[TheForge] Anvil height

[Dr. Stephen A Bloom]

At 02:20 PM 2/26/2013, Blakkpawss wrote:

>[snip] everything I've ever been told or read is that your anvil 
>should stand at a height where your knuckels come to rest on it's 
>top when you drop your arm to your side. This has always seemed fine 
>till I work.

Generally, for maximum power, the old guide is about right -- hammer 
face touches while there is a little spring left in the arm/shoulder 
system.  For fine work, taller works better for me, so my 
knife-maker's anvil is about 1.5" higher than the 250 lb London 
pattern.  Incidentally, I've copied the anvil stand from the 
Folkschool.  A frame of angle iron (4 verticals forming an enclosed 
rectangle about 11" x 12" with a length a bit more than you would 
expect the base of the anvil to be) , horizontal pieces forming a 
flanged base and another couple of horizontal pieces about 2/3 of the 
way from floor (dependent on the turnbuckle length - mentioned 
below). Sections of 2x12 that fit into the rectangle are dropped into 
place until the anvil is at the 'right' height.  Plywood can also be 
used to fine tune the stack.  A chain loop runs from a hook on one of 
the high horizontals, over the anvil's feet, and to a turnbuckle 
connecting to the other high horizontal.  I like the adjustability 
since one of my students is a bit over 5 foot and the other is 
6'3".  Of course, it's a lot of fun lifting the anvil to change the 
board settings <grin>.

For a light anvil and especially for travel purposes. I found that a 
heavy bench work nicely. See:
http://www.ironflower.com/tips/Shop%20Equipment/Portable%20Blacksmithing/Portable-forge-n-bench.pdf
for a write up.

Steve