madwing Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 I finally got my forge, am going to make a mount and spring for my post vise Saturday. I have my anvil, and a fuller that goes in the hardy hole, a few hammers and a hot cut chisel. And today I heard from a smith friend that he is selling all his smithing kit, anvil, forge, and all tools, top and bottom tools as well as hammers, etc. I am going by his place Sunday for a little pre-sale picking; apparently I am first in line. What are the tools I should be looking to buy? I am thinking a hardy, flat, round, and square bar tongs, some drifts (flat and round), a curved hot cut, and maybe a 6-8 lb. sledge. Am I missing anything obvious? I appreciate any help and advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the iron dwarf Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 what you need will depend on what you are going to make, if the price is right get what you can because you can trade it later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 good thought. I am hoping to make woodworking chisels, hooks/etc. for around the house, more tongs, and other very beginner stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Take the BIG truck and all the money you can gather together. Look for the items that are hard to find so you will have them now or can use them later for trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Olivo Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 top tooling. and if you can aford it everything else he has to sell :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSW Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 On the top of my list right now are another anvil ( can never have too many), a decent swage block, cone mandrel, power hammer ( or 2), more tongs, more top tools, bigger post vise,.... About the only thing I'm fairly well stocked on is welders, though I'd take another if the price was right ( I only have 6 at the moment) and OA rigs ( only 5). Extra stock is always good to have. I need to get more real wrought iron to play with. My stock of small material is fair right now, but I could use more shape stock ( angle. channel, tube and pipe) Seems when ever someone is going out of business or moving and "cleaning house" I'm short on cash to go buy goodies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Books and DVDs on smithing! Postvise! Tongs sized for your needs---say something to hold auto coil spring and leaf springs if you plan to start with those materials. If you have an anvil a hardy is fairly trivial to make. If you will be doing socket chisels look for a small bic or mandrel. High grade materials of known alloys! Put them away for after you learn the basics but having some 1095, O-1, etc to hand is nice for when you are ready to up your game. (Make sure they are marked as to content!!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 DSW, short on cash is it. I have very few tools, and need to make a start. Glenn, what items are hard to find? I am just starting out and have not a clue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 Thanks, Thomas. Especially the stock, he is a machinist by trade so I am sure his stock is marked or he knows and I can mark it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 dupe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaughnT Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Buy everything that you can afford. Big tools like a cone mandrel are nice, but that's one tool that will eat up a good bit of your funds. Better to make do with pipes for truing up rings, and use your money to get the little tools that you'll use regularly. Tongs - can't have enough of them. Even it you think you'll never use a jaw shape like that, buy them. You can always reshape the jaws, and they just might be perfect for a job you never imagined. Top/Bottom swages - nice to have. I'd get all the half-round and v-notch tools he had. Other shapes can come in handy, but those are the two that I use the most. The do the same thing as a swage block, but are easier to move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 What have YOU had trouble finding? That's what's hard to find so buy all you can afford. Heck buy it all if you can, you can have sales later. If I had to prioritize: anvils, Vises, tongs, forges, hammers, bottom tools, top tools, stock. hand tools, power tool, benches, tables, coal bins (the coal), lights, etc. etc. I know I put the forge pretty high on the list but if you have a good one it can go farther down, unless it's a really nice one or good trading stock. Every time I hear about these things it's in the past tense. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madwing Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 that was disappointing. one man's understanding of "many tools" is clearly different than another's. he didn't really even have a starter set to take out, and wants $600 for a dozen tongs and a dozen hammers... oh well, what they say about if it sounds too good to be true is true :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Don't give up so easily. He may have everything left at the end of the sale. I have seen this before, huge asking prices, and all of the "treasures" passed over. Depending on how good of a friend he is you still may get some tools at a decent price. Maybe a trade? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Trez Cole Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 First you listed a forge but do you have fuel for it? Second all one needs is an anvil, forge,and a hammer you can learn to make every thing else. Try not to over think it. You are a beginner. Join you local blacksmiths group. and make a bunch of beginning projects. and as you learn you will make the tools you need. You can get a lot more bang for your buck with making the tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 And THAT Madwing guy is all you really need. What Francis laid out is the minimum equipment list (MEL for the flyboys.) A forge can be a hole in the ground, a piece of pipe a prevailing wind and a little stuff to make a funnel to direct the wind. I've done exactly that and it was a primo forge, as good as it gets. Something heavy and hard to beat against be it a boulder, hunk of scrap steel or a dead perfect high end anvil. Some hammers, one is enough actually. A chisel or to or maybe a hacksaw. Hacksaws are really REALLY handy. Stock, something to heat and beat up. This is where a hacksaw is handier than a chisel. The rest you can make yourself as you learn. All the tools, equipment and buildings used and designed by/for blacksmithing is just highly refined dirt without the mind and hand of humans. Your skills and goals are in YOUR mind and hands. Put em to work. Don't forget to post pics, we love pics. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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