Well, I'll see if I can provide any help, but my answers will be geared toward your other thread about making the occasional ring. If you also want to get tools for more generalized metalsmithing, let us know. I'm also no expert by any stretch, but my perspective may be helpful, since I also made knives for a long time before getting into fine metals, rather than being trained as a jeweler to start with.
You really shouldn't have any trouble working these metals since you're already familiar with the use of files, etc. If anything, your tools will reflect the necessary change in your techniques. Since these materials can be costly, you'll probably want to do more fabrication and forging than stock removal. You may want to get some smaller files to reflect the smaller scale of the work, and you'll probably want those files to have very fine teeth, so you don't lose too much gold thru sanding. (it's much easier to sweep up and collect filings) If you don't already have one, a cross pein hammer can come in very handy for drawing out bars & streching the metal in one direction, rather than squishing it in all directions with a flat faced hammer. You'll want whatever you're using for an anvil to have a polished face as well, so you don't lose metal filing out rough gouges and scratches left in the surface. A ring mandrel would also be handy to have, but you can make do with any appropriately sized steel rod (again, polished smooth) for one or two rings.
You'll want to keep your drill bits sharp, but the biggest tip I can give in that area is to use wax on your bits for lubrication. Copper and especially silver are very "sticky" metals, and they will readily grab and snap your drill bits. Wax is not as messy as oil, and can readily be swiped from your wife's collection of scented candles.
The area that I, and all the other students found extremely challenging, is the soldering. An acetylene torch is gonna be too hot, but some smaller torches don't provide enough heat. I have not tried those little bottles of MAPP gas yet, but it may just be the solution rather than buying a whole new torch for one project. You will need to get some flux especially formulated for high temperature brazing involved with fabricating gold and silver, and high temp solder to match the alloy. For just soldering up a ring, just get some medium solder. For jobs involving more fabrication, you'll want 3 or 4 different hardnesses, so subsequent solder jobs don't mess up the first joint. You'll also have to get everything CLEAN. The slightest trace of oils or dirt will cause you days of migraines. The best thing for degreasing is powdered pumice- use an old toothbrush loaded with pumice to scrub everything. You can get by without for the occasional job by using clean sandpaper and some detergents, but it seems that some common soaps also contain skin moisturizers that leave behind a troublesome residue. In fact, it would take several pages to cover the details of soldering, so maybe just ask a specific question later on when you get to it.
Gotta go for now. If there's a particular area you're unsure about, ask away.
