[TheForge] Re: wooden wedges

[George Dixon]

I had to re-level the scale-skewed anvil for a 3-B nazel whilst I worked 
in Philadelphia.
Since a rigger wanted more than the hammer was worth to lift it off the 
anvil, I
set an A-frame (with a big chain hoist) over the anvil end of the 
hammer.  The nuts holding the anvil down
 in the pit were removed and the anvil was slung with cables and lifted 
the few
inches possible without moving the hammer from over it.  
Prior to slinging the anvil, I busted through the shop floor to one side 
of the
hammer/anvil installation and sank a pit next to the anvil.  
The anvil was lifted a bit and from the pit along side of it I could use a
steel bar to scrap the packed (and uneven) scale from under the anvil.

The anvil was reinstalled and the nuts were selectively tightened each 
morning
(with a bubble level on the sow block) until the anvil no longer 
settled.  It
took several weeks of work.........but........
Like in archeology, there were layers of "civilization" reveled in the 
anvil pit.
The scale was mixed with cigarette butts (no wood wedges to prevent 
it....).
 On top were butts with filters, below them there were 'factory rolled' 
butts with no filters.  
Then came hand-rolled butts.
The hammer was installed in 1917.  The anvil work was in 1990.
The scale from the 'lower level of civilization' was put in baby food 
jars and sold at the first Alfred abana
conference.  "Take this jar of Samuel Yellin Scale and sprinkle some on 
your anvil, forge and apprentices........."

George Dixon