So I started smithing last year with a homemade setup that I produced for around $30. I got drum brake housing off a big SUV. This was my first mistake, in retrospect I should have got a disc brake and something like a riding lawnmower deck to make the firepot more shallow, this would reduce waste and allow longer items to have access to the heat. I also got a 4' section of railroad track for my anvil and let me tell you that it is AMAZING. I stood it up vertically in a hole so that it is the perfect height for my swing (the height of your knuckles when your arm is hanging flat by your side). This removes almost all vibration and ring. The thing couldn't be budged. I also cut a hot cut and a small horn into the top of what once was the base of the track. The best thing about this setup is that, being a beginner, if I ding up the face, I can just grind it down a little bit. If I do this too many times I can just pull the anvil out of the ground a wee bit and get it right back to prime striking height. I also used coal as my fuel. It's cheap, I can get it shipped to me, and it lasts ages. The one tool I would advise people just getting into smithing go spend some money on would be a good pair of tongs for whatever size stock you can get your hands on to make more tongs, and then some more tongs and more after that.
