chemical_ali Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 ok so i've decided to build my own guitar COMPLETELY from scratch... i've read through the tutorials and there are many tools mentioned of which i am lacking. first, since it seems to be very popular, i think i'd need a "dremel." what model is best for routing a guitar body? will a dremel 275 do the trick? or will i need one of these: second, what kind of power sander is best for molding the body? i looked at the body tutorial of the guy making an RG style body and i doubt i could do that with just sand paper. :ph34r: so are the dremel and the sander the only hardware i will need for the body? third, what kind of "coping saw" should be used for cutting out the head stock and stuff? i take it from the tutorial on the neck that i will also need a rasp, spokshave, and surform. any suggestions on which brands and models are the best for building a guitar? any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 oh yeah i almost forgot. i have no idea how i'm gonna put the frets on the neck! i take it i need one of these: do most of you have your own or do you borrow a friends? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 The larger Router will do far more for you then a dremel in terms of actually building a body and for the latter I own the arbor press, they run around $26-45 depending on the size you want. Mine in particular was $26 but I had to have the end drilled and tapped for a set screw in order to use the part that hang's down holding the brass caul. You should try pawn shop's to see if you can find something inexpensive if your not going to use them alot or try some of the links on the supply page for tools such as Harbor Freight. They have wonderful deals on stuff and usually free shipping on purchase's over $50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 is this the arbor press you said you have? 1/2 ton arbor press at Harbor Freight Tools what attatchments will it need to actually fret a guitar? also, which dremel drill model do you recommend? should i use the dremel to route the body or use someone's else's real router? also, what kind of power sander will i need? thanks for your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 i never used a power sander on my body , instead i would recommend using a jigsaw or a bandsaw. I you use a jigsaw the blade can bend, giving you an angled cut. so i then use a spokeshave with a convex bottom to make the sides of the body smooth and uniform. I finish it by hand sanding. I have also never used a dremel , and in my opinion you are better off getting a 'real' router unless you plan on doing intricate inlays on the neck. i also dont use n arbor press to fret my guitars, BUT it will do a much better job~! .... dont forget you will also need a fret saw to cut the slots for the frets to sit into (usually about .024" wide) hope that helps. p.s Dont take my word for it, because there are many ways to build a guitar and no one way is always the right way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 if you don't use an arbor press how do you put the frets in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gw_guitars Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Hi, I have the same problem. At stewmac they say that you have hammer the frets in http://www.stewmac.com/cgi-bin/hazel.cgi?a...RTICLES#details I believe this is the site with a small tutorial Hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 depends , sometimes i hammer them in with a hard rubber tipped hammer , other times i clamp them with one of those cheap one handed trigger action clamps. It has a nylon clamping surface that does`nt mark the frets or fretboard. try and put a few frets in a scrap piece of board, and experiment with different ways of putting them in. whatever works for you should be fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 thanks, i guess i will try hammering the frets in. another question, how do you measure the spacing of the slots the frets go into? is there a special technique involved? i take it you'd install the nut first and measure from the front of the nut. problem is i'm going to have a double locking floyd rose on my guitar. how does this affect how i set up the frets? how does it affect how i radius the neck? are there different floyd model for different radiai or can you adjust the floyd for different radiai? any help would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gw_guitars Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 other times i clamp them with one of those cheap one handed trigger action clamps. It has a nylon clamping surface that does`nt mark the frets or fretboard. Hi John, you wouldn't have a pic of this? I don't understand what kind of clamp you mean. Or maybe you can explain to me what kind it is. Thanx Gerard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 well basically its simple clamp that works like a gun, pull the trigger and it squeezes... next time im taking pics i`ll try n remember to get one for ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gw_guitars Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Thanx, I can't remember ever seeing such a clamp so I'm more than curious. I wonder if we can buy one here in the Netherlands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Are there LiDL stores in the netherlands? as far as i know they are all over europe. we have them in ireland well anyway thats were i bought mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gw_guitars Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Don't know. Gonna start searching Thanx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 another newbie question! i was wondering if anybody had any information on what a neck through style constuction would involve. i'm planning on building an SG replica. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 25, 2003 Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 Well the basic neck wood will be the entire length of the guitar and not just the neck itself then you can glue what is called wings on in terms of the body wood to each side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 would this be enough to route out a body? would i also need a dremel or no? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chemical_ali Posted June 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 i take it i would also need to angle the neck if i was making an SG replica. does anybody have any information on how to do this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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