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I Forge Iron

newbie wants to know which tools first


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Have been metal working for years. Wanting to expand beyond my plasma art so I signed up for college blacksmithing course in Jan. Will finish my forge this weekend. So which tools should I start making first? Yes, I have more enthusiasm than knowledge but failure never stopped me from doing many (most) things. THX

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Hard to know what you need without knowing what it is that you want to do. Generally it's good to have some tongs to hold hot things with of a few sizes(check the blueprints) might get a bit more ambitious and forge yourself a hammer. Might be nuts and try to forge a anvil. Kinda up to you. Definitely need punches and chisels and a hot cut for your anvil. In fact, hardy tools are a good thing to have, but it's only going to help you once you actually get an anvil so you know what size of hardy hole you have (square).

Personally I'd take a look at all the blueprints over the next few weeks and see what you think you might need to make those projects. it really is up to what you think you want to accomplish.

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You'll want a pair of tongs to hold any random piece of stock, so far I've purchased 2 pair and made 3 pair. There is still a lot of stock I can't hold well yet, but its getting better. You'll want a hot cut and cold chisel, a center punch, and a good hot punch. Beyond that, I think it just depends what you want to make. Bending forks are very useful.. Eye punches are helpful if you want to punch eyes, etc..

Have fun :)

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Buy a copy of Randy McDanie's "Blacksmithing Primer" You have time to read it two or three times before your class starts. Randy will guide you thru some basic tool making. There are many other fine beginner's books out there and some of our posters will no doubt prefer one of them but for your first book, this is my reccommendation.

You also have time to check in with some local smiths who can steer you to some meetings in you area.

Welcome aboard and good luck.

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I think an oxy-acetylene torch is an essential early tool. With forging, heat is your #1 tool. With a torch you can heat small sections which is very handy (rivets, twists, sharp bends,etc.) Plus, you can weld. It isn't the easiest but if you get good with the torch welding with the other machines is pretty cake.

Get a drill press too. I make a lot of architectural crap and its rare I sell anything without a hole in it.

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Blueprints is just what I needed. The idea of re-working a cheap 2 pound hammer into a cross-peen and the step by step for tongs is great. I can even print the photos and take them outside to forge with me(short term memmory loss being what it is).

With temeratures upto 120 deg in sunny southern Arizona, forging will defintely be a winter only activitiy.

Thanks again......

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For making tools start simple...
-Chisels, punchs, and drifts. Teaches drawing smooth tapers and begins an understanding of volume.
-Tongs. Again drawing for the reins, again an understanding of volume, as you use half faced blows to flatten the boss area, and bending as you use half faced blows to shift the bits off set from the reins, and then all the different ways you can finish off the bits, flat jaws, V bit, rivet, pickups, box jaw, hoop, railroad spike head, in all the various sizes...
-Hammers. Either reforging old hammers into new tools like punches, or hot cuts, or cross piens, straight peins, diagonal peins Or make hammers out of new stock.
-Hardy tools, and bottom tools. Lessons in working larger stock, side setting and setting a tenon down, upsetting a shoulder, or upsetting a larger block.
-Turning fork, scrolling wrench, scroll jigs.
-Smithing Magician (guillitine tool;-)
I love making tools, wish I had more time to do it...

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