New toy for doing something with metal

[whateg01]

I was looking around Dad's place for something a few months ago and stumbled (figuratively, thank goodness!) across an anvil. When I asked him what his plans were for it, he asked if I wanted it. Well, ok. I mean, twist my arm, will ya! Last weekend, I had to drive the truck up there to haul some stuff for my kids' mother and figured while I had the truck, I should swing by and grab it. Just unloaded it yesterday and took some pics. I don't think this is a cheap import! I'm not sure how often it will get used, but I do know that occasionally, I do wish I had an anvil for pounding on something. Now I do!

See, it already got used. I needed a place for this battery hold-down to rest while it cooled. :)
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l220/whateg01/tools/anvil/anvil_top.jpg

If I read this right, this thing is about 100 years old. BTW, to read this, I sprayed a bit of black spraypaint on a shop rag and then wiped it over the letters.
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l220/whateg01/tools/anvil/anvil_stamp.jpg

Weighs almost as much as me...
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l220/whateg01/tools/anvil/anvil_heavy.jpg

Dave

[pro70z28]

I remember as a kid my Dad had one just about like that.
Wish I had it now.

BTW: what's the BMI on that anvil? :D

[DYCE]

Nice anvil!! Mine is a more common 100lb Volcan. Now you need to grind it smooth and clean it up. It's cool that it came from your Dad! My brother has my Dad's which is ok with me as long as it stays in the familly.

[whateg01]

This one was my grandpa's until he died about 15 years ago. Then one of my uncles took it. He didn't have a place to keep it so he gave it to my dad. It looks like I'll be the first to actually use it in quite awhile.

Dave

[Bill Gibson]

Dave, What you have there is a Peter Wright, London Pattern anvil.
Check this link out....

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-history/peter-wright-anvil-156284/

[Hotrod1932]

NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Man those things are hard to find!!! Get it cleaned up, dressed up and polished and your set for life.

[whateg01]

Interesting thread, that Peter Wright one. Looks like my anvil has lost 0.6# over the years. I haven't struck mine yet. Just managed to get it off the trailer and out of the way. What is the best thing to attach it to? I'm thinking that any stand needs to have a substantial footprint, so that there is no danger if it tipping over. Maybe I need to go check out some smithing sites...

Dave

[whateg01]

I guess I was wrong about the age of this thing, with the numbers indicating the weight rather than a date. So, now I'm curious about the age. I haven't found any mention of how to tell how old these are.

Dave

[oldgoaly]

Those numbers are for so many stone, rocks and pebbles (just kidding about rocks and pebbles) the anvil weights. More info than you can shake a stick at here http://www.anvilfire.com/index.htm They should have the translation on the numbers.

[whateg01]

I found the description of the weight in the PM thread. 112 + 28*2 + 14 = 182. I haven't really given this one a thorough exam yet. It rained today, so I didn't get to do much outside.

Dave

[rexrogers]

The stand we have at the shop works pretty good an old oxygen tank and some c channel for the base

http://metalmeet.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=50&pictureid=2333

[60 convert]

Hopefully Dan (route 56 wingnut) will chime in with a picture of his stand. basically its a stand with a jack under it with wheels inside the base. It sits solid on the ground when in use, then when you need to move it you wind down the the wheels and it easily rolls around.
Jesse

[Gene_Olson]

Nice find.
I have two anvils, one a 150# london pattern cast steel anvil and a 350# peter wright.
The former sits on a steel tube frame sled. that I just put a strap on the bottom and pull around the shop when I need to move it. The peter wright is on a stump, currently sitting on a pallet.

The 350# one came with the story of loading it.
The guy wanted rid of it, and a friend asked if I wanted to buy it. It was WINTER here in MN 15 below but almost no snow. Jan thaw and refroze solid. They couldn't get right up to where the anvil was so they decided to tow it out of the overstock plumbing storage yard. They got a real big nylon rope and tied it to the 1T and around a tree and to the anvil.
Tug tug, rope stretched, tires spun. nothing.

Ok, bump it! Back up roll forward, tires spin nothing....

Ok, back up. can it.
Rope stetches, stretches, stretches, tires start to spin, and crack, the ice lets go.
The rope has stretched like 5-10 feet, and now retracts with great force.
Luckily for the guy in the truck, it is reeved around the tree and takes off at an angle. unluckily for the guy getting rid of the anvil it lands in a pile of - 15 degree cold 4" x 10' pvc drain pipe, and finally rebounds from there ending up along side the truck.
I like it just fine when it is standing still. Never hammer with your anvil.

[oldgoaly]

Gene, now that's a good anvil story! The is lucky it didn't go halfway thru the wall, truck or anyone standing nearby!
Dave, a stump will cut down a little of the noise that can transfer to the floor, but anything you mount it to strap it down good, so it don't land on your foot! my medium sized Fischer has a chunk of tool steel on top, that has a chunk of wood on it so a "visitor" doesn't run over and make it ring. tt