Official Luthiers Forum!

What tools do you need? Starting with the obvious tools like a band saw, table saw... but also other specialty tools.
What size band saw do you really need? Are there any specs on it that you really need to work with such hard woods?
Give me a list if at all possible
You guys are awesome, I love looking at all the great work you guys show!

Hi Eric, first, let me say welcome to the forum - you are in the right place! Next, I will gently ask if you've seen the "Search" function at the top right of the forum? It works great. Do a search on "tools", "essential tools", "new luthier", "tool list", etc. on the forum archive, and you'll find loads of previous threads with lots of great suggestions on what the starting luthier's tool set should be.

Some would contend that the only tool you need is a sharpened soup spoon, while others will give you smart answers like "a finely honed brain", and still others will give you a list as long as your arm with tools all the way from the lowly scraper to $100K+ CNC machines.

From my own perspective, I will say that the thing that surprised me was how long it took me to build all the necessary jigs that you will inevitably want, to make the various operations easier, more accurate, and repeatable. I'll take a stab at a non-exhaustive list (you can buy or make most of these yourself):

1. Guitar body/bracing template/s
2. Guitar body mold/s
3. Side bending machine with heating blanket/s and timer/power control or PID controller with timer (unless you're rich, you should plan on making this yourself)
4. Side bending patterns for your bending machine
5. Go-bar deck with dished forms
6. Binding jig
7. Headplate template/s
8. Bridge template/s
9. Neck joint routing jig
10. Fret slotting jig
11. Fretboard template/s
12. Sanding dishes

Other tools that you could make, but may want to just buy, which I have found make setting up a guitar much easier may include:

a. String height dial guage
b. Saddlematic
c. Neck centering jig

I hate to think how much I've spent on tools and jigs in the past few years.....that's something you should never do IMO. Suffice to say that, until I've build about 50 instruments, my guitars will probably be the most expensive guitars on the planet.

On your bandsaw question, it all depends on if you want to resaw your own tops/backs/sides. I get by most of the time with a Delta 14" bandsaw with the 6" riser block fitted to it, but for resawing billets, I use a large Laguna SE20 machine with a resaw king blade.

Anyway, good luck with your endeavors. Don't forget to post pictures of your first instrument as you build it. We like pictures!

Cheers,
Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

tooling requirements are as individual as color choices. Much will depend on your building style. Are you planning on steel stringer or classicals. They will take different tools. Why don't we start with what you do have . Steel strings need a building form or mold of some sort , and classical use a solera . You will need fretting tools, a good selection of file , nippers , etc , so lets see what you have and we can build on that.
Also if you check out this link , I am sure it will help you along . http://bluescreekguitars.com/tutorials.php . There is much to learn. Don't expect your first guitar to be your master piece as there is a learning curve and we will help you through that. My best advice is to start with a kit , only in that the parts are in the box , and they give you a base line of what you need .
Good luck and have fun .

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

GREAT advice you've gotten so far! I'll second John's recommendation to go with a kit first. It'll let you build a good quality instrument, find out what kinds of activities you like best and give you time to tool/jig up as needed. Plus, there's a kit section on this forum where pros visit periodically and help out the new folks.

Welcome to the OLF. Best place on the web for learning this craft.

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

I built my first 5 with very few power tools. I made molds at a friends shop with borrowed tools. I bent my sides with a piece of pipe and a propane torch. I used a jig saw to profile the top, back and sides, and a plane to thickness everything. I had access to a table saw, jointer, laminate trimmer and router. Now I've got a homemade bender, (with blanket and slats from Bluescreek), a bunch more homemade molds, and bending forms, a drum sander, table saw, jointer, 14" band saw router table ect ect ect ect. I've had an air compressor and spray guns for years. What I believe you HAVE to have it some super sharp chisels, an assortment of planes, cabinet scrapers, and a BUNCH of clamps.


EDIT/Added, like others said, a kit will help eliminate alot of the tools. John Hall (Bluescreek) LMI, and probably others can tailor a kit to suit your needs, so it's not just a generic kit.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I would definitely be considered an amateur, I am on #6 but by far the best investment I have made was a week with Frank Finnichio in Easton PA. Not only do you build a guitar in that week but you also get a good understanding of what you need to build a good guitar.

Outside of that, the only power tool that I probably could not do with out is a bandsaw. And unless you are wanting to resaw Top/B/S you really don't need anything special

Simple jigs and fixture that are readily available from BluesCreek, StewMac,LMI, Luthiers Suppliers etc are really what make building much easier and enjoyable. And obviouly a good set of chisels, planes, scraper etc
Good luck
Richard

I'll stick my neck out and go against the 'build a kit!' sentiment; making your own shape, a mold out of MDF, and using a fairly standard bracing layout will let you get a guitar that's more personalised for about the same amount of cash. You don't need all that much in the way of tools to make an acoustic; a laminate trimmer, electric jigsaw, a chisel (1/2"), a rasp, a plane (#5 and/or a block plane), access to a drill press for a few things, these are all tools you need whether you build a kit or go from scratch; if you don't have a thickness sander, order back and sides from a place that can thickness for you, and/or find a cabinet shop for those. Thickness the top with a hand plane.

Bandsaws are great, and I'd replace mine in a heartbeat, but I build 6 electrics and two acoustics before buying it, no probs.

Well, thank you all for the fantastic advice. I've built my first acoustic guitar already and I learned SOOO much on that first build. I have pictures and I will post them tomorrow(as this is not my computer). I just had such a great time doing it(I did it at my high schools shop class which I just graduated from earlier this year) that I want to continue doing it at home. Christmas is rolling around and I was just wondering what I should be asking "santa'' for...

So what brands are suggested? Say for chisels, what brand works well? I know that cheap chisels suck because I had to use them at school. But are there any specific brands that you suggest. (you being anyone)

You're school may not have had cheap chisels. They were probably dull chisels. A sharp cheap chisel cuts really well but doesn't stay sharp for long. Sharpening is the most important thing for chisels. Never the less some brands are better than others and different builders like different brands. But, if you want a good chisel that will sharpen up nicely lasts a lifetime and won't cost your a fortune, than Two Cherries is my recommendation. I have many chisels but I use my 3/4" and 1/4" almost all the time. Two Cherries cost between $25-$30 each.

wow...don't think I can add much to this other than to say that tool tuning and sharpening has got to be pretty high on the list of things to learn. I've had great tools that didn't work for [bleep] because I didn't know how to upkeep them properly.

-Matthew

I tell you what, I have some chisels, really cheap ones, about $2.00 each, with wooden handles, that I bought at some discount tool place (WT Tools), and they are great once cleaned up and properly sharpened. They are rough when you buy them, so need a lot of cleaning up, but the edges seem to hold just fine, and they sharpen easily. I also have some decent chisels, but I don't hesitate to grab the cheap ones.

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Waddy

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