There are many different ways in which you can mount an anvil in your workshop. Improper anvil mounting can be extremely dangerous. The last thing you want is for the anvil to fall on your leg, so keep in mind to do it in the right way.
So, how do you properly mount an anvil? One of the safest and also the easiest ways to mount an anvil is by mounting it on a stump. The most common way of doing that is by driving a railroad spike on each side, so the head pulls down on the edge of the anvil feet. The stump must be big enough to distribute the load of the anvil and the impact of the hammer. Typically, the heavier the anvil, the heavier a stump should be.
Deciding the ideal method you plan to use depends on many different factors such as the size of the anvil, portability, etc. Next, we will explain this in greater detail and answer some related questions about this topic. Let’s start.
How to Easily Mount an Anvil to a Stump?
Step 1: Planning
Proper planning is the most important part of every working project. You simply can’t start working on something without any idea of what you are doing and without knowing your end goal. In this case, your goal is to safely mount an anvil to a stump. One of the most important things to consider here is to know whether your anvil will stay in the same place permanently or not.
When you are absolutely sure about the location of the anvil and you are not planning to move it later on, it is a good idea to set it deeper in the ground. This, of course, is much easier if you have a dirt floor. Today’s modern blacksmiths generally prefer some degree of portability. Later in this article, we will also show you the way to mount the anvil securely while you are still able to dismount it very easily.
Now, the first thing you want to do is to make you have all the required materials and tools. Once you have that, it is time for the next step which is determining the proper height of the anvil. This will be explained later in the article.
It is important to note that the heavier anvil is, the heavier stump should be. You simply can’t mount a 200-pound anvil on a small stump. Another way around, mounting a small anvil on a huge stump wouldn’t be so practical because you couldn’t approach it easily. Basically, the size of the anvil will ultimately determine the size of the stump.
For this project, you are going to need:
- Stump
- Anvil
- 4 railroad spikes
- Level tool
- 3x scrap of 2×4
- Drilling machine
- Metal drill bit
- Chainsaw
Step 2: Cutting the Stump
It is very unlikely that you will find the exact height of the stump right off the bat. That’s because everyone requires a different height. See the last paragraph of the article to find out how to find the right height. Once that is measured, it is time to make a stump leveled.
For this part, you need a 3x wooden scrap of 2×4, a level tool, and a chainsaw. First, you take one scrap and screw it on the side of the stump with only one screw. The top of the scrap should be on your desired distance where the stump will be cut off. Now, level it up and put another screw in it.
Next, it is time to take another scrap and place it on the other side of the stump and level it with the first one. Finally, add the third one and screw it in a way that is leveled with the other two. After all 3 scraps are screwed into a stump, cut it down with the chainsaw. Keep in mind to wear safety glasses during this process.
Step 3: Preparing the Stump
Now it is time to clean and prepare the stump so it is ready for anvil mounting. We recommend removing the bark of the stump as it will deteriorate and fall off in little pieces over time. Also, it is much easier to fasten the loops for various tools without the bark. After that, it is time to smooth the stump and its edges using a flap disc.
It is important to minimize the risk of possible cracks on the stump which usually occurs over time. This is where sealing the end grain comes in. The goal is to prevent the water inside the wood from causing cracks on the surface. You can use wood glue, vax, or Elmer’s glue for this purpose. Do this on both sides, on top and bottom.
Step 4: Drive Railroad Spikes
This is the last step of this process. All that is left is driving the railroad spikes in the stump so that the head of the spike pulls down the edge of the anvil’s feet. To do that, you have to measure where the holes will be drilled. Place the anvil on the stump and mark the places where the railroad spikes are going to be hammered down.
Now, remove the anvil and drill down the hole using a metal or concrete drill bit. Make sure the drill bit is long enough so you can hammer down the spike. Do not try to nail the railroad spikes directly into the stump as it can cause cracks and also most of the time they won’t go in very far. Finally, hammer down all four railroad spikes. Your anvil is now properly and safely secured.
But what if you want to easily dismount the anvil? As you can see, this is not an ideal method for this purpose. For that, we recommend wrapping a chain around the neck of the anvil and tightly attaching it to the turnbuckle on both sides of the stump.
What Kind of Wood Should I Use?
Any heavy wood that doesn’t crack easily is just fine. Woods like Sycamore, Walnut, Mulberry, Sugar Maple and American Elm are some of the best woods for mounting an anvil. We don’t recommend using Ash and Oak as they crack more easily.
Easy Way to Quiet Noisy Anvil
Working in a blacksmithing shop is usually very noisy, especially when you are striking a hammer on the anvil. There are many blacksmiths with impaired hearing. One of the main reasons is the strong ring of the anvil. Namely, the harmful level of noise is considered to be above 85 decibels. Chronic levels of harmful noises greatly increase the chances of developing hearing loss.
There are two common ways to silence the anvil; placing a magnet and wrapping a chain around it. Some people have more success with one or another. While they don’t silence the noise completely, both methods absorb vibration and stop the ringing noise to some extent. I keep seeing a lot of people on the internet saying that magnets are not silencing the anvil at all.
When using a magnet to quiet down the anvil, make sure you place it on the right parts. Typically, magnets are placed under the heel and under the horn. For our anvil, we found that placing 2 magnets below the heel and one under the horn gives us the best result. You can try it in different places and see how it works for you. I know some people who put magnets on the side of the anvil and they also have very good results. The stronger the magnet, the better.
On the other hand, the effect of wrapping chains around the anvil is primarily impacted by the size of the anvil. This method will not work for everybody. Typically, the smaller your anvil is, the greater impact this method has. We found that placing magnets is a superior method for quieting an anvil in most cases but that does not mean that wrapping chains around does not have any other advantages.
Except for reducing at least some level of noise, wrapping chains around the anvil also stabilizes the anvil by adding additional weight. While proper anvil mounting is the most important part, having some additional weight makes it much more secure. The last thing you want is for the anvil to fall on your leg. This is much more important when it comes to small anvils.
Recommended reading:
How to Silence the Anvil (5 Proven Ways That Actually Work)
How to Determine the Your Ideal Anvil Height?
While you may not feel the pain immediately, continuous striking on the anvil which is either too low or too high puts tremendous stress on your shoulders and back. This is the main reason why it is very important to set it right. Setting the anvil too low is causing unnecessary stress on your lower back due to the negative body compensation. In this case, to strike a hammer, you are forced to bend your back which is not something you want to do over a long period of time.
Also, if the anvil is too low, you have to fully extend your elbow, which again is not ideal. On the other hand, setting the anvil too high will negatively impact your shoulders. I would that setting the anvil on a proper height saves you a lot of energy which would be wasted otherwise.
To find your ideal anvil height, stand by the side of the anvil with your feet’ normal width apart. If you are right-handed, stand by your left side. Now, make a fist with your right hand (hammering hand). Knuckles height now determines your ideal height of the anvil.
