Which Tools To Start Building Electric Guitars?

[Schappy]

The pinned thread doesn't work anymore. Can someone start a new list?

[Ilikes2shred]

List of Guitar Building Tools:

EDIT: This forum takes out spaces used like tabs, so I replaced them with periods.

This list contains many, but not all tools used in guitar building.

Some tools are mentioned multiple times because they are commonly used for more than one job.

Before using a tool, be sure that you know how to use it. Many tools are very dangerous and could easily hurt you or severely damage your guitar.

§ All around useful tools

...1. Clamps

...2. Good Straightedges

...3. Rulers (fine graduations)

...4. Good lighting

...5. Pliers

...6. Screwdriver

...7. Hex wrench

...8. Glues (Hide glue, yellow glue, epoxy, CA (superglue)

...9. Double sided tape

...10. Marking aul

...11. Pencils and Pens

...12. Square

...13. Power Sanders (Random Orbital, Vibrating, Drum, Belt)

...14. Coping Saw

...15. Scissors

...16. Respirators

...17. Gloves

...18. Ventilation/Dust Collection systems

...19. Vacuum

...20. Sturdy Workbench

...21. Planes

...22. Sandpaper

...23. Various saws (Bandsaws are great!)

...24. CNC machine

§ Neck Shaping and Body Contours

...1. Surform

...2. Spokeshave

...3. Angle grinder

...4. Various sanders...

...5. Rasps

...6. Files

...7. Sandpaper

§ Body Blank Cutting/ Shaping

...1. Jigsaw

...2. Bandsaw

...3. Router

...4. Same tools as for neck shaping

§ Pickup Cavities

...1. Various chisels

...2. Router

...3. Drill (preferably with large bits, like forstners)

§ Fretting

...1. 3 corner file

...2. Needle files

...3. Coarse/fine files (bastard and mill)

...4. Brass, plastic, or wood hammer

...5. Fretpress

...6. Jaws (I, II, or III)

...7. Fret leveling jig

...8. Jig for filing fret ends at an angle

...9. Fret bender

...10. Fret tang under-cutter

...11. Fret tang removal device

...12. Good staightedge

...13. Steel wool

...14. Dremel and polishing wheel (with compound)

...15. Micromesh

§ Fretboard

...1. Leveling device

...2. fret slotting jig

...3. Fret slotting saw

...4. Fret slotting radial arm saw

...5. Fret scale templates

...6. Radius sanding block.

...7. Radius sanding jig (like the ones made by grizzly)

...8. Polishing papers (such as micromesh)

§ Nut

...1. Nut slotting files

...2. Needle files

...3. Sandpaper

...4. Steel wool

§ Bridge and Tuners

...1. Drill with various bits

...2. Drill press

...3. Hand drill

...4. Screwdriver

...5. Hex wrench

§ Binding

...1. Scraper

...2. Small saw

...3. Knife (or razor blade)

...4. Binding laminator

...5. Brushes (for laminating with acetone)

...6. Steel Wool

...7. Router with Bearing bits (for binding channel)

§ Finishing

...1. Spray Gun

...2. Buffing Wheel

...3. Micromesh

...4. Sandpaper

...5. Buffing compounds

...6. Steel wood

...7. Brushes

...8. Old rags

...9. Rubber Gloves

...10. Lots of other stuff that depends on your finish

There that should be a good start!

Edited December 15, 2008 by Ilikes2shred

[Woodenspoke]

The pinned thread doesn't work anymore. Can someone start a new list?

Your first major tool is plenty of cash, like a huge wad; otherwise the tool list is useless.

[Ilikes2shred]

Forgot a few:

Lots of creativity

Hands (preferably two)

Patience

[Jon]

I went over your list and added list/bullet code. You can use the "list" code along with bullets like this:

[list]TOPIC

[*]ITEM

[*]ITEM[/list]

• TOPIC
  
• ITEM
  
• ITEM
  
  
  

  List of Guitar Building Tools:
  
  EDIT: This forum takes out spaces used like tabs, so I replaced them with periods.
  
  This list contains many, but not all tools used in guitar building.
  
  Some tools are mentioned multiple times because they are commonly used for more than one job.
  
  Before using a tool, be sure that you know how to use it. Many tools are very dangerous and could easily hurt you or severely damage your guitar.
  
