tips for a beginner blacksmith?

Hey everyone! I'm just getting started with blacksmithing and I'm setting up my own home shop after helping my uncle out for a few months.

I've got some basic gear:
Two anvils (15lb and 55lb, the Harbor Freight specials)
A set of ball peen and cross peen hammers
A 6-inch bench grinder and a 1x30 belt sander
Files, a vice, a Dremel, and various grits of sandpaper
Safety gear (glasses, shade 5s, leather apron)

What are some tips or things you wish you had known when you first started? And based on my equipment list, is there anything crucial I'm missing that I should add to my setup? I'm on a bit of a budget, so any advice is appreciated!

Okay, you'll also need tongs that fit your steel, a good hard tool, and a wire brush to get rid of rust. A propane or coal forge made from a brake drum works great. Just be sure to have water and a fire extinguisher nearby for safety.

ericman_ said:

Hey everyone! I'm just getting started with blacksmithing and I'm setting up my own home shop after helping my uncle out for a few months.

I've got some basic gear:
Two anvils (15lb and 55lb, the Harbor Freight specials)
A set of ball peen and cross peen hammers
A 6-inch bench grinder and a 1x30 belt sander
Files, a vice, a Dremel, and various grits of sandpaper
Safety gear (glasses, shade 5s, leather apron)

What are some tips or things you wish you had known when you first started? And based on my equipment list, is there anything crucial I'm missing that I should add to my setup? I'm on a bit of a budget, so any advice is appreciated!

Click to expand...

don't forget a post vise! The bench vise is okay for cold work, but for twisting hot steel, you need a post vise bolted to the floor. Hunt for an old beat up one!

Today I used my Harbor Freight angle grinder with the Warrior metal cutting blade to cut some 5160 leaf springs for projects. The top spring was cut in half to make a couple of blanks for throwing knives like the one pictured. The bottom pic I cut the leaf spring length wise so I can make 4 vegetable choppers. I cut out one to forge it to see if I have enough handle material. I can leave more metal in the handle area to make it longer and wider if I need to.. My angle grinder with the cutting wheel in an indispensible item in my shop for cutting all metals that I will forge. You can cut alot with a hack saw be the angle grinder makes quick work of it. I also have sanding disks for the grinder to clean up metal. I also like using a seamstress cloth tape measure. It can easily go around diameters where a hard ruler won't go.
Ohio Rusty ><>

ericman_ said:

Hey everyone! I'm just getting started with blacksmithing and I'm setting up my own home shop after helping my uncle out for a few months.

I've got some basic gear:
Two anvils (15lb and 55lb, the Harbor Freight specials)
A set of ball peen and cross peen hammers
A 6-inch bench grinder and a 1x30 belt sander
Files, a vice, a Dremel, and various grits of sandpaper
Safety gear (glasses, shade 5s, leather apron)

What are some tips or things you wish you had known when you first started? And based on my equipment list, is there anything crucial I'm missing that I should add to my setup? I'm on a bit of a budget, so any advice is appreciated!

Click to expand...

You may find things like a drill press and mentioned disc grinder very useful but don't forget to learn how to hot punch and how to use a hot-cut hardy and handled hot-cut chisel, it is worth the time spent (they are how you fold damascus skelps among other uses).