Official Luthiers Forum!

Sometimes we use different methods to do the same things. What tool or tools do you see people using all the time that you don't have, and have never wanted? I've never had, or used an oscillating spindle sander. I wouldn't even know what to do with one if I had it, but I've built over 50 guitars. Please don't convince me I need one. I don't have shop space, and don't want to spend the money. LOL

So what tools don't you have, or want.


It's not my intention to saw oscillating spindle sanders aren't great. I just know nothing about them, and seem to do OK.

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

When I was young one of my mentors told me that a true craftsman was one who could cut with a file or file with a saw and have it turn out beautifully either way. Of course he would also scold me severely for using the wrong toll if the correct one was available. I do not have a thickness sander, either in my lutherie or in the cabinet shop. I have no want for one. A well set up and sharpened bench plane works pretty quickly on whatever wont go through the planer and I have never seen one put a finish on a surface that I did not feel needed at least a hand sanding before finishing anyway.

Now a spindle sander........

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

A lot depends on what you are doing. I don't have a do it your self lobotomy kit but I may be getting one soon . It all comes down to what you think you need for your technique of building. You can do a lot by hand , but it is still more important to know what and why you are doing it , than a machine that does it for you.
As long as you understand the "theroy" the technology will will follow. I know some great hand plane guys and others that hate it. It is all in your make up. Howard is well versed in hand tools . Not every one has those skills so learn the basics . The tool requirements are different between a few guitars a year and a few guitars a month.
Hand skills are indeed worth the time investment .

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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

I want a voice activated CNC machine that makes guitars, and a robotic spray and buffer booth ... all this hand work is cutting into my /wing/beer time ....

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I don't have an oscillating spindle sander, though I feel like I should. I don't have StewMac's Jaws fret pressing pliers. I think they're well worth the investment. Why hammer when you can press? I don't have fret tang/barb sizers, though again I should. I usually just rebuild the fret slot with superglue if it's too loose.

I DID just get an Erlewine neck jig. The thing works miracles. I won't do fret work without it if I can avoid it.

just a suggestion, I used a cut off shaft from an old screwdriver that I pressed into a wooden caul that I shaped to match the radius of my fretboard. Then I chucked it into my drill press and voila, fret press. (I really didn't like the idea of hammering on my neck )

I have a press for my drill press, but it doesn't help much for acoustics or set necks. It's just too inconvenient. I'm thinking about modifying some welding vise grips to make my own press, but I find that often times the StewMac tool works so much better that I should just buy that from the start. The StewMac tool is expensive, but the Facom mole grips they use are $90 just on their own. $220 for the Stewmac tool is almost a bargain.

Yes. I can see that. Certainly a realistic pursuit Tony!
(although personally can't stand beer. Ick)

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

I have a surface sander, but I'm jonesin' for a Grizzly G0527 wide-belt sander. Everything else I pretty much have that I want. My drill press isn't great but suffices. I'd also like to replace my contractor style table saw with a cabinet style saw of better quality, like a SawStop. Mostly I'd like a bigger and better and more organized work space.

But beware the slippery-slope of luthery.......there's always another tool or another piece of wood to buy!

It never ends....

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

My Grandpa had me "help" him with a construction project he was doing when I was ~10 years old. One day he was up on a ladder and asked me to go inside his shop and bring him his Board Stretcher. I've been searching for it ever since.

Seriously, I'm fortunate to have room and a good selection of power and hand tools. The only tool I would use and don't have is a Bridge City Toolworks Joint Maker Pro. http://www.bridgecitytools.com/default/tools/jointmaker/jointmakers/jmpv2-jointmaker-pro.html

I had one of them, but it couldn't understand my Southern accent.

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

You know, I've actually been wanting a Don Williams. I don't think he'll go for anything other than one of those picturesque New England shops, though. The kind with a sliding barn door, perfectly aged maple benches and pine floors, and all those windows looking out over a cascading range of Aspens and Maples.

A big red EASY button connected to all of my tools.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Surprising even to me, I don't have a set of good bench chisels (the kind that are heavy enough to whack on with a mallet). I have long Sorby paring chisels that I love, and a full set of LMI chisels for fine work, but every time I look at a good set of socket chisels, TAS sets in. But I've never seemed to actually need them.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I don't have a belt or disk sander, kinda wish I did.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

So James, are you calling me a "tool"?

Ouch!



That shop & location sounds like a dream to me, being in a Hole in the City.
I Hate the city. Want me some "picturesque New England shop" as described.
Drool.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

A tool some fellers use but I don't want is a Wagner Safe-T plane.
I'd easily get cut with it. I'd love to have a jointer since my hand planing skills are bad, but I can't justify the cost. I'd love to have a bandsaw I could resaw with - I use a hand saw and thickness planer. It sure makes for a lot of wasted wood.
I should have my table saw up and running today. I figure I can replace a lot of time consuming hand work with it. Unfortunately, my wife bought it and she won't allow any more guitars until I whittle her out a TV stand.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

A cleaning maid that would keep my shop looking like some of the ones I see here. It's on my list of things to get when I get famous and the wads of cash start rolling in so fast I won't know what to buy next.

Dan the Dreamer

I don't have/want a router or a bandsaw. I want a thickness sander and a table saw though.

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Build log

A ClearVue cyclone dust collection system. And a thickness sander, but it's on the way!

automatic beer opener

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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

I keep mine over in the corner with the kegs of toenails and the left handed saws.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Long rest, can always use a long rest. Prop wash is handy when you're workin' on a boat.

A brain hardwired for lutherie! Also, I keep looking at a floor drill press because there have been some things my bench version is too small for.