast cabinet.
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Since I'm only 2 hrs from Minnesota, wouldn't want to put anyone out with the gas costing what it does. Am offering dry, roofed, long term storage and usage for heavy anvils, 200+lbs. Just offering, yaknow!
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I dont have one :(
For the very rare occasions i gotta pound something were a anvil would be handy i just have a old truck rim with a steel plate welded to the top
its pretty heavy so it dont move.
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FrankLee and Branson -- that anvil looks like a Vulcan. I have a beat up 70 pound one that I use. I should keep a better one, but I always sell those. They are cast iron with an applied steel top, which is why they do not ring. I like an anvil with no ring. The ringing drives me nuts. There may be an arm and hammer cast into the side, and there should be a number on the front on Vulcans. Multiply it by 10, and you have the approximate anvil weight.
The arm and hammer on a Vulcan sticks out (cast), and the arm and hammer on an Arm and Hammer goes in.
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FrankLee and Branson -- that anvil looks like a Vulcan. I have a beat up 70 pound one that I use. I should keep a better one, but I always sell those. They are cast iron with an applied steel top, which is why they do not ring. I like an anvil with no ring. The ringing drives me nuts. There may be an arm and hammer cast into the side, and there should be a number on the front on Vulcans. Multiply it by 10, and you have the approximate anvil weight.
The arm and hammer on a Vulcan sticks out (cast), and the arm and hammer on an Arm and Hammer goes in.
I couldn't make out the name on my 100#, but it isn't a Vulcan. It does ring, just not very much. I think the one we got for reenactments, though, is a Vulcan. More of a thud than a ring with that one.
One of the anvils purchased for the army in the Civil War was also noted for lack of ring, and was also a mixture of steel and cast iron. I don't remember any more which manufacturer, but I think it was the Mousehole. Maybe one of our Mousehole owners can confirm? (The Union only bought Mouseholes, Hay-Buddons, and Peter Wrights, and maybe Fishers.)
My farrier's anvil rings like a demon. The only louder one I have ever heard belonged to my first smithing teacher. It rang like a church bell at Easter!
A great anvil it was, but the ring was so loud that farriers stopped buying the thing, and the company went out of business I was told. He wrapped a bunch of chain around the base, and it helped a little...
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"My Anvil" Update:
I put my 220# anvil on craigslist yesterday and it sold in a matter of hours. I had to make room for a new one...
My wife and I were sitting at Perkins on Saturday when I noticed a sign for an auction across the street, at the Legion. After finishing our brunch we stopped in and I immediately took note of the 'favorably' small crowd. Then I noticed why. It was predominantly coins and jewelry. We made a quick pass through, stopping mainly to look at the small amount of other junk they had, and that's when I spotted it. The perfect sized anvil for me, and in good shape. Well, 45 minutes into our little detour, and I was the new owner of a 104# Hey-Budden. I'm not going to say how much I paid for it because I believe that filling the internet with stories like this can drive down the value of an item (I'll earn my You Suck award later), but lets just say coin and jewelry buyers ARE NOT the target market for anvils. Anyway, it's better sized for my shop than the 220# was, and frankly, I think it's better quality.
I will post a picture when I have a chance
Edit: Here's a few pics. I haven't had a chance to clean it up or anything yet.
The serial number is A23702. Anyone got anything on that?
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Way to score.
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Way to score.
Thanks, Stoney. I live for scores like that. :)
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The serial number is A23702. Anyone got anything on that?
Between 1918-1921
More gory details here: http://www.abana.org/resources/discus/messages/4/87.html?1318731879
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A great anvil. Think I'll take in some coin and jewelry sales...
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The serial number is A23702. Anyone got anything on that?
Between 1918-1921
More gory details here: http://www.abana.org/resources/discus/messages/4/87.html?1318731879
Gory is right. What a jumble of disorganization. I feel like I owe you for finding that. :)
Yeah, don't write-off the coin & jewelry auctions. Especially if it's from the same estate. You never know what will turn up. I also bought a dovetailed Peters 20 Gauge box (I have a little collection of old ammo boxes), about 1/3 full of old tools, all for $20. There was a 2" slick chisel never sharpened, about 5 lbs of taps & dies, some neat files, a couple old locks with keys, yankee drill, drill bits, a copper oil can, and few other odds & ends. Probably the best thing was a Stanley No.67 spokeshave, almost mint, and a neat old glass closet door knob set. Scooooooooore!