Most important tools in the shop

[ThomasPowers]

Goatman there are no basic smithing tools you cannot make; be it forge, anvil, tongs, bellows, hardy tools, etc.

Now you have to decide if it's in your best interest to make them rather than buy some of them, especially if some of the ones you can buy would be cheaper and much faster to buy than make...

Now fancy tools like a screwpress, induction forge, plasma cutter would be a mite difficult to make at the quality/safety level as buying would yield.

[Daryl]

Brain, eyes, protect both. The rest are details.

[gpworks]

everything above plus the will to do it all and the skills to pull it off.

[DCL]

Me
forge blower and coals..
hammers can forge with out it..
anvil hard to work with out it but it can be done..
tongs
anvil tools cutters,fuller,dies and so on
Hardening tubs oil and water
vise
bench grinder with stone and wirebrush
welder
angle grinder
borax
and so on..

Daniel CL.

BTW is it possible to get a non automatic plasma/laser cutter to use like a kind of "wood band saw style" only for metal ? i know it would not be safe but very useful