Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm just in the beginning stages of setting up my shop, and I'm on a limited budget at best. Keeping that in mind, what tools are the must-owns in order to complete a guitar from scratch from start to finish? I don't mind spending the money on good quality stuff that I really need, but I just don't want to end up with an empty wallet and a shop full of tools, only to realize that I really don't need half of them.

I understand that everyone is going to have a different opinion of what is necessary and what isn't, but any advice is sincerely appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Too much to cover. I'll just add a few things I think you'll want to have. Everyone toss in a couple ideas that you find are must haves.

A nice set of bench chisels.

Low angle block plane.

24" straight edge/rule.

Oh and a set of my videos (kidding!)

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

John may be kidding...but I'm not. His videos were a big help to me when I was putting together my first guitar.

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There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

Thanks a lot, John! Yeah, that's exactly what I was hoping for. No way would I expect anyone to list every tool out. Haha. That'd be crazy.

If everyone could just chip in a couple tools that they think fit the bill, I would be forever grateful to the members of this forum. Not that I'm not already!

Crazy, you say? I wrote out my list of essentials a while back http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=30503&p=404601&hilit=tools#p404601

If I could add one more thing to that list, it would be a Zona saw from LMI. And if I could add two more things, the next would be a 3/4" violin knife, also from LMI. I use both of those quite frequently now, but I did get the first guitar done without them.

@ Filippo - Thanks for the reply! In retrospect I probably should have used my real name for my username, but of course being me, I tried to come up with something funny. I guess the lesson is don't come up with usernames for message boards when it's 3am and you're out on your feet. Haha! For future reference, my first name is Braedyn. I'll see if I can get my username changed if need be.

I did a search for similar threads using the search engine, but didn't find much. If you could point me in the direction of those previous threads, that would be great.

As far as your questions go, I'm about as new to this as anyone can get! Haha. I've yet to build even one guitar. As far as tools are concerned, I used to work on antique cars, so I have a lot of stuff for that, although I suspect wrenches and the like will only come in handy when I screw something up and feel like throwing something through a wall.

My experience in woodworking is basically high school-level woodshop. So nowhere near what I'm hoping to get to. Haha. I'm definitely eager to learn, though!

Thanks again for your help!

@ Todd - Wow! Thanks so much for the comprehensive list! That's way above and beyond what I was expecting someone to write out. That helps me a ton! YOU 'DA MAN!!

Nobody mentioned clamps. I keep buying clamps but I never seem to have enough or the right kind. Also, I find that luthier/gunstock carving vice that a lot of folks use to be pretty indispensible when I'm working on the neck. The vice isn't necessary I guess but I use mine all the time.

A pattern makers vise is a definate must have!!!!!!!! and a Troji!!!

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MK5acoustics.com

you are in trouble a lot of these guys have many big shinny toys.

I'm in the same boat as you right now, just getting started i have very few tools and a tight budget so you are not alone. ill add that you might want a router and im sure you have a drill press from your car work time to use it on wood and make some jigs for it.

My advice is to tool up as you go. No sense in buying (for example) a set of nut files if you are still bracing the soundboard. The time it will take you to get to the stage that you actually need the nut files, you will have learned more about building and can make a more educated decision on your tools (at the very least).

With that said, the most used tools in my shop/garage are:

-vise
-chisels
-palm sander
-clamps/go-bar deck
-sandpaper (that's a tool, right? )
-hand saw
-band saw

Good luck

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-Marcus
http://www.bailieguitars.com
Instagram | YouTube

Don't think I saw a spokeshave on that list. Awfully handy for carving necks. My 20$ Stanley works great.

This comes up ALL the time! I thoroughly enjoy these threads though

Band saws are great to have. At least have access to one.
Drill press with a set of GOOD bits. The brad point bits from LMII are premo. Settle for nothing less. You can also get drum sanding attachments which come in handy. I got mine at Lowes, so, not hard to find. I hear Safe T Planers are fun.

Hand plane. Get either a GOOD vintage plane in working order or buy something very nice and you'll enjoy working with it immensely. I bought a very cheap one at Harbor Freight and I don't enjoy using it anymore, but it works. In case you're wondering I'm hoping to replace it with the Lee Valley low angle smoother. I think it's the No. 4. Can't wait! A tiny plane is good to have as well. Key term: palm plane. If you swing in that direction, a teenie instrument maker's plane, or set thereof, may be good to have. A member here makes them. In the spirit of comradery I suggest you get one. The name isn't coming to me at this time. Someone will chime in real soon with it though. I often wish I had a good Japanese style violin makers knife, left side bevel and right side bevel. Oh yeah, and buy a set of scrapers and learn how to burnish them properly. You will be glad you did.

Good set of chisels are nice to have for various things. The best you can get, the better. LMI and Lee Valley sell good chisels. Then I seriously suggest getting the set of bitty chisels from Stewart MacDonald. Shaping tools like rasps or files are a necessity as well. You'll find out.

Saws. I love Japanese saws. A Dozuki saw has a piece of brass along the top to make it stiff and rigid, the Ryoba does not. It does, however, have two sets of teeth. They are both useful though, so get them both if you desire. You won't regret it. A lil Dozuki for dovetail work and other things is something I often wish I had. Might want a mitre box or some other way to make sure your cuts are straight. A coping saw comes in handy too.

Straight edges and measuring tools. Yardstick, ruler, and a set of squares and sliding bevels is an absolute necessity to make sure your work is precise. I'd be nothing without my combination square. A marking knife and good pencils make good companions. For some measurements and marking, magnification is helpful.

