Many years ago I fell asleep hearing the ring of my fathers anvil and woke up with the same sound. We had a farm and a welding shop Saddens me that I did not show more interest. That was over 65 years ago and I can still hear that ring when I go to bed.
My dad was forging after he retired, and he blacksmith when I was 2,3,4,5, etc. for a living. When I grew up I'd see him hitting red hot iron into shapes. I always said I'll ask him latter to show me how it was done. Well that day never came, he got lung cancer and died with in 6 months. I regret not learning how to forge iron. I still have his anvil and now I'm 76 years old.
@@josecanisales3491. . . So? I'm years older than you, have numerous hammers, tongs and 3 anvils, a helv-hammer about 50 lbs. (needs serious work, as we left it outside and the wood after 15 years? badd!... The business I'm in also has a monster Nazel 4B for sale, that I hope we can sell locally so I can go "try it out". Don't let mere age hold you back. :-)
Always a pleasure to hear this guy talk, so elegantly wise. That, coupled with exemplary audio and video skills, make this channel one of the best on the web.
About 10 years ago my Dad and I got on a kick of buying paper books of things we might want to know if things really got bad in the world, figured it was a good way to learn something everyone ought to know and not go crazy worrying about things. VERY first one I got interested in and picked up? Practical Blacksmithing.
Unbelievable to watch what a father and son have created together. Capturing Scott's decades of knowledge and love of the craft with Nate's appreciation of his father and the craft. I truly aspire in every event that my two year old son and I do together to merely tag along with what Scott and Nate have done together. Thank you for the channel, thank you for the knowledge and thank you for reminding us all what it means to share it with each other.
As I didn't find a fitting stump for my anvil and wanted lots of mass, because it is on a wooden floor that swings a bit, I cast one from concrete. I put steel plates into the top so I could weld nuts on them as attachment points for the anvil. Works great, but impossible to move with an anvil that is ~100kg and a base that is even heavier :D
@@stormyeffects4795 so far it holds up fine, but it is just a few month old. I put a thin rubber mat between the anvil and the concrete to stop the worst shock. In case it might crack I could pour a new one using fiber reinforcement with glas fibers or similar.
Mount Assassinlex's wheels on screw-jack arrangement (like on a boat trailer). So you attach the plates, run the screws down until the anvil assembly comes off the floor, roll to destination. No heavy lifting required.
I used 2x12 boards dry stacked and losely held together with thread rod. I was taught this by and old timer who I demonstrated with on historical living history days. It self levels since the boards move to the ground beneath and will keep your base solid on soft ground like Cowpens National Battle Field. My anvil is only 95 lbs so it works for me and is portable as well. I like the stump base as well. Thanks for the suggestions and the video. Jim in Chile.
"Bugs gotta eat too." Man, I love that attitude to life. Thanks for another great video. Much as I'd love to take up blacksmithing as a hobby, I realize that it's one of the crafts I'm going to have to take a pass on, given my age and worsening arthritis that almost precludes holding a hammer. I guess I'll just stick to wood working with power tools. That's enough. But I still enjoy your videos and, especially, your attitude. Keep'em comin' eh.
You could always get a treadle or power hammer. They have all sizes to be able to do just about every kind of work from fine detailing small pieces to moving some serious amounts of steel in one blow. Most treadle hammer are home built so you can make it just as you like. There is just something about moving red hot steel that woodworking doesn't bring for me. I love both and hope you can at least get a taste of it some time. Btw, I had my son's begin blacksmithing in the shop when they were around 7 and did an aweful lot using a small ball peen hammer, my oldest made his first knife that way and know has a small buisness doing it on the side.
You could make a quick&dirty treadle hammer just to see if you like it enough to spend time/money on a better one. 2x4 uprights with a steel pin through them, another 2x4 in the middle so it will swing on the pin, fasten hammer to top of swinging arm. Cord from low end of arm to end of a plank on the floor, maybe through a couple of pulleys to get the sweet spot of the plank under your foot. That's the fastest-sounding rig I can think of on short notice.
Oh my, bugs gotta eat, too? Enjoyed this presentation. We live near Bill's homes, both of them and Sweetie worked with Bill in his young years. What learning, right? The memories remind us of how grateful we are to God for the gifts we have received! Thanks for reminding us, Scott!
One good rule about the height of a stand/anvil together is that it should equal the distance between the floor and the knuckles of your hand as if it had a hammer when your standing upright beside it. An anvil that's to low will force you to hunch over it to use it and if to high you'll have to splay out your arms to use a hammer which imparts more shock/rotation to your shoulder. Indeed by having the right heigth your using your forearm/biceps rather than your shoulder to strike a blow and if you ever spent time hammering nails in where your shoulders more than biceps are being used you'll know why it's tiring. Most use tongs/pliers to hold a piece of iron/steel for hot/cold forging and that height is also better at hand height for the same reason. On way to get a log free is to ask someone cutting down a tree for a piece of the trunk and many are happy not to have to haul a piece away if you'll do it for them.
My personal anvil at home is mounted on the end grain of a bundle of 4x4s held together with ratchet straps. The anvils at my job are mounted on sections of log. Both are great once the anvils are fastened securely.
