Anvil on apartment balcony?

M

MSCantrell

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 12, 2005
Messages
1,213
I just heard a rumor that my father-in-law plans to give me $100 for an anvil for my birthday. I've got an idea where to get one- a friend's father is a bit of a silversmith, and has more anvils than he actually uses. I'm pretty confident he'd let me take one off his hands within the $100 range. Probly even throw in a hammer, too.

So I'm wondering if it's at all feasible to use an anvil on the balcony of an apartment? So far, nobody's given me any grief about the noise level using my angle grinder, so I'm feeling ok there, but what about the weight? The vibration? What sort of base can I mount it on? Has anyone done anything like this before, to offer tips from experience (somebody with pictures to show is probably too much to ask)?

Thanks in advance,
Mike
 
I guess it all depends on how much you hate your neighbors ! L:O:L

I cannot imagine having neighbours tolerant enough to accept all that noise unless its Ozzie Osbourne ! Even if you could isolate it from clanging through the structure itself I am pretty sure your immediate neighbors would think someone had installed church bells close by . Let me know when you try this so I can buy up property in the immediate neighborhood when property values plummet .
 
:D :p


I think you'll be ok, MSCantrell.....there are way to take a lot of the ring out of your anvil.

When you go to pick one up, make sure and try them out with the hammer first. Then, you can wrap a heavy chain around the horn - suspending a large chunk of scrap steel....you can put hard rubber feet on the bottom of your stand (which could be a stump)...some say a large magnet takes away the ring.


Question is....are you planning to forge on the balcony too? :eek:


If your neighbors can tolerate the angle grinder, then they can tolerate the steel-banging.


What do you plan on using it for?
 
You'll be better off finding a local blacksmithing organization and attending a few of their meetings. Generally, people are willing to help and I'm sure someone would be happy to have you at their shop for an afternoon.

As for the anvil on a balcony, I was in your position for a while and wanted to equip my college town house with a shop. Couldn't pull it off though, and it would have been very inconsiderate of my neighbors. I feel guilty enough now forging for an hour in my garage :).

Where in Michigan are you? There are probably a few makers close by.

Matt
 
Kevin,
I'll drop you a line right away ;)

Daniel,
Thanks for the tips! The plan is to make some knives; of course, the best-laid plans of mice and men, etc. :rolleyes:, but that won't stop me from trying :p . As a matter of fact, I already do my heat-treating out there in a one-brick forge. I've been assuming that if I can heat to critical temp, I can heat to forging temp. Am I right?
 
I'm with Matt on this.

The problem, is the fact that the force and noise from working steel on the anvil will resonate through the base... which in this case, will be the entire apartment structure.

It will cause a lot more ruccous than just the angle grinder.

I tried to figure out how to equip an extra large storage closet on an apartment balcony at one point, so trust me, I feel for 'ya.

But I think an anvil on the balcony may just have you looking for a new place to live.

Find a local blacksmithing organization or knifemaker or blacksmith, and see if you can't use their facilities for a bit. If there's a big enough shop, you could still get your own anvil, but just use it there.
 
Matt and Nick,

There's the side of the story I was expecting :( Someday we'll buy a house, and this will all be fine, but in the mean time I'm feeling pretty confined. My wife definitely agrees with you two- doesn't think that's gonna be ok with the neighbors, apartment manager, etc. Maybe I'll invest in a proper belt grinder instead. I understand the Craftsman 1x42 is a common entry-level grinder, around $100?

Mike
 
You're actually pretty close to me. One of my class mates graduated from MSU. When I have some free time you're welcome to come down and forge out a blade in my shop.

There are a few makers in your area. Maybe they'll chime in and can direct you to someone local.
 
Maumee's right near Toledo, right? Little bit of a hike, but I'd LOVE to take you up on the offer :thumbup:

Mike
 
Could you put your forge and anvil on a cart, take it down the elavator and do your forging behind the building?
 
You may want to check the codes on the apartment building.Many states do not allow flames on balconies.In Va. Beach,Va. you can't have a gas grill on a balcony or have a tank bigger than 14.5oz for propane within any building.A $100 anvil can't be too heavy,so I'd suggest making a base out of stacked 2X4's and getting a hand truck for the whole thing.That way you can take your whole outfit to a friends House to forge on weekends and evenings.You might be able to get permission to do it behind the building or on the other side of the parking lot,but I doubt it.Unless you want to be house hunting soon,I would discuss this with the landlord before I continued any farther.
 
Mike I would consider the offer to forge elsewhere. You are obviously very keen to make some knives. It would be a shame to load the straw that broke the camels back onto your neighbours tollerance. I can't see the vibration doing the balcony slab any good either.

I met a maker about 10 years ago that worked outback. He had a vice attched to the roo bar of his 4x4 and make knives from the little equipment he could carry with his work gear camp gear and food all cramed in while travelling.

But mate all I can say is keep the drive you are going to make some great knives with that determination.

Stay happy
Reg
 
forging temps are higher than heat-treating temps...I don't know what your one-brick forge is like, so I can't say if you could forge or not.

I'd still cash in on the offer for the anvil, even if you have to locate it elsewhere.


My forge and anvil are currently at my father-in-law's place. Mostly because I don't have a way to make a "safe spot" for it here (from my kids). I asked the neighbor lady (next to my F-I-L) if she minded us forging there, and she gave me the thumbs-up as along as it didn't go past 10pm, or earlier than 7am.

