verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Hey, you know those litle dincky LOOKING (I could be wrong) "Dremel Proffessional Rotary Tool"s you can order from stewmac and add a routing base to to make it into a router... is that router going to be strong enough, and have the depth required to outline cut a guitar body with a template and to dig 1.5" deep control cavities, etc.? Or do I have to buy ANOTHER bigger router? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 is that router going to be strong enough, and have the depth required to outline cut a guitar body with a template and to dig 1.5" deep control cavities, etc.? would you cut your frets with a knife? No, a dremel is not suitable to route a guitar body, unless you're willing to work on it for a week or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Damnit, my home shop is getting So expensive!!! I'm up to $1699 WITHOUT this big router! Chris Maybe I'll just use my Dremel for cavities and stuff, and then just band-saw then beltsand the body to shape..... that's what I did for the one I just built. I can't afford a nice big router. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 This has been discussed numerous times, but this might explain it, or you can do a search Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Maybe I'll just use my Dremel for cavities and stuff, and then just band-saw then beltsand the body to shape..... that's what I did for the one I just built. I can't afford a nice big router. then why do you ask, if you don't want to hear the answer? A router ain't that expensive. You have a cheap router for $40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 What did you spend $ 1699 on exactly? That's a big chunk o' change, but on the other hand, the price of a basic plunge router isn't really going to make or break you if you've spent that much already... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 I spent that on one of each tool I used the FIRST time I built a guitar.... that would be the guitar listed here : http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=7731 The tools and prices are: JET Bandsaw: $329 Delta Disk/Belt Sander: $109 Delta Press Drill: $119 DeWalt Planer: $379 Makita Hand Sander: $52 Makita Table Saw: $339 Dremel Proffessional Rotary Tool: $107 Dremel Base: $49 Bits, Templates, Digital Calipers: The rest of the $$$ That's what it took my to build my last guitar... so I figure that's what it'll take this time... (plus some hand tools I already have). (all things bought from www.stewmac.com or http://store.yahoo.com/toolsplus) And I actually haven't bought them YET. Won't for another month to be exact, HOWEVER this IS what I PLAN to buy. (I use caps to emphasize words, not yell, don't wanna be like Snork (just read that thing!) I love you guys! I woulda DIED on my last guitar without this forum and ya'll). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 And I DID want to hear the answer..... the answer just cost too much money outta my already -to be empty- bank. So i chose a different route Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 What do YA'LL think I should get then? How much did you spend on YOUR shops, and what do you have and use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 A router is essential. You wanna route the trussrod cavity with a dremel? well... good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 So should I just forget the dremel all together? it doesn't seem like it'll be doing much for me..... And also... why do stew mac sell it with a router type base to be used as a router if it doesn't do jack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 I have a B&D router, a cheap ass drill press and a some non-powered handtools. again, a router is essential. Forget the hand sander, planer and table saw ( buy body blanks instead) and buy a damn router! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Did you buy the tablesaw yet? If not, I'd skip it and put the money towards a router, either a decent plunge router, or a simple router table. Table saws are very usefull, but in a workshop with a bandsaw they are a luxury, unless you're doing a lot of preparing timber from it's rough state - essential tool for a cabinet maker, joiner etc, but not at the top of the list for a guitar builder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 a dremel is a handy tool. I only use it for inlays though. How many guitars have you built? Probably nothing yet. Why don't you first buy a router and give it a go before you buy all those expensive power tools. btw, where are you located? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 No hand sander?! I spent HOURS on my last guitar sanding that thing, especially after my school sh*t router scratched it up. I can understand the no planner if I get blanks...... but how do I build A neck without aligning the sides of it with a table saw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 remember tsl, we've gone over htis, I have a dutch name, am dutch, but live in singapore (where I made the nice ribboned mahogany neck thru in my woodshop class?) I recently moved from brussels to here. remember? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Maybe you should do a little bit more research before buying your tools. A neck with a table saw? hmm.. well.. it might be possible, but I really don't see how you could use a table saw on a neck without the appropriate jigs... Guess how I make my necks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 Oh, I just use the table saw to make sure that the sides are even and parallel and the width I need it to be.... other than that I don't use the table saw (I DID use it to do my truss channel, but I wanna route that next time). How do you make your necks? post a pic of one of your guitars too, lets see what ya got goin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 remember tsl, we've gone over htis, I have a dutch name, am dutch, but live in singapore (where I made the nice ribboned mahogany neck thru in my woodshop class?) I recently moved from brussels to here. remember? no... sorry... maybe I was stoned? or drunk when you told me.. seriously, you can ditch most of the power tools if you're on a budget, but do buy a router Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 My guitars are all over the forum. Nowadays I route my necks from a template Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 this is the guitar I built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted May 18, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 I've got a printout of all the things I want to buy and I can't see HOW to do without them... Bandsaw- cutout shape Belt/Disk Sander- Sandout bandsawing to right body shape Planer- turn a chunk of mahogany into a body blank (stewmac only has ash and alder) Press Drill- input jack hole, t-o-m peg holes, dot inlay holes Hand sander- final sanding before finishing. I'm SO confused..... I did all the reasearch and now lmy life it turning upside-down?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tsl602000 Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 okay, here's what I do: I only made and probably will make, a few guitars. To plane my wood, I go to a wood shop and pay a small fee to have my wood planed. I use a jig saw ( I forgot to mention, I also have a jig saw) and a rasp to cut the body to it's rough shape. With the router I route the body to it's final shape with the help of a template. I do all the sanding by hand. I really don't see the absolute need for a hand sander. I understand there's lotsa tools that make life easier, but they're not essential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Mailloux Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 The only power tools I have are a drill and a router. I got all the wood joined and planed at a schafferij (whats that in english??) and the body cut with a friends bandsaw. Neck was entirely shaped with files and spokeshave. Do you really want to spend all that money just for a hobby??? Or are you planning on becoming a luthier? if so, get some experience slowly while you SLOWLY buy a piece of machinery at a time, might be better on your wallet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapbarstrat Posted May 18, 2004 Report Share Posted May 18, 2004 And maybe try to buy some of those big tools used, so you can then probably sell them again and not take such a big loss (cuz it sounds like you have to pack up and move quite a bit) I also just have a drill press and router for power tools, and could make a guitar from scratch with what I have. I could plane down a whole guitar top with the router if I made a router planing jig big enough (I have one that's big enough to plane down wooden strat pickguards). On the MIMF site, someone came up with a clever jig for routing their Les Paul type bodies, with their router riding on a metal rail fixture above the guitar body. I have a stack of these 'String Instrument Craftsman' magazines, which had a few articles called 'Making the best of it- making a guitar with a router as your only power tool'. So it's not a stupid way of doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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