With An anvil that rings too much (your Trenton loose on a metal base) there is an old blacksmithing trick. Fill a small bucket with weight (slag, scrap, sand, water, etc.) and hang it on the horn of the anvil. What you hang it with can matter, too; you want something supple. Leather straps work well (full cowhide with the suede side on the horn); nylon straps work okay; an old bicycle inner tube holding a several pound weight looks silly but works amazingly well. I learn so much from you in refining my tradecraft; thank you so much. I'm very happy to share a tip from my past that might help you sometime. Blessed Be, Dear Sir.
Great design. A heavy duty spring lock washer or a compression spring under each attachment bolt should ensure the anvil is always tight against the wood as the humidity changes during the year.
The nice thing about 3 legged stools and anvil stands is that if you rotate them on your floor, there is always a spot where they are level. Whereas 4 legged structures you can't do that with (unless the legs are perfectly even and the floor has a certain level of roughness). This is because of some of that math stuff they teach you in school that everyones trying to convince you that you will never use (probably more like choose not to), called the intermediate value theorem which proves this is always the case (for 3 legged stools there is some rotation of the stool such that all 3 legs touch the ground).
I have a little twenty pound anvil that I use mostly for flattening or bending brackets or sheet metal when I am fabricobbling something together. Yes, fabricobbling is a word. I recently mounted this anvil on one end of a two foot section of an 8x8 and a small vice on the other end, and now lives on the back of my truck. It is extremely handy for all those little jobs around the woodlot as well as holding the bar of my saw for maintenance or sharpening the chain.
That is a really nice set up on the hammer rack, Scott. The purposeful way you planned it out and executed it shows what real craftsmanship is all about. Really enjoyed this clip, can't wait to get my hands on an anvil and forge and start to make things.
I feel the need to add my 2 cents to the discussion of anvil stands as I've tried quite a few. I've used a few different big logs under my anvils: oak, and ash being two types I was sure about. I have to say, they always seemed to wobble and I was never quite happy with them. My go-to is a tri-legged fabricated stand. As you mentioned in the video they don't wobble and are pretty easy to put together. I added some flat bar to the bottoms of the feet with holes for anchoring to concrete; super solid. I must disagree with you about the limited amount of things you can add to a fabricated stand. I added a few pieces of pipe around the perimeter for hammers and tongs or what not but I also added a 1" inside diameter tube. This tube gives me so many options for added space. I can simply weld a short piece of 1" round bar onto things I'd like right at my disposal on the stand. This allows me to add a small work table for holding anything I need, including more slots for hammers etc. Since I used round bar with round pipe, the table also swivels which is very handy. Another great benefit of this type of stand is the wide range of actually securing your anvil. I drilled and tapped the bottom of my anvil so I could bolt it down from underneath. My 160lb Trenton has never been quieter or more secure. Of course drilling and tapping into an anvil might not be everyone's cup of tea however it doesn't negatively effect the anvil in any way. These are just a few things I've learned over the years, thanks for all of the great content this channel puts out. 👍
this was simply awesome ... i live in New Zealand ... and finding an Anvil is like hens teeth ... so jealous of how many you have ... thank you for this video keep up the great work
Hi man! I just loved your anvil stand! Pretty solid! I think too it's as silent as possible a naturally noise anvil to be!... I'm miles away fro you and recently I bought my first anvil and and an old manual forge. Now I have the toughest task: to choose the best stand 4 me. You helped a lot! Thks so much! 👏👏👏 Fro Brazil 🇧🇷 By the way: I'm an 68 yo old schooler... Rediscovering myself...
Your videos were key in getting me started into blacksmithing. As someone else below stated, great timing for this video. I have used your list to begin in the craft and just completed building a base for my new Kanca anvil. The tips you talk about in this video have helped me rethink the placement onto the base I built. That is currently my next step, placement and anchoring the anvil to the stand. As always, love all your videos and I continue to learn.
You mentioned that one down side of using a log is that the bug will try to eat it. Wouldn’t this mean that your nearly perfect “stump” under the Hay-Budden will need to be replaced at some point? Or do you treat the logs to make them less appealing as a meal?
My anvil is mounted almost the exact same way as your fisher including clipping off the edge. I even put some square holes and round ones to hold a few of my most used hardy, pritchel tools and punches. I didn't think about the raised edge though, I think I will have to see what I can do about that because I am always having items I lay on the flat offside top, fall on the floor.
Have you seen or used a sand box style anvil stand? You fabricate a steel or wood box (kind stump-sized), fill with sand, and set the anvil on the sand. As the sand settles during initial period of use you need to add some more, but it becomes adjustable as you can add or subtract sand as needed.
I made an anvil from 80kg round chromoly steel I find from scrapyard. I made a stand on it taking hard solid basalt rock from my yard, cutting one side straight with diamond disk and then casted it into concrete in 80l plastic bucket. I lapped the stone face straight and then bolted the steel on it with piece of aluminium in between to dampen the ringing. For me it seems to work really well and is easy to move by rolling on it’s side. Have anyone who knows more about forging tried similar aporoach. For me it feels like the stone is almost as good as steel to give extra weight. I chose it by hitting it with a rock and picked one which had tightest sound.
