Definitely take your time and get your gear and workbench leveled up, snipe at trolls through trees, that will let you make the troll armor, a full set gives a bonus to stealth.

All weapons use a different stat, might want to specialize in one melee along with your bow, I suggest a club weapon for a first run, since you'll have defaulted with that early on anyways, plus it comes in handy for the third boss... I still use my iron mace almost exclusively.

In any case, once you're geared up, you can start hitting the Burial Crypts, they will each probably yield several cores; the number you want initially is 10.. you need 5 for a kiln, and 5 for a furnace.

Then it's time to grab your antler pickaxe and start looking in the Black Forest for tin (found along the beaches) and copper (found in large nodes)

Just remember not to rush, eat the foods relevant to what you're doing and your style of play.