  
  

  All around useful tools

  
  

• 1. Clamps
  
• 2. Good Straightedges
  
• 3. Rulers (fine graduations)
  
• 4. Good lighting
  
• 5. Pliers
  
• 6. Screwdriver
  
• 7. Hex wrench
  
• 8. Glues (Hide glue, yellow glue, epoxy, CA (superglue)
  
• 9. Double sided tape
  
• 10. Marking aul
  
• 11. Pencils and Pens
  
• 12. Square
  
• 13. Power Sanders (Random Orbital, Vibrating, Drum, Belt)
  
• 14. Coping Saw
  
• 15. Scissors
  
• 16. Respirators
  
• 17. Gloves
  
• 18. Ventilation/Dust Collection systems
  
• 19. Vacuum
  
• 20. Sturdy Workbench
  
• 21. Planes
  
• 22. Sandpaper
  
• 23. Various saws (Bandsaws are 24. CNC machine
  
  Neck Shaping and Body Contours
  
• 1. Surform
  
• 2. Spokeshave
  
• 3. Angle grinder
  
• 4. Various sanders...
  
• 5. Rasps
  
• 6. Files
  
• 7. Sandpaper
  
  Body Blank Cutting/ Shaping
  
• 1. Jigsaw
  
• 2. Bandsaw
  
• 3. Router
  
• 4. Same tools as for neck shaping
  
  Pickup Cavities
  
• 1. Various chisels
  
• 2. Router
  
• 3. Drill (preferably with large bits, like forstners)
  
  Fretting
  
• 1. 3 corner file
  
• 2. Needle files
  
• 3. Coarse/fine files (bastard and mill)
  
• 4. Brass, plastic, or wood hammer
  
• 5. Fretpress
  
• 6. Jaws (I, II, or III)
  
• 7. Fret leveling jig
  
• 8. Jig for filing fret ends at an angle
  
• 9. Fret bender
  
• 10. Fret tang under-cutter
  
• 11. Fret tang removal device
  
• 12. Good staightedge
  
• 13. Steel wool
  
• 14. Dremel and polishing wheel (with compound)
  
• 15. Micromesh
  
  Fretboard
  
• 1. Leveling device
  
• 2. fret slotting jig
  
• 3. Fret slotting saw
  
• 4. Fret slotting radial arm saw
  
• 5. Fret scale templates
  
• 6. Radius sanding block.
  
• 7. Radius sanding jig (like the ones made by grizzly)
  
• 8. Polishing papers (such as micromesh)
  
  Nut
  
• 1. Nut slotting files
  
• 2. Needle files
  
• 3. Sandpaper
  
• 4. Steel wool
  
  Bridge and Tuners
  
• 1. Drill with various bits
  
• 2. Drill press
  
• 3. Hand drill
  
• 4. Screwdriver
  
• 5. Hex wrench
  
  Binding
  
• 1. Scraper
  
• 2. Small saw
  
• 3. Knife (or razor blade)
  
• 4. Binding laminator
  
• 5. Brushes (for laminating with acetone)
  
• 6. Steel Wool
  
• 7. Router with Bearing bits (for binding channel)
  
  Finishing
  
• 1. Spray Gun
  
• 2. Buffing Wheel
  
• 3. Micromesh
  
• 4. Sandpaper
  
• 5. Buffing compounds
  
• 6. Steel wood
  
• 7. Brushes
  
• 8. Old rags
  
• 9. Rubber Gloves
  
• 10. Lots of other stuff that depends on your finish
  

There that should be a good start!

[Ilikes2shred]

Ah! That's beautiful! Much thanks Jon!

[Schappy]

Thanks for the list. I know its going to take quite a bit of money so I think Im going to start out making bodies.

[Ilikes2shred]

Always happy to help!

I wouldn't worry too much.... You DEFINITELY don't need every tool on that list. All you really need is a pre-slotted and radiused finger board, a saw of some type, a router, and all the tools you probably already have laying around..... That's how I made mine. Oh, and lots of clamps too.

[guitar_player]

The list isn't what you need it's more everything that would be useful the more tools you have the easier it will be. You may want to start checking the tools section on your local craigslist regularly, you can find some good deals as far as tools I have gotten a like new $600 air compressor for $100 delivered to my door. Today I just bought a delta spindle sander for $45 I need to get some more spindles but I'll still be getting it for about 3rd the price of a new one.

[Mattia]

Look up many an old topic. I'll give the same advice I always do: buy a book, decide how to do things, and buy tools as you need 'em. You will need personal protection (ear, respiratory, eye), you will want/need a router, and you'll probably want a rasp. And some sandpaper. And access to a drill press for a couple of things. But seriously, buy tools as you need them - people do things different ways, with different tools, and you may discover a different way to do things that works better for you.