Don't know how much interest this will be to you guys (unless you are into metal-bashing). But here goes anyway...
I made this steel stand for my big anvil when I first got it, a few years ago.
Old anvil stand by
Mick, on Flickr
Now, steel stands have their good points. They are quick and simple to make, from whatever metal you have about. And for those of us who work in small, cramped shops, give you the ability to move the anvil out of the way if you need the space for something else.
However, they also make the anvil noisy, kill the rebound, and let's be honest, how many times do I
really want to move a four hundred pound anvil about?
There's a reason why traditionally anvils were always placed on a timber stump set into the ground. It's not just tradition, they really do work better that way.
I'd been looking around for a suitable sized length of tree trunk, but not having much luck, when a friend said he had some old railway sleepers he wanted rid of. Next-best thing, I thought.
Cut down, bolted tightly together and set a couple of feet into the shop floor. Two bags of post-mix concrete in the hole make sure it's not going anywhere. Too late to change my mind now...
New anvil stand by
Mick, on Flickr
First job on it was to forge the four hold-downs. The difference is surprising. It's really like a different anvil. Quiet clear ring, and perfect rebound. Wish I'd done it years ago.
Hold-downs by
Mick, on Flickr
Happy days.