The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Tool Chest Anvils

My other addiction is anvils.
Went to an auction today that had a big 278 pound Peter Wright. Fair condition.
I ran the price up to 850 and backed out.
It sold to a collector I know, for 1,200 bucks!
That's over 4 bucks a pound and close to 4.50 a pound.
I would like to down size, but I'm back up to ten of them again.
Thanks to my wife the "enabler", that tells me if she even sees one at a yard sale.
Another auction is tomorrow, that she told me about.
Guess we will be there.
If I sell any more, the price will be more than 3 bucks a pound. A few of ODSS group got a good deal last spring.

Don

I need a good one Don. Let me know if you find a slick way to get one down to S. Texas.

...hey Don, I thought you were going to "grandfather" me in on the old price?

Alvin
You'll get the long term friend deal for sure.
And Allen, make it to KC in Sept. and I'll see what I can do.
Also, how big of anvil do you want?

Don

Don, looking for an 80-100 lb version. One of the old blacksmith versions with a flat top and end and horn on the other side.

Looks like my 154 pound US that I paid $200 for was a good cash investment.

dg

I may be easily impressed, but I got this one:

http://www.harborfreight.com/55-lb-rugged-cast-iron-anvil-69161.html

The thing I needed most is the Hardy Hole. With that, you can add all sorts of shaping accessories and really get alot out of it. I looked around first, but didn't see anything close to this. Before this, I have a piece of railroad track. I painted the new one black with automotive paint, put one of my bases on it that slide down the table leg and tighten down, and use it all the time.

Deve -- When looking at the customer reviews on that anvil, it struck me as funny that three people actually thought about it enough that they listed a "pro" as "Easy to use" ...

I thought only us Marines were flummoxed by an anvil.

Don -- When can you write us an anvil primer for the Tech Tips? I'm serious. Who knew anvils were so darned interesting?? I'm being completely serious here.

Thanks,
J

Didn't Don give us the name of the Anvil bible a while back??
Always looking for reference material for the library, I looked
it up at Amazon and got scaret away by the price.

Only thing I got to say about the HF boat anchors is they're
cast, not forged and tempered, huge difference when your
doing serious striking. Sixty bucks for a hardy hole seems a
bit steep to me Deve, I though I saw a setup you had on your
universal clamp/stand/table/storage thingie for various
square based tooling?
I've got one of those small cast anvils on the bench I use for
setting a rivet or to flatten out a small item, but it wouldn't
stand up to hard work without picking up dings in the surface.

Denny G

Yeah, I don't understand Anvils at all. My mom always told me I could "F" up an Anvil and I never understood what she was talking about.

I just use it to shape small thin metal pieces and it works. I wanted the Hardy hole because the local scrap yard has all of these solid steel unique shapes about 5 inches around or so.

I think the saying is could "break an anvil with a rubber mallet"

Just got back from a trip to another auction on Sunday.
120 pound Hay Budden on a sycamore stump with what they called a frog? Then another small, beat up vice mounted next to it and another hardy clamped in the vice.
I ran it up to 450 and backed out. It sold for 500 bucks.
Luckly it came up real early and Vicki and I were there less than an hour.
http://www.auctionzip.com/Full-Image/2529832/fp35.cgi
It was also an indoor auction with chairs, AC and a lot of dealers. Wife and I both agreed, we like the outdoor country auctions better.

Allen
I think I have one you would like at a nice price compared to what I have been seeing. But deliverery to Texas will not happen.
Pick up at the KC Reunion could happen though.
Give me some time and I'll get you some pictures.

Deve
If the HB does what you need it to do, then you did good.
I'm not a Smith, but if I was, I would have a open air shop with a gas fired forge and an old trip hammer to do the work.
Damascus knives are really cool, but a lot of work.

Denny
That was a good buy on the 150 pounder!
I can remember when you could get an anvil for a buck a pound.
The reference book I use is "Anvils in America" by Richard Postman. And yes, it's pricy. I ordered mine direct from Mr Postman, I think in 2006. He signed and dated the inside cover.
I looked up the price of his book on E-Bay last winter and the signed copies sell really high.
http://www.anvilsinamerica.com/

John
I have been thinking about writing something up for a while.
This being a truck forum, it does surprise me on the interest in anvils.
I need to talk to Vicki, but toying with the idea of bringing a couple to KC and just sit around and talk about them. Let the kids ring them with a small soft hammer.
KC does kick off our western vacation and we'll be in a higher millage small suv, so we'll see.

