Anvil price?

[Johndeere3720]

IMO, unless your a black smith, alot of things can substitute for an anvil, I think a monster vise is more useful for metal fabbing, nothing to substitute for a heavy vise on a stable platform.

JB.

even a small vice is definatly a nice tool to have around.

 

[schmism]

been on the hunt for a good anvil for the past 3 years.

They pop up on CL from time to time.... but they want better part of (and some times over) $2/lb

Im still a firm beliver in $1/lb but it seems i may be waiting for a while if i stick to that.

 

[Soundguy]

Looks like you will be the test case!

let us know how you like it.

soundguy

Will anyone own up to buying the Harbor Freight 55 lb anvil?

They don't pretend it is forged: "55 lbs. of top grade cast iron". The two customers reviews aren't complimentary.

I see they have a coupon through August 8 that offers it for $40. Here, scroll down, then 'click to print'.

I have two chunks of RR rail already. Would adding this, to have a flat surface, be worthwhile? Typical use would be a couple of times per year.

I've been watching Craigslist and Ebay, and haven't seen real anvils under 200 lbs/several hundred $, which I would never spend for something I use so infrequently.

Is anybody brave enough to tell the world they bought one? How did it work out?

 

[JCB]

Will anyone own up to buying the Harbor Freight 55 lb anvil?



I'll bite. My FIL got me a cheap 60lb anvil several years ago. I fall into the occasional use category. I've got the cheap anvil sitting on a stump and it works fine.

Sometimes I just need a place to hit something and the cheap anvil meets all expectations. Sometimes I'm actually working and fashioning a piece of metal and even though you can tell you are working with a cheap tool, the quality of the finished product quality is more a result of skill level than anvil quality.

That said. I have experience with exactly two anvils, mine and my dads. I can tell mine is the cheap one. I'm in no hurry to upgrade, but if I ever see a really good deal I'd think about it.

Joe

 

[Soundguy]

i'd love to get one.. so far price is keeping me from doing it.

our local HF doesn't keep them in stock .. so I'd have to order. if they get them in stock I'll be using a 20% coupon on one.

soundguy

 

[California]

you can tell you are working with a cheap tool...

This is what I'm curious about. I understand cheap might mean it dents easily, or chips, but how is the user's experience (or the finished result) different?

 

[schmism]

per the anvil website....

the ASO....(anvil shaped object)
eBay Fraud : Purchasing an ASO (Anvil Shaped Object)


Id really like a german style anvil

 

[Stargazer]

Well I bought it 15+ yrs ago never been hit with a hammer think it was $30 then hanging off back of riding lawn mower with snow blade chains and some light rail. Works good worth what paid for it

 

[rundogs]

I bought an HF anvil a few months back, it was in their warehouse clearance flyer.The outside finish looks fine but looking down in the square hole it looks kind of rough.I used it to drive out pins in PTO shafts and straighten a few pieces of metal.Its held up fine so far, but I wouldnt hit it with a mall.

 

[JCB]

This is what I'm curious about. I understand cheap might mean it dents easily, or chips, but how is the user's experience (or the finished result) different?

Cali,

I can't testify to variance in finished result, but regarding user experience yes it probably will chip or dent more easily. The more telling aspect is that it has a dead feel. It's kind of hard to quantify, but swinging a hammer multiple, multiple, multiple times you tend to focus in on the surfaces and work at hand. My cheap anvil doesn't exhibit much rebound or ring as mentioned in earlier post and it's subjective, but even the occasional user could tell the difference between my anvil and a nicer one.

That said a nicer anvil won't change my world. My cheap anvil is still a superstar when I need to drive out pins or hit something hard.