Yeah! A blacksmithing video (or pretty darn close). I started watching this channel with a blacksmithing video, and subscribed because the (GOOD) knowledge flows in a constant stream (and sometimes a deluge, but I can watch a video a second time if necessary, and maybe even take notes), and is entertaining to boot.
I used the base part of the fork of an Australian redgum tree upside down as a base for my 160 Sydney made anvil. This gives a lot of mass with a bigger footprint and almost flat along the working side/s. The anvil is bolted in a similar fashion to the last one in your video. Now I need to copy your tool holster.
I was taught a little blacksmithing at school on anvils that sat on cast iron bases, these things were great because they had holes for all the fullers and neckers you could want, but they were horribly loud !
My my... you are obviously a very talented guy, (with many skills), but even more importantly to your viewers, the Lord has blessed you with very rare communication skills. This is what makes it a joy to watch your content. I believe you could make a video on watching paint dry and it would be interesting and entertaining! Also, your spirit is so transparent that I would trust you with any of my loved ones -- AND I'VE NEVER MET YOU! Bless you and your family my friend.
I have been wanting an anvil for years. It would be such a great help here on my farm. But they are really hard to find here in Arkansas. The few I have managed to scare up have been pretty much destroyed and they still want three time what a clean anvil would sell for. I even have an oak stump under my lean-to that I cut down at just the right height for a future anvil.
Thank you for doing this comparison. I inherited Dad’s huge anvil and tools but the anvil has no base. I love that you gave the pros and cons of each style. I was already thinking about doing a log base but your video helped me see it’s the right decision. Oh, and the hot metal being applied to the flaming wood was pretty badass medieval. LOL. Thanks again!
Your videos are great. Keep up the amazing work! I am applying so many of the skills and techniques you are teaching daily. You have been a positive influence for me so thank you.
i have a 4 6x6 anvil base in a square shape and to hold it down i got some chain and wrapped it one time around with chain as small as possible then on 2 sides i put giant turn buckles and then bolted them to the side of the base with the hooks poking up just a little then i put the chain on the hooks and tightened the turn buckles as much as possible the hardware and 6x6 cost about $60
Is there any reason not to add a flat piece of wood to extend base under the horn? It shouldn't get in a way and it would create extra space to put chisels or any other tool during work
Biggest improvement to the fabricated stands I've seen: Put a piece of hard timber between the anvil and the top, so when you clamp it down it fills in the space and stops ringing. Put a shelf at the very bottom of the stand that you can put something heavy there. I've got a little baby anvil, so it's just a 20kg bag of sand, but it works great to keep it low and solid. And if it's still ringing, fill hollow legs and other parts with sand, this also helps add weight.
I was wondering if you had any tips/advice of dampening/quieting the sound of the anvil? Maybe make a video on it! Thanks - Stefon (pronounced Stephen) from South Carolina! Big fan!
One thought that came to mind .. think of all those simple devices that are made in such a shop around an anvil .. that never get patented .. just a really cool idea that is added to the pile! Great hammer rack!
Scott - What's your opinion on just using a large magnet on the side of your anvil to soak up 90% of the noise? Can get a pair of 2" ceramic ring magnets from a junk microwave, or a pair of neodymium ones from a junk hard drive that are probably big enough. I know it's not traditional, but, really no reason to go deaf regardless. I've no idea if it affects the work at all (I can't see why, but, I've never swung a hammer at an anvil), but, I presume I'm not the only one who's heard that trick and, there must be some reasons not to use them or everyone would know that trick I figure.
Hi there, just wanted to say that Im a huge fan of your work. I am from Portugal, and the problem with that is that there isnt a "close" community of blacksmiths here, and it's extremely hard for me, who just wants to start pounding some steel, to be able to even find an anvil, and all the ones I do find, as expensive as heck. Damn this saddens me a whole lot.
Scott is the coolest guy I wish I knew. Thanks again for the tips def going to check out the website out.
4 года назад
I don't know jack about blacksmithing or energy loss through a anvil stand. But one anvil stand I saw that I thought was super-cool was a smaller oil barrel that was filled with sand up to under the edge of the rim to a good working height. This case it was about 2 inches to the top. A round metal plate then sat on top of the sand inside of the rim of the oil barrel. The anvil then sat on top of that metal plate. The rim of the oil barrel kept the anvil detained and that thing didn't move at all. But in a pinch you could jostle the base around. Sand itself doesn't compact, (that's why it's used on brick walkways as a substrate). I'm not sure if the sand would absorb the blow energy or resist the blow energy. Still, I thought it was a pretty nifty stand.
