Recommendations On A Affordable Anvil?

I've been using the anvil part on my vise for a while now and its getting to be too small for me. Any Anvils out there that are relatively inexpensive but still gets the job done?

Thanks, Ayden

 

I’m very interested in this as well. Was planning on asking for an anvil for Father’s Day. I saw this one at harbor freight, which pound for pound seems like a good deal:

55 Lb. Rugged Cast Iron Anvil

 

I was looking at this one as well, seems like a good deal. I'll keep looking, thanks

 

No such thing as a cheap and good anvil. That's why antique ones go for hundreds of dollars. A lump of cast iron is just a lump of cast iron, but a good anvil is magical. And a good investment, IMHO.

Take a ball bearing with you and drop it on the face of the anvil. It should have a bright clean bounce off the face.

Traditionally a section of railroad track would be pretty handy, but even those are getting a lot of money these days.

 

Thanks PeteL, I'll keep that in mind.

 

When I think of anvil, I immediately picture the blacksmith anvil. Mine is a Peter Wright at 142 pounds. If memory serves correctly, If you drop a ball bearing from a foot above it nearly rebounds a foot . Nice to have, but probably worth $600+ in today's market.

Some scrounged alternatives--
1. Commerical/Industrial/Sawmill planer platen. I have an approximately 16" x 16" platen that weighs all I want to lift and it takes a beating.

2. A home shop jointer. I have a 50 year-old Craftsman jointer/planer that you'd have a hard time giving away though still in fine usable condition. It would take a beating. Way more surface area than a vise.

3. Couple hunks of steel, one is 4" x 4"- 5" which is highly portable, and a second one that is a 10" round & 2" thick--stays where it is most of the time, off to the side on my welding table. I have seen out & about, BIG "I' beam sections for pounding on.

4. Railroad track- Mine is 18" long --roughly torch-cut in an anvil shape. Cons: Edges are strong radius/rounded. Top is sloped from train wear, I guess.

 

i think we've got one of these, i need to try this out.

 

I was just at the local steel place earlier this week. They had a pile of cut up railroad track with a sign that said anvils $35.00 each. I almost grabbed one, but my short arms couldn’t reach deep enough into my pockets.

 

Carry a pair of those around for a while, your arms will stretch.

 

Hmm. I know which of my city streets were paved over long ago covering up railroad and trolley tracks.
Someone would probably notice me digging up the streets.

 

My grandpa gave me a railroad track anvil 60 years ago and I’ve been beatin’ the **** out of it for 60 years and it’s still going strong with no chips,cracks or dents!

 

I have seen on Alibaba very cheap plastic anvils...

 

Was it the very famous "ACME" brand anvil?

 

I'd start scrounging FB market place and maybe yard and estate sales.

 

I have one of HF's older anvils in my garage. VERY SOFT!!!!!! Even setting rivets on it leaves a dent. I do have an antique one in the shop that is what an anvil should be. I think garage sales would be the ideal spot to find a decent one. At auctions, they always go for a premium.

 

I checked on our local "Craiglist", (leboncoin.fr), there are some to sell, from old shops. Weight is minimum 120 pounds, they can send to USA by Airmail...

 

Thanks everyone for the recommendations, We ordered a 28lb railroad track anvil for $50 off Ebay. I'll post an update when it arrives.