[TheForge] Anvil height

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

I cut the sides of my stump pretty close to the anvil footprint and made an undercut  in the bottom for my toes...helps.

There was a recent article by Chad (forgot his last name) in the CBA rag showing how he forged a plug with a hook on the bottom to go in the pritchel hole. Then a stiff spring is stretched from the hook to an anchor in the anvil stump.
It damps the ringing quite effectively!

On Feb 26, 2013, at 11:56 AM, Bob wrote:

Set the height where it is comfortable to you. I suspect the knuckle height came from a time when most smiths were doing heavy work and sometimes using strikers. Mine is on a stump but I might change that. If the stump is large your toes will be against the stump if you try to get close to the anvil. For some work it seems to be more comfortable to get very close to the anvil - I am still experimenting with this approach. I like a box of sand to set the anvil in on top of whatever stand you use. It cuts down on the ringing and if the sand box is deep enough you can make minor height adjustments very easily. The anvil will tip in the sand after a period of time if you work either on the horn or heel very much but that is easily corrected.

Bob Willman
The Eagle’s Anvil
Bowling Green, Ohio
WB8NQW

And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when
we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the
minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God?
That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I
tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His
justice cannot sleep forever.

Thomas Jefferson

On 2/26/2013 2:20 PM, Blakkpawss wrote:
> I'm currently in the process of setting up a new shop and the monster known as layout has reared its ugly head. In particular an age old gripe of mine. Anvil stands and anvil height. A lot of what I've seen over time suggests putting your anvil on a stump. However, I've see a lot of purposely built wooden stands in the last several years that make think it would be more useful to me if I designed and built something for my needs. Second, 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. I always feel like I'm bent and stooped over the anvil. My back begins to hurt pretty bad after working for a couple hours. Seems like I'd feel better if it was taller, so that I stood straight while working.
> 
> Question one: Do you prefer a stump or a stand? List pros and cons as you see them, please.
> 
> Question two: do you use the traditional height or do you set it taller? If so why? Once again pros and cons please.
> 
> Thanks for the input in advance everyone.
> 
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