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Well after loads of searching I have yet to find an anvil that's not too big near me.Most of the ones on the bay are either full size or too small.I need one that is movable so I have been looking at the vevor ones.The one I thought might be ok is cast iron so not the best there is a slightly smaller one weight wise that is cast steel.A much better option.

Has anyone got one and are they OK?It's only for hobby use.And will in time be supported by a small forge.I will basically be making things out of old horseshoes.

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I made one a few years ago out of railway track and welded an offcut of digger bucket blade onto the top for a harder surface. As nice as it is you don't need a tool steel surface on an anvil what you need is mass

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Hello, There is nothing like the old fashioned Anvils like we used when i started in Engineering but looking at prices asked is !!!!!,  the Vevor , 88 llb Anvil being the heaviest might be worth a look fitted to a good heavy base and of traditional design, Farriers Anvils are by nature a different design than the Blacksmiths, there seems to be some for sale on Face book , Reclamation yards are worth a look, or you could ask at a Large Racing stable , or where you get your old horse shoes ??

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16 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, There is nothing like the old fashioned Anvils like we used when i started in Engineering but looking at prices asked is !!!!!,  the Vevor , 88 llb Anvil being the heaviest might be worth a look fitted to a good heavy base and of traditional design, Farriers Anvils are by nature a different design than the Blacksmiths, there seems to be some for sale on Face book , Reclamation yards are worth a look, or you could ask at a Large Racing stable , or where you get your old horse shoes ??

Thanks I have exhausted all those.The farrier has an old London pattern one he carts around it's about 1/2 cwt

20 minutes ago, Rob85 said:

I made one a few years ago out of railway track and welded an offcut of digger bucket blade onto the top for a harder surface. As nice as it is you don't need a tool steel surface on an anvil what you need is mass

Thanks for that I thought it was better to have a hard surface. so a heavier cast iron one may do then.Its only for hobby use

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7 minutes ago, wisdom said:

Thanks I have exhausted all those.The farrier has an old London pattern one he carts around it's about 1/2 cwt

Thanks for that I thought it was better to have a hard surface. so a heavier cast iron one may do then.Its only for hobby use

Hello, No problem, as it happens our Engineering shop was originally a Blacksmiths , let us know how you get on ?

Edited by oldypigeonpopper
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21 hours ago, ditchman said:

bit of a railway line ?

I dont have much use for an anvil but thats what ive got, 1 piece around 18" and a small piece about3-4" i dont tend to move the large piece around much. 

 

There's probably a few other lengths around at work hiding somewhere. 

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On 14/07/2024 at 19:57, wisdom said:

Well after loads of searching I have yet to find an anvil that's not too big near me.Most of the ones on the bay are either full size or too small.I need one that is movable so I have been looking at the vevor ones.The one I thought might be ok is cast iron so not the best there is a slightly smaller one weight wise that is cast steel.A much better option.

Has anyone got one and are they OK?It's only for hobby use.And will in time be supported by a small forge.I will basically be making things out of old horseshoes.

I don’t have a vevor anvil but spent a lot of time umming and ahhing between their largest cast iron and steel ones - it seemed to me that the iron ones had a wider range but the steel ones (from review/opinion) are a better material to work with.  I must stress that my decision making was based on absolutely no personal,experience, but I eventually decided that for a hobby anvil, either cast or steel would so me, and I was about to take a punt on the largest cast iron anvil when I got the opportunity to buy a bigger anvil from my wife’s farrier.  I know I can’t give a review as such, but I did do a lot of tyre kicking before I was happy that I’d take a shot at the vevor cast iron option.  

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Thank you all for the input it really helps.  I have food for thought.Like Jonty I have watched numerous YouTube videos.I have ruled out a secondhand one and the choice is now cast iron or steel.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Buy an old forklift tine, cut at right angle, leaves you a piece that's dead flat weighing about 35kg, and a long tapering piece weighing similar, you can mount in a concrete bucket and use the end of, plenty of mass under there for moving metal. And cheap.

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5 hours ago, tx4cabbie said:

Buy an old forklift tine, cut at right angle, leaves you a piece that's dead flat weighing about 35kg, and a long tapering piece weighing similar, you can mount in a concrete bucket and use the end of, plenty of mass under there for moving metal. And cheap.


I like the sound of that as a plan, but there’s going to be more second hand anvils / bits of railway track floating about than forklift tines.

I have been watching anvil prices - really good north of £1k, not bad north of £500 and something for home use / fixing your shoes under £500 but none of them are selling / shifting.

If it were me I’d look local on Facey market place and start issuing monkey low offers and see who once dreamed of top money for something big and heavy (and now unused and in the way) and who has been got at by his wife to have a clear out. Swerve anything in a factory setting and look for garages, driveways and angry wives in the photos 😆

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1 hour ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Wow, not often you see a breeding pair.

anvil pair.jpg


It means the seller has at least one too many to get rid of.

I love Facey market place.

I have a fascination with old top end hifi - nowadays it’s all wireless and micro (eg Sonos, which we have) and because the wife won’t let me get anything old, bulky and spewing wires no matter how good it may sound. Old Hi Fi gear that used to cost as much as a new car now goes for pennies as everyone’s wives tell them ‘I’m not have that and all those wires in the house, can’t we get [insert latest micro wireless kit that streams Sonos]. Must be my age. I digress.

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Thanks all for your advice and input I have bought a vevor cast steel one not cast iron. last week it weighs 66lb so I can move it.

Cannot fault it at all I am not earning a living with it just hobbying.It certainly does what I want and for less than 90 quid delivered.

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Saw a pair of forklift tines in Horsham for £40 on Ebay. I paid £100 for a pair in 2020, was offered a 56kg anvil next day for pennies, sold a tine to a chap, still have one in two pieces should anyone near essex/east london need a piece of heavy flat steel to beat on. I've made tongs on the smaller piece, works well.

No doubt an actual anvil works better, but a few quid vs a few hundred makes good sense.

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