# Anvil



## dlane (Mar 25, 2015)

Hi all , so I picked up this anvil , drills , scrapers , and a bunch of other stuff.
The top is straight  on anvil  but it has pits on it , I would like to smooth the top I'm thinking flap disks on grinder. What you think ?.  The scrapers are biax from Germany I guess I'll need a handle
The drill press is 15 spd and goes down to 200 rpm it is stout. The drills are 1 1/4-9/16 1/2" shafts.
All of what you see and more was $180.00 , pics are acting stupid hope they made it.​


----------



## kd4gij (Mar 25, 2015)

That was quit the haul. You did good!


----------



## Karl_T (Mar 25, 2015)

What county do you live in?

I need to call the sheriff to report a robbery  

Karl


----------



## RJSakowski (Mar 25, 2015)

A great bargain!  I was looking at anvils on eBay a month or so ago and they are going for around $3.00/ lb.  Yours looks to be in excess of 200 lbs (actually, on a second look I see a weight stamped; it looks like either 123 or 223.  Add the rest of the loot and you done good!

It looks like it is mounted on a concrete filled barrel?  As I recall, proper height for an anvil is where the knuckles of your clenched fist just touch the face of the anvil.

The anvil is a Hay Budden, which is considered by some the Cadillac of anvils.  Early anvils were made by forge welding wrought iron chunks to build the mass.  It is not uncommon to see evidence of chain in the body of old anvils.  The face of the anvil will be steel plate, forge welded to the body.  It should be somewhat hardened but you should be able to clean it up with a grinder.  Check for hardness.  If it is not too hard, you might be able to mill the face successfully with carbide.  If it is hardened. you may be able to beg or borrow some surface grinder time.  Prior to facing, you may want to clean up some of the chipped edges.  Hard facing rod is commonly used for that repair.  Weld in short passes to prevent overheating.  As I recall, the anvil should be preheated before welding but I don't remember the temperature.  

I once completely removed the face on an anvil by making a carriage for my three point hitch for it with the anvil mounted face down.  I  attached it to my Ford 8N tractor and dragged up and down our country road.  Sparks flew and after about three miles, I had ground the face completely off.  I then cleaned up the wrought iron base and forge welded a new face made from a piece of semi leaf spring on.  We did the welding as a local blacksmithing club demo.  Later, I milled the then soft face and cut new hardy and pritchel holes.  I still have that anvil in my shop.


----------



## randyc (Mar 25, 2015)

RJSakowski said:


> ...I once completely removed the face on an anvil by making a carriage for my three point hitch for it with the anvil mounted face down.  I  attached it to my Ford 8N tractor and dragged up and down our country road.  Sparks flew and after about three miles, I had ground the face completely off.  I then cleaned up the wrought iron base and forge welded a new face made from a piece of semi leaf spring on.  We did the welding as a local blacksmithing club demo.  Later, I milled the then soft face and cut new hardy and pritchel holes.  I still have that anvil in my shop.



Now THAT is one heck of an exercise in ingenuity and a well-told story besides !


----------



## jim18655 (Mar 25, 2015)

Nice anvil. I want to know how you get it to stand on its side without falling over.


----------



## nojimon (Mar 25, 2015)

Mate what a great score u got there


----------



## dlane (Mar 25, 2015)

Yes I'm happy with the purchase, the anvil has ( hay budden , Brooklyn Ny, 126 ) the face is straight but dinged up
Is it good or bad to grind it smooth ,hard weld the edge chips . I think the 126 might be the weight couldn't find a serial #     
When hit with a ball peen it rings real good , a 3/4" ball bearing bounces back up to almost the same height dropped from,The base is just the rite height for me and it is way heavy
Derrick


----------



## John Hasler (Mar 25, 2015)

dlane said:


> Yes I'm happy with the purchase, the anvil has ( hay budden , Brooklyn Ny, 126 ) the face is straight but dinged up
> Is it good or bad to grind it smooth ,hard weld the edge chips . I think the 126 might be the weight couldn't find a serial #
> When hit with a ball peen it rings real good , a 3/4" ball bearing bounces back up to almost the same height dropped from,The base is just the rite height for me and it is way heavy
> Derrick


I'd grind the surface (not too deeply) but leave the edges alone.


----------



## RJSakowski (Mar 25, 2015)

Serial numbers were not used on Hay Budden Anvils until 1892.  Look at the base, under the horn.  

You should be OK with a light grind.  The face should be about 1/2" thick or more.  Because of the hardening  procedure, the hardness will decrease as you remove material from the face but should not be a problem.