You might recognize it as a variant of the great Clint Eastwood line in the movie, The Outlaw Josie Wales - “The hell with them fellas. Buzzards gotta eat..same as worms.” ruclips.net/video/6I6TrGedUn8/видео.html
I have an old 45-50 lb Hay Budden anvil that's not flat on the bottom, I'm guessing they pour anvils in a mold that is upside down and they just didn't grind off the excess after they pulled it out of the mold. I want to mount it on another log because the log it's on is pretty old and kinda low for me. Should I grind the bottom flat? Does it matter? If it were flat it would be easier to mount on the new log because I wouldn't have to dig out a hole in the middle. Thanks. :)
You sir could make loading cow manure by hand interesting! And believe me,I know that first hand from my young years. I am not a blacksmith,however my wife's grandfather was and an excellent one to boot. He showed me some blacksmithing several years ago,a skill set that is disappearing slowly,I'm afraid. Good video!👌😊
Reminds me of the time our friend told us about her localized sign confusion, "Free range chickens and Free range eggs". Wow, must be a perk to country living. Yes she did stop to ask and was relieved that the farm's sales associate who cracked open her dreams of free poultry was still in grade 2.
@Nate -- "as we already demonstrated" (3:05) -- ummm...not exactly. The only anvil bangs were on a noisy one. We didn't hear a "quiet" one to compare it to. Maybe the comparison footage got lost on the cutting room floor (or whatever the digital equivalent is). Otherwise, great video, even though I am not nor will ever be a blacksmith.
Superglue that small anvil to the metal base. It can be broken loose if needed. Set the metal stand in a small concrete floor base. You could do the same for the fabricated stand. If you made a round concrete base, you could still wheel it around the shop.
I tried a round and while working my anvil did it go around and round, I hated it . I built a 3 legged steel stand mine can easily be shorter with little effort.,I have🎉1/2" washers I can easily mount to cement floor or drive rods into my gravel/ dirt floor my forge. Usually I agree with you Sir 100 percent ,Perhaps in time. Thanks
I have a six foot log about 28 inches round i wanted to use for my anvil stand. The thought digging a hole and putting it in about two feet. What do you think?
Very timely for me to come across this video, as just today an anvil I ordered has been delivered -- just for a bit of home blacksmithing/and sundry tool repair work. It is a light one, but as much as I will be able to handle easily at my advanced age (74), with well shaped horn (needs a little smoothing) and good rectangular main section with square sides, smallish table and the usual Hardie and Pritchel holes, and 4 decent holes in the legs for securing bolts (if secured that way). I would prefer a decent log and am quite taken by your example near the end of the video -- the massive log (with section off one side, added steelwork at the top which also doubles as a tool holder and anciliary bits and pieces table, and also the securing structures that hold the anvil down under tension. I now know what to look and aim for. Thank you greatly.
Many years ago I fell asleep hearing the ring of my fathers anvil and woke up with the same sound. We had a farm and a welding shop Saddens me that I did not show more interest. That was over 65 years ago and I can still hear that ring when I go to bed.
FUDDLEYP JONES lol great point
Your comment brought a tear to my eye.Older people have so much to teach if only their kids would listen.
My dad was forging after he retired, and he blacksmith when I was 2,3,4,5, etc. for a living. When I grew up I'd see him hitting red hot iron into shapes. I always said I'll ask him latter to show me how it was done. Well that day never came, he got lung cancer and died with in 6 months. I regret not learning how to forge iron. I still have his anvil and now I'm 76 years old.
@@josecanisales3491. . . So? I'm years older than you, have numerous hammers, tongs and 3 anvils, a helv-hammer about 50 lbs. (needs serious work, as we left it outside and the wood after 15 years? badd!... The business I'm in also has a monster Nazel 4B for sale, that I hope we can sell locally so I can go "try it out".
Don't let mere age hold you back. :-)
Always a pleasure to hear this guy talk, so elegantly wise. That, coupled with exemplary audio and video skills, make this channel one of the best on the web.
I'm no blacksmith or have much interest but I have much respect for this craftsman. I subscribe so I watch. Keep up the good work everyone!
100% agreed!
Was going to say the same thing...I dont know anyone who communicates anything the way he does.
Completely agree. One of the finest channels on the Interwebs.
Absolutely. This channel is gold. The dad we all wish we had growing up.
About 10 years ago my Dad and I got on a kick of buying paper books of things we might want to know if things really got bad in the world, figured it was a good way to learn something everyone ought to know and not go crazy worrying about things. VERY first one I got interested in and picked up? Practical Blacksmithing.
Unbelievable to watch what a father and son have created together. Capturing Scott's decades of knowledge and love of the craft with Nate's appreciation of his father and the craft. I truly aspire in every event that my two year old son and I do together to merely tag along with what Scott and Nate have done together. Thank you for the channel, thank you for the knowledge and thank you for reminding us all what it means to share it with each other.
As I didn't find a fitting stump for my anvil and wanted lots of mass, because it is on a wooden floor that swings a bit, I cast one from concrete. I put steel plates into the top so I could weld nuts on them as attachment points for the anvil. Works great, but impossible to move with an anvil that is ~100kg and a base that is even heavier :D
How has it held up over time?
@@stormyeffects4795 so far it holds up fine, but it is just a few month old. I put a thin rubber mat between the anvil and the concrete to stop the worst shock.
In case it might crack I could pour a new one using fiber reinforcement with glas fibers or similar.
