Bending Thick Metal

[IslandTractor]

This has been an interested conversation on anvils. I never really gave it much thought/research before as they always seemed to be just a big dumb hunk of iron. I've learned differently.

While I never wanted to spend the $300+ that 100lb+ anvils go for on CL, I may need to reconsider that. Especially in light of realizing that I spend multiples of that for a tractor implement that might be used a couple of times a year. At the kitchen table, I'll just never let on that a used anvil was anything more than a flea market bargain.

Now I need to learn a bit more about blacksmithing and start searching on CL for a used quality anvil. Luckily, I imagine that New England is a good place to find them.

 

[JB4310]

-Could be from making shoes. I'd say the guy was right handed and hung the bars/stock over the rounded edge of the anvil - (work rounded), The hammer is in his right hand and the tongs in the left hand. I figure he also beveled the rounded side of the anvil a bit so as to avoid a sharp crease when bending stock over the edge or curving the steel (sets up weak spots). Somebody put some hammer dings in the face. When you hammer hot steel on the face (top) of the anvil - it is soft. One side of the steel takes the hammer blow, the other side takes the dings from the anvil face! (you work around them!)
It looks like a Peter Wright anvil imported from England.
Peter Wright anvil - Practical Machinist - Largest Manufacturing Technology Forum on the Web
+ do a google search: "Peter Wright Anvils"
I hate to think of these anvils hitting the scrap yards!

Thanks for all that info, now I at least know what I have.

I doubt many would end up in a scrap yard, I have seen some on craigslist and they always go for good money.

I work at a school that had a monster anvil, like I've never seen before. This is a high end prep school in an old campus that use to house an agricultural school going back to the 1800's. they have an old barn that's converted to an art studio and they had this huge, 5-6 inch wide and 30-36 inches long anvil sitting outside on a beautiful steel stand. This thing looked almost pristine, so I'm not sure it was a period piece or not.

I do work on their roof's, one year I asked the contact person that I dealt with if I could have or barter for the anvil, he said no cause the kids draw pictures of it. About a month after I asked for it, the thing came up missing. They just contracted an outside landscape firm to do their grass and I'm sure it was one of those guys. but of course they thought it was me, since I asked for it.

JB

 

[tcreeley]

This has been an interested conversation on anvils. I never really gave it much thought/research before as they always seemed to be just a big dumb hunk of iron. I've learned differently.

While I never wanted to spend the $300+ that 100lb+ anvils go for on CL, I may need to reconsider that. Especially in light of realizing that I spend multiples of that for a tractor implement that might be used a couple of times a year. At the kitchen table, I'll just never let on that a used anvil was anything more than a flea market bargain.

Now I need to learn a bit more about blacksmithing and start searching on CL for a used quality anvil.

If you want to have your eyes opened to a new world- check out the New England Blacksmiths Association.
Spring
Their members do the full range - oldtime smithing and modern stuff. They even offer classes for beginners. Years ago the meet was in Woonsocket! I drove down for that one with my son.
Check out Blacksmithing Organization Web Sites : Blacksmith Group Locations for local associations around the country + the national association!

 

[jake98]

You have to do blacksmithing in a dark shed to get the right effect. They read the color difference for their different processes. I took a one day introduction given by a great guy, historian, curator of a big antique village. Went in thinking, 'how am I gonna spend the day in this gloomy dirt floor shack', and by the time the coal was burning the guy had started weaving the history lesson, and the day flew by way too fast.

 

[IslandTractor]

I don't recall what sort of big anvil they used but I did watch bronze age "blacksmiths" in Indonesia turn an ingot of bronze (or brass??) into a gong about twenty years ago. Fascinating as they had a forge that was literally powered by a sheepskin bellows. One foreman who had long tongs and would put the piece into the forge. A guy pedalling the sheepskin bellows and then three guys with long hammers. The white hot metal was pulled from the forge and moved to the anvil where the three hammer jocks would sequentially hit the piece in what was almost a continuous machine gun like sound until the metal was no longer red hot. Then it was put back into the forge. Took them a couple of hours to turn a 33lb piece of metal into a beautiful gong about two feet in diameter. The gong hangs in my living room and makes a really wonderful sound.

 

[jake98]

A gong could be handy around here.. :laughing: (I believe that post requires a picture, too)

 

[dex3361]

I bought my 145# anvil at an estate auction about 20 years ago. This fellow had 3 anvils. The first one went for $75 second one went for $50 and the one I bought went for $35 dollars. Fellow I work with says his dad was hired to plow a garden and hit something hard and pulled up an old anvil in decent shape. All I ever pull up is rocks rocks and more rocks.

 

[IslandTractor]

A gong could be handy around here.. :laughing: (I believe that post requires a picture, too)

Wish I still had the photos of the gong being made but that was in the pre digital days. Here is the final product.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Seems that all we need to close this post out is a reply from the OP on what the final cost was to have this tail wheel fixed at the local welding shop.

 

[Gary Fowler]

After getting the cost to fix, then we can start new with the advantages of having and using your own equipment.