What should I work on making first?

[Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin)]

Ok, So I've just started to get the hang of basic forging techniques like drawing and such. I am now thinking that i need a pair of tongs and some other tools like a round and flat die hammer that is a comfortable weight for me. I also know that I would need a drift and some other tools, what should I work towards in terms of tools? I don't have a huge surface anvil but just a 2.5 inch bar as an anvil face. I imagine that just means that its harder to make certain tools but still doable. Ideas?

 

[caintuckrifle]

Start with the round and square taper punch, hot and cold chisel, and hardy, then you can punch your tongs, then with your punch and tongs you can make a hammer etc... It is simply a progression of making tools to make other tools. Their are plenty of videos available online- I recommend the ones by Alec Steele, Brian Brazeal or ABANA.
Good luck...

That is if you want to make tools, some want to make tools others just want to but them and get started making "stuff"...

[Graham Gates(Ionic Muffin)]

Start with the round and square taper punch, hot and cold chisel, and hardy, then you can punch your tongs, then with your punch and tongs you can make a hammer etc... It is simply a progression of making tools to make other tools. Their are plenty of videos available online- I recommend the ones by Alec Steele, Brian Brazeal or ABANA.
Good luck...

That is if you want to make tools, some want to make tools others just want to but them and get started making "stuff"...

 I have an interest in making most of what i use. hence the whole thread about making my own anvil, which i still would like to have a part in making an anvil i use maybe when im experience and have a team of blacksmiths, but i prefer to make my own stuff. There is a certain satisfaction in making something with your own two hands and knowing that it is much better than tongs made in China(not intending to be stereotypical) or what not.

[Rashelle]

The NWBA has a hammer in at the mentoring center in Longview WA.

Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/28/2014
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

 

First half will be a demo. The second half of the day will be open forge. There will be others you can meet and get in person (most likely even some contradictory) advice. There are tools available at the open forge to use. You can then see what works for you.

 

As a beginner I really liked J- hooks and drive hooks as they comprise several processes. Drawing out, scroll the tip, bend the hook, shoulder a nail plate or do a 90 degree bend for a drive hook instead, punching a hole, and different twists. So you can draw out square, turn to round or round to square, practice different scrolls and twists all on one project. Once you are able to do a decent taper, make some punches and then chisels, along with a center punch. Etc. With the punches you made make a bolster plate, lol. It's all up to you.

 

That was me. You should work on what interests you. Learn the process first and the projects will follow. If you are project motivated then choose projects that teach you processes. Once you have the processes down or are working that way then you can do that process in whatever project as it is all elements (processes) strung together to make projects.

[Chinobi]

I find smaller more readily repeatable projects to be a better learning tool for me than larger projects that take more time and do not offer the same repetition.  plus if during the course of the long project you make a mistake that cannot be readily 'designed into' the plan then you just offered that much more time to the scrap pile when you start over.  want practice drawing tapers that don't just get cut off and tossed?  start making nails!  taper, cut, upset, repeat.  save them for some rustic woodwork around the house or bring them to a swap meet or craft show and pawn them off for funds to buy more tools!

 

make the 5 candle holders first, or maybe 7 or 8 until you get 5 that look similar enough to pass off as 'matching', then work on punching 5 holes in a long flat bar, then make tenons on the candle holders, then rivet the 5 holders to the bar with the tenons.  lot of good practice there :)

 

plus, don't look at tool making as something that should only be done once.  if that's the case then use a really nice alloy tool steel and treat it well in use, otherwise use whatever you have on hand or get some sucker rod and beat it to death, then replace it when you kill it :) but the process of making tools can be applied to a limitless number of tools.  why stop at one chisel? make a V edged chisel, make one that's single bevel, make a curved one (inside and outside bevel), wide blade, narrow blade etc. round punches, slot punches, hand fullers, you name it.  they all share the same basic structure, you are just varying the business end to suit the task.  heck you can forge up 2 or 3 blanks that are just struck end and indexing with nothing done on the business end, keep them in your tool kit so when you are away from your shop and you realize that you forgot a tool or really need a different size of XYZ you are already 70% done with the tool.  just forge the tip to whatever you need, HT if applicable, and keep at it :)

[Francis Trez Cole]

first let me say work toward your goals. Make punches and learn to punch slit and drift holes. Second large holes just need larger tools. I make my own hammers by my self I can punch drift and shape one in an hour. The last class I taught I had 7 students and my self we made 8 hammers in 3 hours. But you can do it your self. Third as you grow and learn you will develope your own style. the list of hammer makers is long. As many hammers styles as they are there are twice as many tongs. I recommend learning how to make flat jaw tongs once you make 10 pairs you should have the proportions of the jaw, boss, and the reins the rest are just different jaws.
A block of steel with a square hole in it works well 25# makes a good anvil and a piece of 2"x 4"x 12" is plenty big for an anvil. Its a lot easier to move a round.

Keep at it and have fun