[TheForge] Bridge anvil FS in Oregan

Sat Feb 9 19:59:58 EST 2013

Jeff,

The purpose of the bridge anvil was to forge items that look like a two tine
fork.  One side of the forging could go on the top surface of the anvil
while the other side went inside (below the bridge) and was unaffected by
the forging.  Flip it over and you could forge on the other side.  Think in
terms of forging a very large clevis.  One side would go on top the other
side below the bridge and then be turned over to forge it also.  For most of
us to do this in our shops we have a tool that fits in the hardie allowing
us to forge one side of the clevis or a two tine fork and then the other.
Railroad shops in the days of steam used this type of anvil to forge
connecting rods for the drivers and to forge other parts of the valve gear
that depended on clevis type construction.  This type of construction was
also used on a smaller scale on lots of brake rigging for cars and railroad
trucks.
Also some power hammers / steam hammers could have this type of anvil
installed to do similar split forging under the power hammer.  This isn't
much different in concept than the forging of large rings over a mandrel in
a large industrial forge press or hammer.

Dave

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jeff Wilson
Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 7:06 PM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Bridge anvil FS in Oregan

Dave,
You said that the bridge anvil had a special purpose.  Could you explain in
some detail what that purpose was/is.
TNX
Jeff
On the wet side of Puget's Sound.
----- Original Message -----
From: "David E. Smucker" <davesmucker at hotmail.com>
To: "'Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA'" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 2:00 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Bridge anvil FS in Oregan

> Yep, as Dan says  it is cast.  Now the real question is it cast iron, 
> malleable iron or cast steel.  A lot of railroad shops, big users of 
> bridge anvils, had their own foundries and could cast bronze and cast 
> iron.  Not as many could cast steel, and of course it could have been 
> made by a major anvil and swage block manufacture but many railroad 
> shops did their own work of this type.  Bridge anvils had a special 
> purpose and a 500 bridge is not the same as a 500 normal anvil.  I 
> would not give two grand for one myself, unless I need to forge 
> connecting links for a steam engine etc.
>
> Dave
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of dan tull
> Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 10:42 AM
> To: mspencer at tallships.ca; Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Bridge anvil FS in Oregan
>
>  The seam on the base indicates it was cast.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Spencer" <mspencer at tallships.ca>
> To: <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2013 11:43 PM
> Subject: [TheForge] Bridge anvil FS in Oregan
>
>
>>
>> Spotted this on rec.crafts.metalworking (where there has been an 
>> abrupt and inexplicable decline in crap political posts):
>>
>>  http://portland.craigslist.org/clc/for/3602000985.html
>>
>> 500# bridge anvil, hardy hole, asking $2200.
>>
>>
>>
>> Just acquired a back-up anvil myself. (I'd been without since I gave 
>> my spare to my son a couple of years ago.) No name legible but might 
>> be a PW, 2 0 15, good condition except for a hashed-up table. No 
>> anvilpox from bullpoint testing, no signs of abuse on the face or 
>> horn.
>>
>>
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