Hello

Storebought or Homemade: Tell Us!
kinspeed
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:26 pm

Hello

Post by kinspeed »

Hello,

I am new to Lutherie and have tons of questions. The forum doesn't seem to have many grouped sections. I have spoken with John and have decided that I would really like to build a J40 for my son. I have access to a wood shop and was wondering what would be a good list of must have Jigs and Tools for my build. The wood shop is a few miles away but I would like to do a lot of the work at home. Any help with a list of must have tools would be awesome. Thank you in advance.
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Hello

Post by tippie53 »

you never seem to have enough clamps.
if you have to be more confined a dremel tool
go bar deck they do break down
I am a big fan of the radius disks for setting up geometry
small clamps for doing kerfed lining.

to name a few
also a decent nut file set
pillar file
mill file smooth cut
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
kinspeed
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:26 pm

Re: Hello

Post by kinspeed »

Thanks John. I was somewhat in the wrong area when I said that the forum doesn't have many groupings, it does.

Clamps a plenty for sure.

It seems my wood shop access is no longer.

John,
What is the possibility of getting your YouTube videos set up in a step by step process for the kit build? I am having trouble navigating them. That would be awesome and very helpful! Thank you!
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Hello

Post by MaineGeezer »

In no particular order, things that occur to me:

A couple of really good chisels...and a way to sharpen them so they will shave hair off your arm. Say, 1/8", 3/8". 1/2", 5/8". If you are a minimalist, you could probably almost get by with just the 3/8".

A really good small block plane and a jack plane...and a way to sharpen them.

More clamps than you would believe.

A small backsaw or dovetail saw.

An 18" wide thickness sander is REALLY nice. I use a friend's when I need it. I built myself a 9" wide thickness sander which I find I use a lot, but it can't handle a glued-up top or back and that is what one wants to be able to do.

A table saw is nice to have. I have an old 8" table saw that serves the purpose, mostly.

A drill press.

A band saw is really nice. If one or the other, I'd probably get a band saw before a table saw. Except I have a table saw and no band saw.

A compact router is handy.

A straightedge about 3' long.

A small square.

A steel ruler.



Undoubtedly, more stuff. John, or somebody, mentioned a go-bar deck and radius dishes. You'll also want a body mold for the guitar design you're building.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
kinspeed
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:26 pm

Re: Hello

Post by kinspeed »

Thank you very much MG. I have been looking at band saws and drill presses. I am somewhat of a minimalist, mostly because of funding (wife). Lol
ruby@magpage.com
Posts: 1564
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 8:03 am
Location: Chestertown Maryland

Re: Hello

Post by ruby@magpage.com »

Like most projects - it depends

If you are only building one, then you don't need much beyond a few hand tools, with a band saw and a drill press being nice to have. The more you build, the more you appreciate various jigs and tools. For one, you don't need a radius dish, just a radius beam, and you don't need a go-bar deck, just some clamps against that same radius beam. A plane, a chisel, a square, and a couple of small jigs, and off you go.

It is amazing living at the time of the inner-web - there is so much out there. There are even several people who build on their kitchen table with hand tools only - always instructive.

Good luck

Ed
Ed M
MaineGeezer
Posts: 1711
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:14 pm

Re: Hello

Post by MaineGeezer »

John has put a great series of videos on YouTube that cover just about every aspect of building a guitar. They can give you a good idea of exactly what is involved.
Don't believe everything you know.
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
When things are bad, try not to make them any worse, because it is quite likely they are bad enough already. - French Foreign Legion
kinspeed
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:26 pm

Re: Hello

Post by kinspeed »

ruby@magpage.com wrote:Like most projects - it depends

If you are only building one, then you don't need much beyond a few hand tools, with a band saw and a drill press being nice to have. The more you build, the more you appreciate various jigs and tools. For one, you don't need a radius dish, just a radius beam, and you don't need a go-bar deck, just some clamps against that same radius beam. A plane, a chisel, a square, and a couple of small jigs, and off you go.

It is amazing living at the time of the inner-web - there is so much out there. There are even several people who build on their kitchen table with hand tools only - always instructive.

Good luck

Ed
Thank you Ed. I may build several and I want to make my builds very high quality. I have the skills just limited resources.
MaineGeezer wrote:John has put a great series of videos on YouTube that cover just about every aspect of building a guitar. They can give you a good idea of exactly what is involved.
MG, I have watched several of Johns videos, they just aren't organized in a step by step process. It's difficult to spend an hour+ searching in between steps because you don't know the title of the next step.

Thank you for the replies fellas, I greatly appreciate your help.
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Hello

Post by tippie53 »

the best is to use the blues creek guitar kit link
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... itars+kits

this link will take you to the kit section on you tube
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
kinspeed
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2017 7:26 pm

Re: Hello

Post by kinspeed »

tippie53 wrote:the best is to use the blues creek guitar kit link
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... itars+kits

this link will take you to the kit section on you tube
Thank you John, that is extremely helpful. And thank you for your kindness!
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