Marsumaniac79
Nice
If you drill hole on the sides you mount steel plates with wheels. If you need to move it, you can. Unbolt plates when you don't need them
Mount Assassinlex's wheels on screw-jack arrangement (like on a boat trailer). So you attach the plates, run the screws down until the anvil assembly comes off the floor, roll to destination. No heavy lifting required.
I used 2x12 boards dry stacked and losely held together with thread rod. I was taught this by and old timer who I demonstrated with on historical living history days. It self levels since the boards move to the ground beneath and will keep your base solid on soft ground like Cowpens National Battle Field. My anvil is only 95 lbs so it works for me and is portable as well. I like the stump base as well. Thanks for the suggestions and the video. Jim in Chile.
"Bugs gotta eat too." Man, I love that attitude to life. Thanks for another great video. Much as I'd love to take up blacksmithing as a hobby, I realize that it's one of the crafts I'm going to have to take a pass on, given my age and worsening arthritis that almost precludes holding a hammer. I guess I'll just stick to wood working with power tools. That's enough. But I still enjoy your videos and, especially, your attitude. Keep'em comin' eh.
You could always get a treadle or power hammer. They have all sizes to be able to do just about every kind of work from fine detailing small pieces to moving some serious amounts of steel in one blow. Most treadle hammer are home built so you can make it just as you like. There is just something about moving red hot steel that woodworking doesn't bring for me. I love both and hope you can at least get a taste of it some time. Btw, I had my son's begin blacksmithing in the shop when they were around 7 and did an aweful lot using a small ball peen hammer, my oldest made his first knife that way and know has a small buisness doing it on the side.
You could make a quick&dirty treadle hammer just to see if you like it enough to spend time/money on a better one. 2x4 uprights with a steel pin through them, another 2x4 in the middle so it will swing on the pin, fasten hammer to top of swinging arm. Cord from low end of arm to end of a plank on the floor, maybe through a couple of pulleys to get the sweet spot of the plank under your foot. That's the fastest-sounding rig I can think of on short notice.
Oh my, bugs gotta eat, too? Enjoyed this presentation. We live near Bill's homes, both of them and Sweetie worked with Bill in his young years. What learning, right? The memories remind us of how grateful we are to God for the gifts we have received! Thanks for reminding us, Scott!
One good rule about the height of a stand/anvil together is that it should equal the distance between the floor and the knuckles of your hand as if it had a hammer when your standing upright beside it. An anvil that's to low will force you to hunch over it to use it and if to high you'll have to splay out your arms to use a hammer which imparts more shock/rotation to your shoulder. Indeed by having the right heigth your using your forearm/biceps rather than your shoulder to strike a blow and if you ever spent time hammering nails in where your shoulders more than biceps are being used you'll know why it's tiring. Most use tongs/pliers to hold a piece of iron/steel for hot/cold forging and that height is also better at hand height for the same reason. On way to get a log free is to ask someone cutting down a tree for a piece of the trunk and many are happy not to have to haul a piece away if you'll do it for them.
My personal anvil at home is mounted on the end grain of a bundle of 4x4s held together with ratchet straps. The anvils at my job are mounted on sections of log. Both are great once the anvils are fastened securely.
"Superfluous!" Wow thanks for the awesome vocabulary! The daily essential words!
Scott is an avid reader and has an excellent vocabulary.
With An anvil that rings too much (your Trenton loose on a metal base) there is an old blacksmithing trick.
Fill a small bucket with weight (slag, scrap, sand, water, etc.) and hang it on the horn of the anvil. What you hang it with can matter, too; you want something supple. Leather straps work well (full cowhide with the suede side on the horn); nylon straps work okay; an old bicycle inner tube holding a several pound weight looks silly but works amazingly well.
I learn so much from you in refining my tradecraft; thank you so much. I'm very happy to share a tip from my past that might help you sometime.
Blessed Be, Dear Sir.
Great design. A heavy duty spring lock washer or a compression spring under each attachment bolt should ensure the anvil is always tight against the wood as the humidity changes during the year.
The nice thing about 3 legged stools and anvil stands is that if you rotate them on your floor, there is always a spot where they are level. Whereas 4 legged structures you can't do that with (unless the legs are perfectly even and the floor has a certain level of roughness).
This is because of some of that math stuff they teach you in school that everyones trying to convince you that you will never use (probably more like choose not to), called the intermediate value theorem which proves this is always the case (for 3 legged stools there is some rotation of the stool such that all 3 legs touch the ground).
On this weeks episode of Anvil Hoarders....
Be mad 😂
I have a little twenty pound anvil that I use mostly for flattening or bending brackets or sheet metal when I am fabricobbling something together. Yes, fabricobbling is a word. I recently mounted this anvil on one end of a two foot section of an 8x8 and a small vice on the other end, and now lives on the back of my truck. It is extremely handy for all those little jobs around the woodlot as well as holding the bar of my saw for maintenance or sharpening the chain.
Perfect timing for this video, I have another anvil and a large log, and have been thinking how I want to mount it.
