The anvil stand I mocked is now my favorite setup

I used to think bolting an anvil to a log was lazy, so I built this fancy steel frame with rubber pads. Last month I watched a guy at a demo in Columbus hammer on a stump mount and his work barely bounced, mine shook like crazy on the frame. He said the log soaks up vibration and returns energy better than any rigid mount, and after trying his setup for 10 minutes I felt the difference in my wrists. I took my frame apart the next day and dropped my 150 lb anvil onto a red oak round, no bolts, just gravity. It sits solid, rings less, and I can move it with a pallet jack if needed. Anyone else ditch their custom stand for a plain stump or log?

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paige_ellis592mo ago

You ever get that feeling where you fought the obvious for way too long? I did the same thing with my shop table, spent hours on a fancy mount and ended up hating it. Sometimes the simple answer really is the best one.

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uma_baker992mo ago

Wait, you actually spent HOURS on a fancy mount and then hated it? That's brutal. I can't even imagine the frustration of getting that thing all put together, stepping back to admire your work, and then just feeling that gut punch of 'nope, this sucks.' Like, did you at least get to use it once before you ripped it off the table? Because I would've been so stubborn I'd have forced myself to use it for a year out of pure spite. Honestly though, that's the kind of expensive lesson that sticks with you. At least you know for sure now that the boring, basic setup is the one that actually works.

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