piglet_74 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 If this exists already, please delete... I'm thinking there's some minimum stuff someone should buy or make just to get started. I don't know if a top ten is the way to go or what but as a newb I find my self getting into problems when I try to do things. So if folks had some thoughts of what would be a minimum for a newb I would love to hear it. Assuming a large something to hit on and a hammer, what types of tools do I really need. Here's what I mean... I wanted to cut off some stock but I didn't make a hot cut hardy. I was making a scroll and needed to adjust it but didn't have forks. I was punching holes and had a punch and bolster so score! I tried to make a rivet and had a bolster/header but not a hot cut so fail. I did make a hold down and tried to use it once and realized the crotch method for punching works better. Oh ya, punches, drifts, and chisels. I understand it depends on the job etc... and at this point I know what I'm missing. But I'm thinking for someone just starting out, what few things should they make sure they have before even lighting the forge? Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Mulholland - Tetnum Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 make what ya need as ya need it a hot hut dan be replaced by a hack saw of cold chisel or the sharp edge of an anvil for a hold down a byicile chain on a pedal works well for punches i opt for the drill and drift method or slitting and drifting than shaping on the horn for rivrting pinning works as well if not better than rivets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quenchcrack Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I always thought you should progress to more more complex work and the need for special tools will just become obvious. At that point, you make the tool; that's what blacksmiths do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt87 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Cutting steel is one of the fundamental blacksmithing operations. Luckily there are a lot of 'simple' ways to do it and all of these work 'well enough' for you to develop/discover the 'best' or 'most efficient/convenient' for your application. Hacksaws can be had for as little as Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 basic tools i consder nessasary ... forge of some type .. hammer and something to use as anvil .. vise of some type and tongs... the rest you can make! cutoff hearty is a good early tool to have but it is possable to make your own..in fact about the only tools i havnt made at one time or another that i consider esential are anvil and vise ! I could probably make something to work for bolth of those also...now if you are talking about trying to make a lot of product without stopping to make new tooling when its needed then the list can get long... best bet is use what you have till you need or want something better then make /buy it! thats how most smiths do things anyway and why we end up with a different group of tools sometimes... they are so many varyables to consider ... btw i dont use hand held bending forks for scrolls.. i will use vise jaws but mostly use the edge of the anvil and horn... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 Ya that was kind of what I was thinking. I understand the thing about making tools and I think it's an important part of it. I guess what I was going for was like an essentials list, not bare essentials, but essential for the most common operations. This would be for someone getting started and wanting to make the most of their time. I think it came out of frustration the other day when I was trying to do something and had problems. I think hot cutting is a big one for me and if you don't use a hardy style then a plate to protect the anvil face and chisel would be the minimum. Then a good punch because after you make something it may need to be fastened. Anything that could be used for twisting would be good too. Oh ya... Fire tools. Shovel, rake, poker and water can. These are a few of the things I think having makes my time more enjoyable and effective and was wondering what other people would include. I probably didn't explain it right to start off. BTW Matt, surfing the flea market tables for usable old tools has now become a favorite of mine. Now if someone was getting rid of a thick copper plate at one of those ... Thanks, Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Einhorn Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Rob, There are several events coming up near where you live that have "tailgating" where people sell their surplus tools. If you want to supply yourself with tools you may be well advised to attend these events. These events include but not limited to: May 16-17 Blacksmithing days at the Carroll County Farm Museum, Blacksmith Guild of Central Maryland April 18-19th Spring Fling of the Blacksmith Guild of the Potomac; http://www.bgop.org/2009-SF-regis.pdfYa that was kind of what I was thinking. I understand the thing about making tools and I think it's an important part of it. I guess what I was going for was like an essentials list, not bare essentials, but essential for the most common operations. ..... BTW Matt, surfing the flea market tables for usable old tools has now become a favorite of mine. Now if someone was getting rid of a thick copper plate at one of those ...Thanks, Rob. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Minimum gear? A hole in the ground, some scrap wood, a piece of pipe, a large rock, a small rock. That's pretty much the minimum! Now If I was going for a starter set; I once built one for under US$25: Brake drum forge (all scrounged save the pipe pieces that were fleamarket finds) *old* small vacuum cleaner missing the bag attachment hooked to the forge with a radiator hose and speed controlled by a rheostat (universal motor) broken knuckle off a RR car coupler for the anvil, stump to hold it up Several pairs of pliers/vicegrips from the fleamarket, cold chisel from the fleamarket, several hammers from the fleamarket. I've done pattern welded knives with this set up and it's a lot more than some folks making a living as smiths in third world countries have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce wilcock Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Thomas has about got it in one, my father carried all his tools he needed as a quarry blacksmith ,in a leather bag with the straps tyed on his striking hammer , in the bag were the tools to shoe horses ,dress tools and make hammers and wedges,they made the tongs and shop tools as they needed them and left them behind when they moved to another place and then set up again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 Below is my set up for one minimalist bit of forging I had to do. 12v Coleman InflatAll blower, piece of pipe for the air blast, wood fire, hammer and a block of wood for the anvil. The MEL (Minimum Equipment List) for that job was a bit shorter than usual seeing as I was re-arcing a log tong and not changing the material's cross section. I would've needed to haul a boulder over to do that. Buy a copy of "The Complete Modern Blacksmith" by Alexander Weygers. It'll tell you all you need to know to improvise most any kind of shop from almost nothing. Frosty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philip in china Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I started with a small chinese anvil and a home rigged forge. I would sugest if you have got something on which to pound and a hammer you really can make almost everything else yourself. I would suggest a vice. As I have said before on this forum you realistically can't make one yourself although you could improvise one some how but what is the point? You would get a second hand shop vice for almost nothing anyway. All my anvil tooling I have made myself. Some looks a bit rough but it all works. So get on with hammering, make what you need as you need it and come back here when you are stuck for advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet_74 Posted March 1, 2009 Author Share Posted March 1, 2009 (edited) Spent today working on tooling. Welded some handles on twisting wrenches I had. Made a hot cut from a leaf spring that I got from the junk yard. A hold down from a coil spring. The L shaped piece is something I saw in a Bill Epps video that seemed to be very useful so I made one out of 1" x 1/2". The chopper,made from leaf also, needs a few holes for pivot bolts. Then I'm going to grind a square, angle, and necking spot on it. I still have a few more tools to make during my next free day and then I should be good for a little while. Edited March 1, 2009 by piglet_74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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