Ready to start forging

[osage outlaw]

I finally got my anvil mounted on an osage stump.  I made a stand for my forge next to it.  I have 2 shelves for tool storage.  Hammers hang on both sides.  I want to make an adjustable tool support for the forge.  I filled the center void of the stump with 5 tubes of silicone caulking.  I put some under the anvil also.  I put some rubber mat pieces around the bars holding the anvil down.  I'm pretty happy with how it dampened the ringing sound.  I'm going to keep a couple gallons of water next to the forge, just in case.

[osage outlaw]

Here's a short video of the anvil ring.

ht tps://youtu.be/oSOSTrZzocw

[Handforged]

Get a hand held belt sander and work the face of that anvil down to smooth and shiny. Don't get it hot to the touch and start with 40 grit. Then go up to about 220 or further if you want to. A smooth, dead flat surface is what you're looking for and it will vastly increase your efficiency when you strike metal on it. That dark rusty surface will leave pits and junk will get smashed into the metal as you work it.

Decrease the ring even more by wrapping the waste of the anvil with chain. Doesn't really matter what size but you'll need enough to go around it a few times. It will decrease the noticeable ring by half or more most of the time.

I wish I had access to osage that large. I have three anvils and the best I can do here is spruce. It works ok but I'd really like a hardwood base. We just don't have any around to get.

[Handforged]

One more thing. How tall are you? That anvil face looks really low to me... maybe personal preference but most consider a proper height to be measured like this. Standing at the anvil with a hammer in hand, the top of the anvil should be slightly higher (inch or two) than your knuckles.  I prefer mine a good bit higher myself. Having to bend over, even slightly while swinging a hammer will result in a good bit of fatigue and pain after a while.

[osage outlaw]

I'm vertically challenged.  It's at the correct height for me.

[osage outlaw]

I'd like to resurface the top of the anvil.  Thanks for the advice on how to do it.  I wrapped some chain around the anvil but didn't notice any improvement over how it was before.   I'll try a longer length and see if that helps.

[Handforged]

I'd like to resurface the top of the anvil.  Thanks for the advice on how to do it.  I wrapped some chain around the anvil but didn't notice any improvement over how it was before.   I'll try a longer length and see if that helps.

use a larger belt sander if you can and keep it flat.  Don't let it walk around on the face as you move it forward and back. Get a steel straight edge and keep checking for dips. AT THE MOST you're only looking to remove about 1/8" from the face. Go slow and keep the face cool with a rag soaked in water. Some folks go so far as to polish it all the way to 1000grit. I'm not that fancy but you can if you want to. Then after you get it that way don't hit it with a hammer anymore and it should stay that way. Shoot some wd-40 on it when you're not using it.

A good anvil is going to ring to matter what you do. It's just one of those things. The chain decreases the resonance more than reducing the sound if that makes sense so it might not be readily discernable but I can attest that it does help.  Have someone else watch while you work a piece of steel on your anvil. With the hardest strike that you can make the anvil should not budge, jump or wiggle in any way. If it does, even slightly figure out how to stop it. All of those little things will make things better over time.

[osage outlaw]

The only belt sander I have is a small one from walmart.  I don't know if it would be up to the task of cleaning up an anvil. 

[Handforged]

OH yeah, it would be fine.  We just worked a friend's anvil to a mirror polish with one of the el cheapos from HF. Just go slow and use a lot of belts.

[dylanholderman]

it will take longer but you can make a large sanding block by taping sandpaper to a board and flattening it that way.

if it were mine i would hand sand it until i got board of that and start forging, your first forgings are probably going to be crap anyway( i know mine were) and then every time you go out to use it sand some on the anvil while the forge heats up. by the time you have leaned some decent hammer control you should have your anvil in better shape too 

[Bryce]

I rightly wrapped my anvil with some 1.5” mooring line that a dipped in flame retardant. Then ran a ratchet strap around that to make it even tighter. Zero ring.
I had chain on my last anvil, worked pretty well.

[osage outlaw]

I rightly wrapped my anvil with some 1.5” mooring line that a dipped in flame retardant. Then ran a ratchet strap around that to make it even tighter. Zero ring.
I had chain on my last anvil, worked pretty well.

I work on the river.  I'll have to check the banks when it dries up some.  We find that hung up in trees sometimes.

[bjrogg]

Been looking forward to seeing you at that forge Clint. I’m sure it will be interesting.

I’d say you got that anvil about the right height.

Bjrogg

I really need to catch up some more in this sec of the site.