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Posted

Hi guys,

After looking around some great websites (includeing this one) over the last couple of weeks, I've decided I'd like to start making my own guitar. Could someone please tell me what basic equipment is needed to do this, bandsaw, routers...etc

cheers :D

Posted

Check out this tread.

Of course the more tools the better but you don't have to get wrapped up in the tool game. To me a router is a must have tool. There are many others that make life easier if you have the means.

Posted

A lot of what you need depends on how resourceful and handy you figure you are. Many of the folks here are building guitars on their kitchen tables with minimal tools and many have fully equipped shops. It also depends on what kind of budget you have. You will definitely find yourself buying specific tools when collecting material/hardware and while you work on your guitar.

You can use a variety of tools for shaping wood, the more the merrier. That includes power tools like jointer, bandsaw, router, jigsaw, skilsaw, palm sander, belt sander, drill and all the various sized blades, bits and grits that go with them. Hand tools like wood chisels, rasps, block plane, rabbit plane, scroll saw, sanding blocks (rigid and flexible). Various types and sizes of clamps come in handy. Sandpaper grits ranging from 60 to 400 for woodsanding and then 600 to the finest for finish wetsanding. I use yellow carpenter's wood glue.

There are also triangular files, fret files, straightedges, radiused sanding blocks, fret press for fret work. Soldering equipment as well. There are various stains, dyes, paints, clearcoats available and that will include the use of spraying equipment, rattle cans work too.

There are a few more items I'm sure I've missed. It all depends on how good you are at using tools in general. There IS a basic methodology at forming all the parts and assembling them, something to think about before starting. Some people fly by the seat of their pants while others plan it out to the last detail including the use of drawings and templates. I like to do my research first and get it right in my head beforehand, but along the way I will usually cut some corners and improvise in some areas.

Posted

Great question!

I have heaps of hand and power tools but when I read through the likes of the Stewmac catalog I see all these "specialty tools" like nut files,fret files,fretting saws and presses etc.

It leaves an empty kind of feeling in your head.(and pocket)

GW :D

Posted
I have heaps of hand and power tools but when I read through the likes of the Stewmac catalog I see all these "specialty tools" like nut files,fret files,fretting saws and presses etc.

It leaves an empty kind of feeling in your head.(and pocket)

Those specialty tools aren't really necessary. For fretting I tap them in with a small hammer, level them with a sanding stone or bastard file and crown them with a triangular file. Those tools cost a fraction of the expensive "specialty" tools Stewmac carries to do the same job. You can crown a fret with only a few swipes using their 70 dollar diamond fret file but I can only see it being a worthwhile investment if I plan on using it more than 2 or 3 times a year. You can save money by learning how to be proficient at using the less specialized tools. A fret crowning file is designed to do only one thing, crown frets. I have a lot more uses for my trusty triangular file.

Posted

Thanks Southpa B)

I'm quite pratical as I restore and sell motorbike parts for a living, but I've never done much wood work before. I've got drills, files, saws, soldering irons....etc, it's the bigger stuff I'm a clueless on. I think I'll start off buying a router and bandsaw and see how I go. I don't intend to make guitar necks to start with just bodies, I think I'll leave that until I've gained a bit of experience :D

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