----------



## f350ca (Mar 25, 2015)

Good scores!
Don't think 126 is the weight or my 1256 would be falling through the floor. Found a catalogue reprint on one of the black smith forums, it listed face sizes to corresponding weights, of course mine didn't line up. Thought mine was 250 pound but has a 1 1/4 hardy hole, that indicated 300# by the catalogue. If you compare yours to other anvils I think you'll find it doesn't ring that bad. From what I gather they forge welded a hardened plate for the face to the softer steel body. That reduces the ring which is a sought after attribute. I've used other anvils that were good but were deafening. As you've checked its the bounce test that indicates quality.
The edges on yours are a little worn but serviceable, the face looks pretty darn good in the photos. I'd leave it alone.

Greg


----------



## dlane (Mar 26, 2015)

I'ed like to have at least 5" smooth on the top . Don't know what they were hitting but the top is dinged up , I  couldn't find a serial # under horn , it looks like the base and the top are joined together above the number 126 
Thanks
Derrick


----------



## ericc (Mar 26, 2015)

Great find.  That anvil will be fun.  You don't really need a smooth surface unless you are doing non ferrous jewellery, and then you can get away with a smaller anvil.  Just make sure that there are no sharp corners or cracks.  That is a nice Hay Budden, and I'd be leery about getting an arc welder anywhere near that face.  Welders are for homemade anvils.  Now get a forge and some tongs.


----------



## sgisler (Mar 26, 2015)

The 126 is likely the weight in an old weighing system common to anvils: the first digit is hundredweights (112 lbs), second digit is quarter hundredweights, third digit is pounds. 
Really nice anvil, congrats!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## sgisler (Mar 26, 2015)

This page has a deeper explanation 
http://www.anvilfire.com/article.php?bodyName=/FAQs/anvil_calc.htm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## george wilson (Mar 26, 2015)

The Biax scrapers are from an electric Biax scraper. Made in Switzerland. Sold by Dapra in the USA. I have one. A new electric one is over $3000.00. I guess you could use them with a made up hand handle. But,they won't cut well if you don't have a way of accurately grinding and fine lapping their cutting edges with diamond rotary lapping machines,which you can make.

The edges of the anvil need to be more square if you intend to do serious work on it. Fill them in with hard rod is the easiest way,I suppose. Grind them square after filling.

Try tying a tire innertube around the waist of the anvil if it rings too badly. I have mine tightly chained down to a wooden stump. It only goes clack. You can go deaf from a ringing anvil.

Definitely a nice buy!


----------



## RJSakowski (Mar 26, 2015)

dlane said:


> I'ed like to have at least 5" smooth on the top . Don't know what they were hitting but the top is dinged up , I  couldn't find a serial # under horn , it looks like the base and the top are joined together above the number 126
> Thanks
> Derrick


I believe that later Hay Budden anvils may have been made by forge welding a steel top half to a wrought iron base.  The old hundredweight  calculation of 171 lbs. seems about right but, as stated before, Hay Budden was purported to give their weight in lbs. Final word, weigh it!


----------



## GA Gyro (Mar 27, 2015)

I really need to get out there and shop more... I am sure there are deals in my area I have not found (yet).


----------



## dlane (Mar 28, 2015)

These finds were from an inheritance, a life long very good machinist passed away "bless his sole" and his son is trying to get rid of  ' tons' of high end tooling , his son is not a machinist and doesn't know much about tooling. 
Before his dad died he won a lottery and bought out GEs tool cribs when they closed the plant.
I came across this from a local Craig's list add


----------



## dlane (Mar 28, 2015)

I'm going back and looking for the Biax electric scraper motor, next time I can.
Derrick


----------



## Dociron (Mar 28, 2015)

RJ , 
Did you ever harden the new face on that anvil?


----------



## dlane (Mar 28, 2015)

Tryin to finish this first
	

		
			
		

		
	



	

		
			
		

		
	
 No I'll deal with that when the time comes kinda busy with a Do All band saw refurbish.


	

		
			
		

		
	
 The color was killed me , 
Thanks
Derrick


----------



## GarageGuy (Mar 28, 2015)

Awesome buy.  $180 for any one of those would have been a good buy, but for all of them together it was incredible.  I bought a bunch of tooling on CL with almost the same situation.  The guy wanted me to have them because he knew I would take care of them and use them, and not sell them.  Enjoy!

GG


----------



## dlane (Apr 17, 2015)

No luck with the biax motor but found other cool stuff, started a thread in tool junkies 
Thanks
Derrick


----------

