make shift anvil opinions sought!

[strahd71]

i only have a 55 pound anvil and obviously that isnt enough.

so i need to figure something out CHEAP for the moment. i dont need it to be permenant for a multitude of reasons.

which would you guys say is more important. weight/mass or hardness.

i realize that both are important but i thinking that CHEAP means i will have to choose.

thanks

jake

 

[Dan Seaver]

You could try a stake anvil, buy a 3"-5"x12" square piece of hardened steel (4140 I think). Next tack weld two bars on each side 4ish inches from the top; next using a 16, 30, or 55 gallon drum (or similar container) cut it down to 4 inches below your knuckle. Place the piece of steel in the drum leaving it suspended by the bars, you would then fill the container to the top with cement and allow it to cure.

Its not perfect but it has mass and hardness so general work can be done on it and you can still use your small anvil for more specific types of work.

Edit- Just a warning a 55 gallon drum anvil/anvil base full of concrete is annoying to move but not hard if you do it right.

 

[JasonSCarter]

a couple of railroad track pieces welded together side by side with hard facing rod, then ground flush would be hard to beat... no pun intended

 

[cdent]

You might try sticking with the anvil you have, but firmly chaining it down to a dense, heavy base. Maybe a column of sand in some old twelve inch pipe. Good luck on that chance to get out to Ed's place.

Take care, Craig

 

[Mike Krall]

Two things:

Howard Clark used a hunk of square steel, like 1018 or less, for a long time. It was something like 6x6 at the right height. 6"x6"x28" would be 285lbs.

A friend has a picture of an anvil stand he saw at last years SOFA show in Ohio. A box made of 3/4" plywood with iron strapping around near top and bottom. Bottom closed, top open, and filled with sand. The anvil sat on a plywood plate same dims. as inside of box. The plate had 2"X2" glued/screwed to it to make snug fitting box for anvil base to sit in. Sand as weight makes it adjustable for height. A person could run threaded rod from bottom through plate but that might not gain anything. If the box was 12" square inside with sand to 15" (accounting for height of anvil to 28" +/-) the sand alone would weigh around 130-140lbs... add weight of anvil and box.

Mike