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List Of Guitar Building Tools


Lex Luthier

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these are tools i use in making my famous custom guitars with mutha of pearl...

- dremel multipro T rotary tool kit ($59.97 at home depot, model: 3961-02)

- rotozip spiral saw kit (means router) with zipmate attatchment ( $99.97 at home depot Model: rz05-2100)

- titebonde II glue ( i have no idea where i got it, but i have bout 3 gallons of it, works great)

- tons of clamps (never jaw clamps)

- cold heat cordless soldering tool ( $ 19.95 at home depot model: 18992A)

- soldering rods ( $3.91 ea)

- air brush ( cheap on ebay, always buy one with a compressor, air cans cost more in the long run)

- spoke shave ( $ 25.00 at amazon.com or home depot)

- table saw ( i have an 89 dollar portable one from home depot)

- drill press( $99 from home depot)

- DeWALT 5 in. 2 AMP heavy duty random-orbit sander with electronic variable speed ( 89.97 at home depot, model: DW423K

and i use some other small tooms, ie. files, chisels, those kinda things.

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Hello, I clicked on the links but didnt work. Do anyone knows where can I find a complete list of electrical tools to build a guitar (like router, etc) ?

Thanx,

Demian

I say this a lot, but here goes: A router is essential, a bandsaw's nice, drill press for tuning machine holes handy, but like with pretty much anything, buy as you need it, not before you start building.

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  • 2 months later...

This is very useful information especially for someone considering starting up a guitar workshop. One of my favorite tools is a "Shopsmith". Check it out at http://www.shopsmith.com/. Its is marketed as a 5 in one tool but I use it for about a million different things. Planer, belt sander, table saw, drill press, disc sander, shaper, and a lathe if I want to make my mom a fancy bowl at christmas time. I bought mine used for about $800. Its a real heavy duty work horse.

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This is very useful information especially for someone considering starting up a guitar workshop.  One of my favorite tools is a "Shopsmith".  Check it out at http://www.shopsmith.com/.  Its is marketed as a 5 in one tool but I use it for about a million different things.  Planer, belt sander, table saw, drill press, disc sander, shaper, and a lathe if I want to make my mom a fancy bowl at christmas time.  I bought mine used for about $800.  Its a real heavy duty work horse.

Those are neat, but I would hate to have to setup the thing everytime I switch tools, especially if I'm going back and forth between two.

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  • 4 months later...

I found that while sanding down my guitar, the hardest part was the inside of the horns. What I did is cut out a bunch of pieces of sandpaper in circles about the size of a 50 cent piece and attached them to the end of my Dremel tool. The sandpaper is really flexable, so it works great.

Con: you have to have ALOT of circles cut out ( I used about 20 of em on my guitar), one slip and it tears the sandpaper.

You have to be extra carful of youll make grooves.

What I llike about it is it takes only about 2 hours total including sandpaper changes to do both horns. I used 100 grit and it came out smooth as butter. Touched it up by hand with 60 grit, then finished it with 220. Seems good to me.

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I found that while sanding down my guitar, the hardest part was the inside of the horns. What I did is cut out a bunch of pieces of sandpaper in circles about the size of a 50 cent piece and attached them to the end of my Dremel tool. The sandpaper is really flexable, so it works great.

Con: you have to have ALOT of circles cut out ( I used about 20 of em on my guitar), one slip and it tears the sandpaper.

You have to be extra carful of youll make grooves.

What I llike about it is it takes only about 2 hours total including sandpaper changes to do both horns. I used 100 grit and it came out smooth as butter. Touched it up by hand with 60 grit, then finished it with 220. Seems good to me.

2 hours? Eesh...You can get so-called 'flap sanders', which are like little drums with bits of sandpaper sticking out. They won't reshape things, but they will clean stuff up quite quickly. Other than that, I'm liable to just us a sanding pad (shaped, or stiff foam), and good quality paper, nothing coarser than 120. 60 and 80 grit scratches are hell to get out of end-grain. For the rest, I use my orbital sander. Finish sanding the whole guitar, with quite a bit of hand-work, should take max 2 hours. Unless you're oiling/going a lot finer than 220/320.

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  • 3 months later...

To combat the "What tools do I need to build a guitar?" threads, I have started a list with descriptions of what I feel are the tools you need to contruct a guitar. It's still under construction, and I think input from other experienced members would be useful, as my way isn't THE way. Also, maybe listing websites of manufactures and stores where these tools are sold would be useful.

What tools do I need to build a guitar?

Link doesn't seem to be working anymore - anyone got this list stored somewhere, or has the link changed?

This list wiould be very useful, so any help would be great...

- Bradyhawke :D

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

Check the Grizzly Industrial catalog, not the website. They have a number of pages devoted to guitar supplies and tools at resonable cost. The President of the company is a hobby luthier and his pushing his products for that market. They have billets an mother of pearl, abalone, etc. On the website go to the sale or outlet section. It sometimes has guitar supplies for sale. :D:D

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Hi Lex, in my web page Guitarzonepr.com I have a inside shop tour that you can see one of those overarm router Guitarfrenzy talked about, but the most important thing is your capacity to make your own gigs, templates and tools, if you see inside my shop, you'll going to find some of those. It's good if you learn from books and videos about making guitars, but it is also important that you learn from other topics books related to wood, tools, gigs etc. In my 22 years as a luthier I learned more from books with no relation on instruments makings. I learned tool & die metal work thats help me a lot making my own designe hardware, vintage furnishing restore etc. From those topics you'll learn about other tools & gigs very usefull to apply in the instruments making and never got in consideration. You are on track!! keep going!!

Mike Navarro/Guitar Zone

My Webpage

Edited by Mike Navarro
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  • 8 months later...

If anyone still has a backup of the original link (or if someone else wants to put up a new page) I'd be glad to host it on my own website. (My website is my primary source of income, and I've had it for over 5 years now, it's not going anywhere. :D ) Been lurking here for a little while, finally got around to making an account. Just started buying tools and have been coming up with body designs. I appreciate all the advice people post on this board and would like to give back in any way that I can. :D

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  • 3 months later...
  • 11 months later...

I found that while sanding down my guitar, the hardest part was the inside of the horns. What I did is cut out a bunch of pieces of sandpaper in circles about the size of a 50 cent piece and attached them to the end of my Dremel tool. The sandpaper is really flexable, so it works great.

Con: you have to have ALOT of circles cut out ( I used about 20 of em on my guitar), one slip and it tears the sandpaper.

You have to be extra carful of youll make grooves.

What I llike about it is it takes only about 2 hours total including sandpaper changes to do both horns. I used 100 grit and it came out smooth as butter. Touched it up by hand with 60 grit, then finished it with 220. Seems good to me.

2 hours? Eesh...You can get so-called 'flap sanders', which are like little drums with bits of sandpaper sticking out. They won't reshape things, but they will clean stuff up quite quickly. Other than that, I'm liable to just us a sanding pad (shaped, or stiff foam), and good quality paper, nothing coarser than 120. 60 and 80 grit scratches are hell to get out of end-grain. For the rest, I use my orbital sander. Finish sanding the whole guitar, with quite a bit of hand-work, should take max 2 hours. Unless you're oiling/going a lot finer than 220/320.

Only Build Flying Vs

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  • 5 years later...

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