Anyone familiar with"Footprint" brand tools?

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Pope858
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 5:58 pm

Anyone familiar with"Footprint" brand tools?

Post by Pope858 »

Hi Folks, My first post here, although I have been lurking for a couple days now. I am gearing up to build a recently purchased "Kit" from Blues Creek Guitars, and have been looking at different tools/brands and packages and found this tool set online through Sears. (http://www.sears.com/footprint-tools-20 ... ockType=G1) I think I could use everything in it, except the wooden mallet, but was wondering if anyone was familiar with this particular brand? Appreciate any comments on the package or the maker, is much appreciated! This will be my 2nd guitar, as I did "scratch build" a guitar in a class about a year ago. These look like the same types of tools we used in that build, but I am a novice luthier and don't have a lot of experience with these specific tools. Thanks for the help!

Paul
 

Re: Anyone familiar with"Footprint" brand tools?

Post by   »

Welcome aboard!
If I'm not mistaken, Footprint of Sheffield England went out of business several years ago. Don't know who took over the name, nor can I suggest the quality would be equal to the original. As far as the tools in the kit, I don't see many that would be used in a kit guitar build.
I suggest you purchase Bill Cory's book http://www.kitguitarmanuals.com/ and use that as a starting point for a better spent $350. of lutherie tools.
Which guitar class did you attend?


-tommyboy
Pope858
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 5:58 pm

Re: Anyone familiar with"Footprint" brand tools?

Post by Pope858 »

Thanks for the welcome and the comment. Yea, I did a little research on-line and Footprint did go out of business, but reformed under the same ownership shortly thereafter. If these are reasonable quality, I think I would use the chisels for brace carving/scalloping/shaving and the saw and the carpenters ruler to lay out and cut the notches when I join the top and back to the rim. Seems like I used these things regularly during the scratch build I did in class! The class I took was from luthier Edward Dick (Victor Guitar) here in Denver, Colorado. I chose a kit for my 2nd build because I lack any of the big tools (Band saw, Belt sander) that were helpful during the first build. With this kit and some judicious tool purchases, I think I can do 50% of the work at home. Edward is available on a consulting basis, and I do expect to utilize him and his shop/tooling for certain aspects of this build. I figured a decent kit will allow me to reinforce some of the building techniques, skills and knowledge gained in that first class!
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