I made knives for around two years on a third floor balcony with a KMG, drill press, 1x42 sander, etc....all up there. Had neighbors on both sides and below. Hogging thick carbon steel at high rpm with a low grit belt makes a LOT of noise. Didn't have a single complaint (to me or to the rental office).

Can't guarantee you'll have the same luck....but you could certainly try it until somebody threatens to punch your lights out. :rolleyes:

Save the forging for Saturday morning...(definitely not during prime TV time)
 
I wouldn't trust most balconys for fire or heavy loads and hammering .Now if you worked miniature knives that might be different !
 
MSCantrell said:
Matt and Nick,

There's the side of the story I was expecting :( Someday we'll buy a house, and this will all be fine, but in the mean time I'm feeling pretty confined. My wife definitely agrees with you two- doesn't think that's gonna be ok with the neighbors, apartment manager, etc. Maybe I'll invest in a proper belt grinder instead. I understand the Craftsman 1x42 is a common entry-level grinder, around $100?

Mike
Click to expand...

Just buy yourself a decent vise and some fine files. Get used to making everything manually, and the powered stuff will come later. If you are wanting to begin knifemaking, and starting from scratch, its always been my belief that a grinder is definitely NOT the first thing you should buy.

Here would be my recommended list to get you going:
1. A good solid bench vise with 4" jaws.
2. Many different files. There is no such thing as having too many of these.
3. A hand drill.
4. A hacksaw
5. A jewelers saw
6. Many different grades of silicon carbide sandpaper, and I recommend buying the best you can get.
7. A drill set.
8. Books and videos... read until you go blind!

That's enough of a start that should have you busy for months. All thsi stuff is quiet, and can be kept in a chest or big toolbox and you can work at the kitchen table. Apartment dwellers have limited space, but with the right tools and determination you can make some wonderful knives. :thumbup:
 
Wow guys, now the interesting ideas are coming out. Portable forging setup, offsite forging, stick to tabletop basics. To be honest, I don't really know which way to go.

For the record, what I've been doing is rough shaping with an angle grinder, the final shaping with a file (Here's another discussion- I bought Harbor Freight files. Will more expensive ones, Nicholson or whatever, make my life noticeably easier?), heat treating in the one brick forge, and sanding by hand. Well, I just bought one of those drill-chuck sanding attachments because I read $50 Knife Shop. Anyhow, my gear is pretty primitive. Only finished one knife so far, got a couple others in process. Here's a pic of the one done:
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1095 and cedar. Wooden dowel pins. :o

Anyhow, JHiggins says basic is good, and his name carries some weight. Couple of others have tried more to accomodate the original request, anvil-on-balcony information. Some say go for it, others say probly not. Maybe I'll just put it off and do something completely different with the $100. Sandpaper or something :p Decisions!
 
Nice knife. What is the stripe wood.

Back to the anvil thing. I am a pig I have seven if another comes along at the right price I will have 8. If you have the cash and you want it go for it. There are always options. I was only talking from ignorance about the neighbours. I have had the misfortune of seeing them at the worst. My neighbours here in suburbia put up with me I keep the one closest to the noise happy around xmas a couple of my wire letter openers the first year. SHe buys them now at a reduced rate. Marketing always marketing. SHe has a big family and sends to a different one each year. I hope they all want one.

Good luck with the options. I did most of my forging for the first 8 or 10 years at mates places. I always paid my way and then some. I used to swing the 8 and 10 lb hamer while making damascus.
 
If you are going to file by hand get GOOD files.I like Harbor Freight for cheap tools that will get little use,but for working tools buy better quality.Their drills,band saw blades,abrasives,and files are crap.I would suggest you get a belt sander/disc sander combo unit and stick with grinding for the time being.Buy belts from a knife supplier (Pop's.K&G,Texas,etc.) because all belts are not the same.A 1X42 will work,but you will be happier with a 2X48 .The rule to remember is,"You get what you pay for.",most of the time.Quality tools that will last a long time aren't the cheapest,but they will usually outlast the others by far.I have used up many cheap light weight table saws over the years,but still have the heavy duty craftsman unit my Dad and I bought in 1958.Buy quality the first time.
Stacy
 
MSCantrell said:
Will more expensive ones, Nicholson or whatever, make my life noticeably easier?)
Click to expand...

Like night and day, Brother! :thumbup:

Stick with the brand names like Nicholson and Grobet. Go to the MSC site and register for a free catalog. You'll find enough files in there to suck all your salary for a year. I recommend getting some really good wooden handles too. The plastic are fine, but wood mellows with age and becomes like an old friend.

Gosh, you know I wish I could remember that guy's name featureed in Blade magazine a very long time ago. He made some stunning knives - good enough for a cover piece - with only files and sandpaper. His workshop was in a 4x6 closet under the stairs in his apartment. Unbelieveable!

Anyone here remember that? :confused:
 
Got to agree about the good quality files, drill bits etc. Cannot compromise there.
Anvil and furnace on balcony, just sounds a bit odd, gutsy, but odd.

You made a nice knife there Mike, and what also caught my eye was the book that it is sitting on. Nietzsche! He was the guy who said "what does not kill us makes us stronger." Your determination, the knife and the book make a statement. You will go a long way!! :thumbup: :)

Mike
 
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