Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello all.

This is my first post here after lurking around for a while. The guys over at the Acoustic Guitar Forum pointed me over this way a few weeks ago.

I have recently started my first guitar build with a little help from a few friends and family members who have a wealth of woodworking experience. However, it seems to be pretty hard to get hold of proper guitar making tools in the UK. I have the basics (chisels, router, planes etc) however what I really want are things like moulds, forms, radius dishes & bending equipment. Every place I have tried don't stock these.

I have an old bending iron which will do fine for this build and a few after I'm sure, however I really need a mould & could use a radius dish.

I was wondering if there are any members on this board from the UK/Europe who know where to source these, or if there is somewhere in North America who regularly ship to the UK (so far most places I have tried are fairly costly on shipping which is expected).

Thanks.

Hi Coke? and welcome to the forum.

Making your own mould and radius dish is realy simple.

Heck I was able to make mine.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Hi
Welcome aboard
You'll find all the help and advice you need on this forum from some rather experienced and expert builders (not including myself, obviously )
I might be able to help with some items you may need - PM sent.
By the way - what's your name (it helps)
Mat

Thanks for the welcome I will read your PM in a moment.

I haven't set up my profile properly yet so I will get around to it as soon as I can.


Thanks.

> Pete <

Pete,
I regularly ship radius dishes and other jigs to the UK. On heavy items, it is really expensive, but it can be done. You can check out my website below. Best of luck, and welcome to the forum!

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

Generally, the cost to ship isn't too bad from the US as the exchange rate is fairly good, however it is hard to find everything I need or everything in stock at one place. I will check out your website now. Obviously equipment in the UK will be easier, but I am starting to think it isn't as big business here as in the US. Simply because of the fewer clientele.

Thanks again.

Craft Supplies has or at least had radius dishes. Dave Dyke's Luthier's supplies, Touchstone Tonewoods come to mind in terms of suppliers for wood and some tooling. Honestly, making a mold, dish and bender is child's play if you're capable of building a guitar. Certainly worth it unless you want to build a copy - although there's something to be said for buying if you don't have the time to spend building tooling and jigs.

David Dyke, Timberline , Touchstone, all good, friendly and have 'some' of what you need. But Direct shipping from StuMac, Allied or LMI seems to work very well, as is shipping from Tonewood suppliers such as RC (although there will be restrictyions on some species). Overall when you add the shipping and the duties, it works out about the same price. StuMac make it a bit easier as they use DHL to ship so you get it door to door and then get sent an invoice for the duties from DHL a few weeks later. Others use teh US postal service, which does not seem too bad either, but the stuff will be held at your local Post Office depot and you will need to pick it up and pay the duties so its a bit more hassle, but I have had great service from the likes of RC Tonewood, StuMac and LMI, no probs etc.

Zero coke i hear your pain!!!

One of my bone of contentions really. The European Union has made trade partners that should of allowed businesses the edge that the USA has. In fact it should of done more. But the opposite seems to be true doesn't it. We seem to pay what businesses calculate to be the most they can get for it without making us so angry that we buy it from the USA out of spite. Things should be cheaper here if you look at the Geography. There are luthiers all over the European Union.

Makes me want to set up shop, but starting out is hard. And like others have said most things can be made. Perhaps we in the UK have learned to be more independent because of the lack of business savey. If you look at a lot of what is offered in the USA it is things that can be made.

One example is dust cyclones. You can get a half decent one in the USA for about $1500 That exact same one here in the UK... go one guess... That's right £2400. and i do mean exact in every detail. I didn't know that the US dollar had gained so much strength lol...

So my alternative is to build one.

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Disappointment is an empty box full of expectation

Oh one thing i forgot to mention. You would think it to be expensive to ship from the USA to the UK but I recently got a quote to ship a Uni saw from the USA. It was only $225 to ship it here to the UK. Think about that it weighs almost 500 pounds is a hefty pallet size and only $225 That should put things in perspective the next time your buying a top and the shipping is $40 shouldn't it...

I think the best thing for people here in the Uk is to actually get together and create a co-op of sorts and do our buying in bulk and pass on the savings or make a little profit ourselves.

I had a table saw delivered from Sussex to north wales here and it cost me more then the shipping all the way from the USA, and i shopped around to get that low price most places wanted 3 times the amount for the shipping but i've been using a bloke that gives a bit of a deal if you are willing to wait till he has other pick ups in that area so he fairly divides the rate between jobs.

Rant off lol.... such a touchy subject this one.

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Disappointment is an empty box full of expectation

As you point out there are some inconsitencies, but it also depends on the time you are willing to wait. The $225 to ship teh Uni saw I suspect was literal in the 'ship' as opposed to air, 6-8 weeks shipping v 2-3 days?

When ordering from StuMac its about $28 for 3day, door to door and if you make the order to $200-300 its still worth it, I just wait until I have a load of stuff thats needed in one go. True it is a bit mad when having 1 or two sets sent over, but in those cases its more about a particular set, and being prepared to pay the price + shippingt + duties and see if its still worth it.

I buy some stuff from Madinter in Spain but mainly either Stewmac or Far Eastern Ebay sellers for dots & truss rods.

the UK suppliers are often more expensive than US plus post & tax.

as to the co-op thing IFAIA that's how David Dyke started, buying in tonewood for his own use and selling the extra..... until the selling took over from the building.

body moulds I cut from 20mm ply......
or chipboard .....
or MDF.....

whatever is laying around

as to a radius dish, I STILL haven't got round to it. it limits you to one (ok, two) radiuses. after nearly 60 builds I'm happy with a load of clamps!

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Welcome to the forum, Pete.

Ed