That is a really nice set up on the hammer rack, Scott. The purposeful way you planned it out and executed it shows what real craftsmanship is all about. Really enjoyed this clip, can't wait to get my hands on an anvil and forge and start to make things.
I feel the need to add my 2 cents to the discussion of anvil stands as I've tried quite a few. I've used a few different big logs under my anvils: oak, and ash being two types I was sure about. I have to say, they always seemed to wobble and I was never quite happy with them.
My go-to is a tri-legged fabricated stand. As you mentioned in the video they don't wobble and are pretty easy to put together. I added some flat bar to the bottoms of the feet with holes for anchoring to concrete; super solid.
I must disagree with you about the limited amount of things you can add to a fabricated stand. I added a few pieces of pipe around the perimeter for hammers and tongs or what not but I also added a 1" inside diameter tube. This tube gives me so many options for added space. I can simply weld a short piece of 1" round bar onto things I'd like right at my disposal on the stand. This allows me to add a small work table for holding anything I need, including more slots for hammers etc. Since I used round bar with round pipe, the table also swivels which is very handy.
Another great benefit of this type of stand is the wide range of actually securing your anvil. I drilled and tapped the bottom of my anvil so I could bolt it down from underneath. My 160lb Trenton has never been quieter or more secure. Of course drilling and tapping into an anvil might not be everyone's cup of tea however it doesn't negatively effect the anvil in any way.
These are just a few things I've learned over the years, thanks for all of the great content this channel puts out. 👍
I am not a blacksmith, but this was educational and very interesting.
this was simply awesome ... i live in New Zealand ... and finding an Anvil is like hens teeth ... so jealous of how many you have ... thank you for this video keep up the great work
Hi man! I just loved your anvil stand! Pretty solid! I think too it's as silent as possible a naturally noise anvil to be!...
I'm miles away fro you and recently I bought my first anvil and and an old manual forge. Now I have the toughest task: to choose the best stand 4 me. You helped a lot! Thks so much! 👏👏👏 Fro Brazil 🇧🇷 By the way: I'm an 68 yo old schooler... Rediscovering myself...
Your videos were key in getting me started into blacksmithing. As someone else below stated, great timing for this video. I have used your list to begin in the craft and just completed building a base for my new Kanca anvil. The tips you talk about in this video have helped me rethink the placement onto the base I built. That is currently my next step, placement and anchoring the anvil to the stand. As always, love all your videos and I continue to learn.
A toe kick (4”Hx4”D) around the bottom of my anvil stump has made world of difference for me, Thank you so much for the Great videos.
This is one of the best channels on RUclips hands down.
What a wonderful guy who I admire, loads of talent and of course knowledge! Greeting from the UK 🇬🇧
You mentioned that one down side of using a log is that the bug will try to eat it. Wouldn’t this mean that your nearly perfect “stump” under the Hay-Budden will need to be replaced at some point? Or do you treat the logs to make them less appealing as a meal?
J Anderson yes it will need to be replaced but that will probably be by whomever is lucky enough to have that anvil next!
Treat them with oil, bugs hate it!
Good to see you back in the shop, EC.
My main anvil stand is half buried Australian hardwood log. Anvil is 344 pounds. Working great.
Whine barrel ring's turned into tool holders
I just bought a brand new anvil. Great idea on raising the edge of the hammer loop to create a better landing pad for rivets and such!
“Bugs gotta eat too!” Same as bears. Awesome video!
My anvil is mounted almost the exact same way as your fisher including clipping off the edge. I even put some square holes and round ones to hold a few of my most used hardy, pritchel tools and punches. I didn't think about the raised edge though, I think I will have to see what I can do about that because I am always having items I lay on the flat offside top, fall on the floor.
Have you seen or used a sand box style anvil stand? You fabricate a steel or wood box (kind stump-sized), fill with sand, and set the anvil on the sand. As the sand settles during initial period of use you need to add some more, but it becomes adjustable as you can add or subtract sand as needed.
Love the last set up. I just picked up a new anvil and am in the process of bolting it down. I will try and do similar to this
I made an anvil from 80kg round chromoly steel I find from scrapyard.
I made a stand on it taking hard solid basalt rock from my yard, cutting one side straight with diamond disk and then casted it into concrete in 80l plastic bucket.
I lapped the stone face straight and then bolted the steel on it with piece of aluminium in between to dampen the ringing.
For me it seems to work really well and is easy to move by rolling on it’s side.
Have anyone who knows more about forging tried similar aporoach. For me it feels like the stone is almost as good as steel to give extra weight. I chose it by hitting it with a rock and picked one which had tightest sound.
Yeah! A blacksmithing video (or pretty darn close). I started watching this channel with a blacksmithing video, and subscribed because the (GOOD) knowledge flows in a constant stream (and sometimes a deluge, but I can watch a video a second time if necessary, and maybe even take notes), and is entertaining to boot.
Thanks so much for some practical insight and wisdom.....I’m just getting started and still have not found/purchased an anvil
I used the base part of the fork of an Australian redgum tree upside down as a base for my 160 Sydney made anvil. This gives a lot of mass with a bigger footprint and almost flat along the working side/s. The anvil is bolted in a similar fashion to the last one in your video. Now I need to copy your tool holster.