Thanks for the interest!
Don

I think that most of us that get our hands dirty under the
hood of an old Stovbolt are also all round tinkerers anyway
Don. When I was 14 all I was interested in were cars and
trucks. Then my interest turned to the ladies and what
followed that over the next 60 years would fill volumes. An
anvil to anyone who enjoys working with metal is a must have
tool. Most of us get along fine beating on the edge of the
welding table, concrete floor or end of a vice, but once you
get a good solid forging to beat on you wonder why you waited
so long to add one to the inventory. Besides, it makes a neat
sound when your rebounding the hammer and is a lot less
tiring than dead blow forging a part.

dg

Thanks Don, that was a very nice anvil mounted on the sycamore stump. Bet it was hard to stop.

Our buddy Ken Crenwelge travels all over the country...maybe we can at least get it to Fredericksburg....been looking for an excuse to get to San Antonio in the fall.

Wow! You guys make me look like stone-age man. I am the proud owner of a 40 pound chunk of rail road rail. I have shaped it a bit on one end for a nice radius where it was cut with a torch. Makes a good edge to shape a lip over. It is hard, no hammer marks so far. But it will move around on the bench when used. Good news, I can move it to different positions, so an even draw on that point. Not as many shape areas but I can get what I need with it most times. For flat stuff, well I use it the long way. It is almost 2 feet long. It sets on the floor by the drill press( I don't trip over it there) and it makes you think before you lift it to the work bench. Now I will be looking at anvils. The wife said you guys are not helping. Thanks!

Nothing to feel bad about Steve, most of us had a chunk of
'flat bottom' at the end of the bench before we graduated.
Besides, you don't need nothin' more than that to make
repairs on them there Harley's.
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/160955666
dg

Right on Denny. Until I get an anvil I continue to use my "railroad track" a good friend of mine got for me. I had two but since I couldn't use them both at the same time I gave one away!
I'm still anvil hunting though. I just don't have time on Saturday to go to the sales. I have to go to CFA for my morning biscuit! hehehe

Denny is right. That rail fits nice under them old HD fenders. Just enough crown to work with. I have kept the short piece for "fixing" stuff that is small radius in the curve.

The next anvil auction I'll be attending.

http://www.auctionzip.com/cgi-bin/auctionview.cgi?lid=2529344&kwd=&zip=65063&category=0

I'll see what they look like and set my top bid.
There is another guy I know that may be there and if he is, They will sell high.
I may have to see how high he will go.
He does not resell any though.
If anyone sees something else in the auction, that will be in KC, send me a PM and maybe we can work something out.

Don

Quite a collection. Wonder what those Hit N Miss engines will go for?

Allen
I'll stick around when they sell and expect to see several friends at this auction.
I'll also try to give you a report Monday night on what things sell for.
Anvils, old hit & miss engines, Things will not go cheap.

Don

If anyone needs a free "do it yourself" anvil or 2 I travel from Duluth, Mn to east Tn once a month and I have an almost unlimited supply of various length RailroadSteel. 45lb per ft and 38lb per foot.
I too need a "real" anvil but with so much rail I just haven't broke down and got one. I have 4 pieces mounted to a table frame with rollers and various shaped on all the corners.
I would be happy to meet with anyone interested along my path. An anvil and a vise....how would we ever manage without them?

Why are anvils so very expensive?

$3.-$4 a pound for an anvil!! yikes... I swapped my HF cheesy anvil for a good ole USA made 100 lb'r.

Jeff
I don't know why the price has jumped up so much in our area.
Watched a 15 pound anvil in rough shape, at an auction sell last spring, for 135 bucks.
Two weeks ago, I got a fair condition 130# for less than 2 bucks a pound and thought it was a good deal.
I have paid in excess of 3 bucks a # for a good condition anvil before.
Guess it depends on who is at the auction and who is willing to pay the price.

Don

My father has a couple laying around his garage outside.. I might have to snatch one up... assuming I can pick it up...