Sharpening and maintenance tools. Get a guide that will set your chisel or plane blade at the right angle, then set it for the micro bevel. Don't you dare skimp here. Get good stones and a decent guide. Your sharpening tools should out-value the tools themselves. Burnish as you work and you won't have to use the stones as much.

Clamps. If you live in the civilized world, just get the metal ones from Harbor Freight. If you want to go all out and build your own wooden clamps, good on ya!

Vise. Oh how I wish I had a proper vise. They come on workbenches, or you can get the Parrot Vise from LMI. I'll be jealous of you either way.

Exactly none of these tools are lutherie-specific.

Now for the lutherie-specific tools! (You're thinking: )

You will need to bend wood. A good way of doing that is to find a way to apply heat to the inside of a pipe. Get the thinnest pipe you can find for tight corners. If you are building guitars, you're options are wide open, unlike me Heating some metal is hazardous to your health. Research that.

Radius dish. This is a very large disk with a concave dome in the center for sanding the rim assembly to accept a radiused top, which is stiffer, and therefore better in some ways. It is also used to sand the matching curve in your braces so that they can be glued to the top, thus, applying the radius to the top. With enough time and effort, you can find a way to make these yourself. My experience getting this done was immensely frustrating, but I got it done.

Fretting. I suggest getting an actual fretting saw so that the cuts have a better chance of matching the tang of the fret wire. If you get the Dozuki fret saw from StewMac, you won't need to buy another Dozuki. Guess who didn't think of that?
The miter box LMI sells for this purpose is something I look forward to getting.

For binding channels, I like my Schneider Gramil for it's quietness, and the satisfaction of doing them by hand.

Reamers for pegheads and bridges.

Very nice tuner. (You do want your intonation to be right, right?)

Cello clamps. To me, these are two pieces of 1 1/2" dowel with a carriage bolt through them, a wing nut on the other end, and leather for padding where they will touch the instrument. I use these to close the box on my instruments, but there other ways you may prefer.

That's all I can think of. These lists are basically just all the stuff I use or wish I could use. Other people work differently. For instance, others use routers for a lot of their work. I don't.

Remember, buy tools as you need them, or you'll end up getting a bunch of crap you don't need.

If you just start building a guitar,
you will just need to buy tools that you need at the time.
It'll happen naturally.
You can pay wood shops to do things like thickness sand, size wood,
etc., and not go crazy on the tools.
Or, get hand tools for now, and go that route.
Big plane, block plane, tiny plane.
Back saws are good in different sizes.
Needle files, 4 in 1 rasp.
A good set of chisels, a rosette cutter, binding cutter. (Both can be made!).
Some carving tools, coping saw, some kind of drill.
Lots of clamps, and clothspins.
The list doesn't stop here!
I'm just tired from MOVING!!!!!!!!!!
Although Sloanes book called "Classic Guitar Construction" is sort of dated,
he tells how to make clamps, binding cutter etc.,
if you are so inclined.
It's nice using hand tools if you're not in a hurry.
The other stuff just makes it easier.

Read Irving Slone's Classic Guitar Construction ( he also has a book on steel string construction but I have never purchased. it I expect it is similar in method). It will get you through the process with a minimum outlay for tools. All of the items listed above are very nice to have. I have since purchased most of them, but have spread it over 35 years to ease the strain on the wallet.

Mr Slone illustrates how to make most of the luthier specific tool that you must have for his method. Over the next several years you will find that you will progress to more elaborate tools and techniques but to start simple and find out if you want continue in this hobby, without investing a lot of money in tooling, this is a good way to go.

Cecil

All you need is your kitchen table and your imagination.

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"After forty-nine years of violin building, I have decided that the search for a varnish is similar to the fox hunt. The fun is in the hunt."
Jack Batts Maker and Repairer of Fine Violins

I agree with pretty much everything that's been said here. But, I'm really surprised not to see more folks chiming in with "Router." I'm big on hand tools. Good chisels are definitely needed. There is nothing more wonderful than a properly tuned hand plane. Nothing. A good vise is essential, as are lots of clamps of all types. But there are three power tools in my shop that I'd have a really hard time living without. My bandsaw, my oscillating spindle sander and my routers. The router is probably the most used power tool in my shop, and I have a bunch of them. I use it as a jointer for joining tops/backs. I use it for binding channels/rosettes. I use it for truss rod channels. For roughing out necks. For surfacing fingerboards. For darned near everything. Super versatile tool, and can be had for a reasonable price.

In my youth, I did pretty much everything with hand tools and took great satisfaction and pride in doing so. As I have aged, arthritis, tendonitis and other badges of courage have pushed me towards using power tools more often for rough work. I save the fine work (the most fun part anyway in my book) for hand tools. Strategic use of power tools for quick stock removal makes it possible for me to do the fine work by hand without hurting. The router is a great tool for this quick stock removal process. Taint no sin.

Dave

Wow, thank you all for the great responses! I appreciate them more than you know!

I have enough to invest in some nice hand tools, so that's what I'll probably end up doing. I was just afraid that I was going to need a bunch of power tools/machines and stuff like that, so I'm glad to hear that it's possible to get by with (relatively) minimal amounts of tools.

Thanks again, everyone!

PoppaWoodie? OK, that's funny. Just sayin. Might want to exercize a little perspective on that.

Anyways, thought we were suppose to use real names in our handles... not true?

Go to youtube and look for the video of the 90 minute guitar. Something like that. That will give you an idea of what can be done with a limited budget. Seriously. Anybody got that link? If I recall, a jigsaw, a chisel, a drill, and a palm sander. Lots of cans of spray lacquer. Came out really nice.

Mike