I was taught a little blacksmithing at school on anvils that sat on cast iron bases, these things were great because they had holes for all the fullers and neckers you could want, but they were horribly loud !
Wow. This video looks like a professional studio production. Thanks for all that good info.
I use a plum trunk. It’s pretty.
3 leg stands are easy to level and dont rock on uneven surfaces
A tip to remedy that using a stump is to carve a small dish in the center of the bottom side leaving about a 2 inch ledge that can contact the floor.
My my... you are obviously a very talented guy, (with many skills), but even more importantly to your viewers, the Lord has blessed you with very rare communication skills. This is what makes it a joy to watch your content. I believe you could make a video on watching paint dry and it would be interesting and entertaining! Also, your spirit is so transparent that I would trust you with any of my loved ones -- AND I'VE NEVER MET YOU!
Bless you and your family my friend.
I have been wanting an anvil for years. It would be such a great help here on my farm. But they are really hard to find here in Arkansas. The few I have managed to scare up have been pretty much destroyed and they still want three time what a clean anvil would sell for. I even have an oak stump under my lean-to that I cut down at just the right height for a future anvil.
Alec Steele is going to have a line of anvils coming at some point I believe.
There are many anvil manufacturers that sell new anvils at reasonable prices. You don't have to hunt down an antique.
Thank you for doing this comparison. I inherited Dad’s huge anvil and tools but the anvil has no base. I love that you gave the pros and cons of each style. I was already thinking about doing a log base but your video helped me see it’s the right decision.
Oh, and the hot metal being applied to the flaming wood was pretty badass medieval. LOL. Thanks again!
Thank you 👍👍👍👍👍.
Keep up the good work!
Your videos are great. Keep up the amazing work! I am applying so many of the skills and techniques you are teaching daily. You have been a positive influence for me so thank you.
i have a 4 6x6 anvil base in a square shape and to hold it down i got some chain and wrapped it one time around with chain as small as possible then on 2 sides i put giant turn buckles and then bolted them to the side of the base with the hooks poking up just a little then i put the chain on the hooks and tightened the turn buckles as much as possible the hardware and 6x6 cost about $60
Is there any reason not to add a flat piece of wood to extend base under the horn? It shouldn't get in a way and it would create extra space to put chisels or any other tool during work
I just LOVE ❤️ the legendary steel anvils - the classic shape ones plus the right anvil base stands etc 👍🏻
ES, you are my favorite channel! The next anvil i come across, it will be purchased! Thanks for the great info
On your explanation of energy loss at 5:06, could the loss also be transferred into the nails, vibrating them loose and widening the hole in time?
Sir, it is always a pleasure to watch you.
Biggest improvement to the fabricated stands I've seen:
Put a piece of hard timber between the anvil and the top, so when you clamp it down it fills in the space and stops ringing.
Put a shelf at the very bottom of the stand that you can put something heavy there. I've got a little baby anvil, so it's just a 20kg bag of sand, but it works great to keep it low and solid.
And if it's still ringing, fill hollow legs and other parts with sand, this also helps add weight.
I was wondering if you had any tips/advice of dampening/quieting the sound of the anvil? Maybe make a video on it! Thanks - Stefon (pronounced Stephen) from South Carolina! Big fan!
One thought that came to mind .. think of all those simple devices that are made in such a shop around an anvil .. that never get patented .. just a really cool idea that is added to the pile! Great hammer rack!
Scott - What's your opinion on just using a large magnet on the side of your anvil to soak up 90% of the noise? Can get a pair of 2" ceramic ring magnets from a junk microwave, or a pair of neodymium ones from a junk hard drive that are probably big enough. I know it's not traditional, but, really no reason to go deaf regardless. I've no idea if it affects the work at all (I can't see why, but, I've never swung a hammer at an anvil), but, I presume I'm not the only one who's heard that trick and, there must be some reasons not to use them or everyone would know that trick I figure.
Getting my first anvil so this is perfect info , thanks
How timely, I'm literally building one this week
Hi there, just wanted to say that Im a huge fan of your work. I am from Portugal, and the problem with that is that there isnt a "close" community of blacksmiths here, and it's extremely hard for me, who just wants to start pounding some steel, to be able to even find an anvil, and all the ones I do find, as expensive as heck. Damn this saddens me a whole lot.
Scott is the coolest guy I wish I knew. Thanks again for the tips def going to check out the website out.
I don't know jack about blacksmithing or energy loss through a anvil stand. But one anvil stand I saw that I thought was super-cool was a smaller oil barrel that was filled with sand up to under the edge of the rim to a good working height. This case it was about 2 inches to the top.
A round metal plate then sat on top of the sand inside of the rim of the oil barrel. The anvil then sat on top of that metal plate. The rim of the oil barrel kept the anvil detained and that thing didn't move at all. But in a pinch you could jostle the base around.
Sand itself doesn't compact, (that's why it's used on brick walkways as a substrate). I'm not sure if the sand would absorb the blow energy or resist the blow energy.
