I have a flat workbench and a vise.

I would like to know what files I should buy to start practising.

I will be building with steel so specifics would be great.

I don’t wanna tool up with machinery just yet.

Please advise.

8″, 10″ and 12″ half-round second cut.

something you can use to make accurate mitre cuts in various tube thicknesses.

You would find a hacksaw, with a 32tpi blade, handy as well.

8″, 10″ and 12″ half-round second cut

you are richard sachs and i claim my voucher

No, he has a Bikemachinery frame fixture and I do not.

Having enough of the right tools does help,

http://antbikemike.wordpress.com/frame-building-classes/six-week-frame-business-course/

…..and being able to braze or weld is a big help as well.

http://bohemianbicyclesfaq.wordpress.com/

lots of people have opinions on frame fixtures
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=bicycle%20framebuilding%20jigs&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=579&sei=reeRUYbqPNCQ7AaNvYCQBQ&tbm=isch

we have our own opinion on frame fixtures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/compositepro/

if your in wakefield drive down to junction 34 and bob in and say hi

Andrew denham of the bicycle academy does welding courses and building courses

No, he has a Bikemachinery frame fixture and I do not.

Some cast iron vee blocks. (shop carefully as some of the ebay ones turn out to be tiny)

Clamp blocks to hold tubes in the vice.

Angle finder / protractor
http://www.stakesys.co.uk/product/angle_finder_3/

Dial angle gauge (dunno why but I tend to use this more than my digital one).
http://www.whiterosetools.com/Silverline-250471

Tube notcher and a pile of holesaws (when you get bored of filing)
http://www.stakesys.co.uk/product/sta155_hole_saw_tube_notcher/

Files – anything you can find. Ideally a small and big one in each of flat, half round and round. You are only filing stuff a few mm thick so actual grades not especially important provided they aren’t super coarse.

A couple of rolls of emery cloth (coarse and medium).

Word of caution – be very careful what you are starting 🙂 It won’t stop and the pile of tubes, tools and other stuff keeps on growing….

Instructables Bike frame jig

Tube blocks – you can make your own, but the Paragon ones are cheap and good. Bastard cut files are good for roughing out. I also used to use a hand nibbler quite a lot for mitring, to get the shape roughly then file to fit. A fork cutting guide is also handy for cutting tubing square (you can use a tube cutter, but the FCG works on oval things like chainstays).

Really, though, all you need is a couple of files and a hacksaw. Everything else just makes life faster and easier.

… and a bunch of knowledge, aptitude and practice.

I dread to think what I’d end up with if I tried building a frame with the files and hacksaw sitting ready in my shed 😳

Well, yes – learning the principles you can do in a weekend, getting good at it takes a while longer.