Essential & useful machinery for guitar building.

JookyChap

dean2371 said:

Very handy thread as I'm in the same position as octatonic. Lots of useful tips as I move on from assembly to building.

Speaking of which - I'm around next week if you are @dean2371

OilCityPickups

I have a cheaper Dremel style tool ... variable speed multi diameter chuck etc, and I don't know what I'd do without it. Shapes nuts, neatens routs with drum sanding attachments. Dremels are not such good value these days in my opinion ... but sub £30, this tool is almost disposable.

Sporky

Dremels do come up in the Amazon daily deals every now and then, and at more sensible prices.

dean2371

I am JookyChap, I'll drop you a PM. Early one evening or sometime this weekend?

Antique_Guitars

Disc Sander!

Antique_Guitars

RE: Drill Mounted Drum Sander Bits

Best avoided if possible, the force you use against the drums when they are in the chuck can bugger it up after time. Chucks are not designed to withstand forces from that direction. Ask Mick the technician how many chucks he has had to fix or replace at uni because of people fitting drum sanders to drills and abusing the hell out of them. With moderate and careful use i'm sure you would proabably get away with it for a good while though.

octatonic

Do people use portable sander devices at all- like mouse sanders or corner sanders?

I have one that I use all the time for renovating houses- are they useful for going through the grades with electrics or are the angles all wrong?

Antique_Guitars

I used one of those mouse sanders for stripping some heavy finish off a guitar but thats about it, those thing seems to be either to heavy duty or just useless.

Sporky

Antique_Guitars said:

RE: Drill Mounted Drum Sander Bits

Best avoided if possible, the force you use against the drums when they are in the chuck can bugger it up after time. Chucks are not designed to withstand forces from that direction. Ask Mick the technician how many chucks he has had to fix or replace at uni because of people fitting drum sanders to drills and abusing the hell out of them. With moderate and careful use i'm sure you would proabably get away with it for a good while though.

The trick is not to abuse them. My wood pillar drill is 9 years old and on its original chuck. Most drill sanding drums don't have aggressive enough grit for the sort of work you'd do - bung some 80 or 120 grit on and they're a lot more useful.

Another point in favour of the pneumatic ones...

octatonic said:

Do people use portable sander devices at all- like mouse sanders or corner sanders?

I have one that I use all the time for renovating houses- are they useful for going through the grades with electrics or are the angles all wrong?

Not really for guitar, myself. A decent random orbit (I am working up to buying a Mirka) is about all you need. And some of those teeny detail sanding sticks. And a set of good blocks and pads.

Antique_Guitars

yeah those detail sticks are pretty useful

Jaden

octatonic said:

Now I am on the way to get my workshop space I need to think about what machinery I need to buy to build guitars.

I'm building acoustics and electrics.

My short list is as follows:

Bandsaw

Drill press

Planer/Thicknesser

Drum sander (or drill press attachment).

Some sort of dust extraction

1/4" and 1/2" routers

Dremel (already have this)

Router table

Kettle.

Does that just about cover the basics?

Anything else people can suggest would be helpful.

I have a pretty decent selection of planes/spokeshaves/chisels etc

Was going to sort out (probably make) a fox bending jig as well- maybe 2.

I'll update this as other suggestions are made.

you've seen my place dude, buy what you can afford out of that lot.
its probably already been said but dont skimp on the extraction, get the best you can afford and install decent ducting..
I used soil pipe but if I were to start again, I would install 200mm spiral galv ducts

feel free to mail me if you need any input at all mate.

octatonic

Nice one Jaden, I'll do as you suggest.

Cheers.

Paul_C

I've got a router table (and router) for sale.

octatonic

Paul_C said:

I've got a router table (and router) for sale.

PM incoming.

Sporky

And I a floor-standing pillar drill and a compound mitre saw.

octatonic

Sporky said:

And I a floor-standing pillar drill and a compound mitre saw.

May I request a pm with the particulars? Brand, condition, location and price pls.