Still, I thought it was a pretty nifty stand.
“You just can’t beat the end of a log.”
Isn’t that the point?
To put it bluntly
I'm working on understanding the deeper meaning to "Bug's gotta eat too." Lemme get back to you when I discover something profound.
You might recognize it as a variant of the great Clint Eastwood line in the movie, The Outlaw Josie Wales - “The hell with them fellas. Buzzards gotta eat..same as worms.”
ruclips.net/video/6I6TrGedUn8/видео.html
Haha
All pine beetles must burn.
@@psidvicious I was going to say just that, but was looking to see if someone beat me to it. Cheers!
I know nothing about blacksmithing, but I love that radial arm drill!
A tripod stand, with proper thickness filled with stand and bolted anvil with silicone is hard to beat and fairly quiet
I have an old 45-50 lb Hay Budden anvil that's not flat on the bottom, I'm guessing they pour anvils in a mold that is upside down and they just didn't grind off the excess after they pulled it out of the mold. I want to mount it on another log because the log it's on is pretty old and kinda low for me. Should I grind the bottom flat? Does it matter? If it were flat it would be easier to mount on the new log because I wouldn't have to dig out a hole in the middle. Thanks. :)
Very good information really enjoyed this video. Your shop is amazing I think it’s the best I have ever seen.
Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍
I hope thing's are going good for you.
You sir could make loading cow manure by hand interesting! And believe me,I know that first hand from my young years. I am not a blacksmith,however my wife's grandfather was and an excellent one to boot. He showed me some blacksmithing several years ago,a skill set that is disappearing slowly,I'm afraid. Good video!👌😊
Excellent video. Y'all have come a long way. Beautifully shot and edited.
Reminds me of the time our friend told us about her localized sign confusion, "Free range chickens and Free range eggs". Wow, must be a perk to country living. Yes she did stop to ask and was relieved that the farm's sales associate who cracked open her dreams of free poultry was still in grade 2.
AS ALWAYS......GREAT JOB SCOTT....GOD BLESS !
I cant stop watching ec im about as far away from a blacksmith as one can be but im sitting here going hmmm fisher anvils where can i get one
I love how this guy has all the tools.
Absolutely love your videos on blacksmithing. Thanks mate
@Nate -- "as we already demonstrated" (3:05) -- ummm...not exactly. The only anvil bangs were on a noisy one. We didn't hear a "quiet" one to compare it to. Maybe the comparison footage got lost on the cutting room floor (or whatever the digital equivalent is).
Otherwise, great video, even though I am not nor will ever be a blacksmith.
Can you show or further explain those giant tongs at the end of the video? They look awesome!
My thoughts exactly! They look like they're from a steel foundry or something.
Inspiring video! Is that an Arboga radial drill? I uses one like that at work. It has a simpler table than yours. Very reliable machine.
Thanks
Superglue that small anvil to the metal base. It can be broken loose if needed. Set the metal stand in a small concrete floor base. You could do the same for the fabricated stand. If you made a round concrete base, you could still wheel it around the shop.
Any ideas for things that can be used as an anvil for the beginner?
Another gem of a Video.. what a great shop you have!
Thanks for sharing.. peAce
I tried a round and while working my anvil did it go around and round, I hated it .
I built a 3 legged steel stand mine can easily be shorter with little effort.,I have🎉1/2" washers I can easily mount to cement floor or drive rods into my gravel/ dirt floor my forge.
Usually I agree with you Sir 100 percent ,Perhaps in time. Thanks
what is the best wood to use? maple/ ash oak etc?
Mister what a great video, love your beautiful shop,
I still feel like I’m back in school in your vids. Except I’m listening to the only teacher that I like. So keep your school open!
I want to move to wherever this guy is and apprentice for him to learn about life’s wisdom and some about craftsmanship.
I have a six foot log about 28 inches round i wanted to use for my anvil stand. The thought digging a hole and putting it in about two feet. What do you think?
Very timely for me to come across this video, as just today an anvil I ordered has been delivered -- just for a bit of home blacksmithing/and sundry tool repair work. It is a light one, but as much as I will be able to handle easily at my advanced age (74), with well shaped horn (needs a little smoothing) and good rectangular main section with square sides, smallish table and the usual Hardie and Pritchel holes, and 4 decent holes in the legs for securing bolts (if secured that way). I would prefer a decent log and am quite taken by your example near the end of the video -- the massive log (with section off one side, added steelwork at the top which also doubles as a tool holder and anciliary bits and pieces table, and also the securing structures that hold the anvil down under tension. I now know what to look and aim for. Thank you greatly.
Another quality video. Informative and entertaining. Thanks.
👍👍👍👍good ideas, Been meaning to modify my stand
Very interesting video Scott! Thank you!
What is that white streak going down from the plug on the air tank? Is it a corrosive leak?
I’ll be adding a lip to my stand, great idea!
That cast stand sounds hollow if so it might benefit form being filled with concrete
Any decision yet on where the Pressure Tank will be located ... ??
So is it a bad idea to shim an anvil to bring it up to the correct height?
Another great video. A wonderful way to start out my Wednesday morning.