handy tool for a novice luthier

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Bob Howell
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:23 am
Location: Atlanta, GA

handy tool for a novice luthier

Post by Bob Howell »

PE_20170926152127.jpg
I have accumulated a lot of tools over the years and show here ones I have used this past year learning to make guitars.
Hope the picture post properly.
Bill Raymond
Posts: 367
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:37 pm
Location: Red Bluff California

Re: handy tool for a novice luthier

Post by Bill Raymond »

Your picture posted, but I can't, for the life of me. figure out what it is you want us to see in it.
Bob Howell
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:23 am
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: handy tool for a novice luthier

Post by Bob Howell »

I will be at a desktop soon and continue with what I learned. Pic was from cell and I can't read it well.
Brian Evans
Posts: 922
Joined: Sat Aug 30, 2014 8:26 am
Location: Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia

Re: handy tool for a novice luthier

Post by Brian Evans »

A couple of planes, a draw-knife, a chisel, a saw and an angle grinder. I might use all of those in a typical day in the shop... :)

Brian
Bob Howell
Posts: 234
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:23 am
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: handy tool for a novice luthier

Post by Bob Howell »

So I started building guitars with a lot of tools and little space for new ones. The little straight carving knife is a real sleeper. I found endless places it could be used to finish a task or solve a problem. Years ago in a class I found carvers have several of different length and shape for different applications. Easy to keep razor sharp. Cost $10-15.
The belt sander can be made into a power carver by installing 40 grit paper. I take sides down to 1/8" on the thickness planer and then the rest of the way on it. I have no room for a drum sander. It works on sapele, walnut cherry and hard maple, but I don't know how to handle harder stuff.
I made a bunch of small wooden hand planes years ago but most are still too big to be of much use. I plan to make more soon with 1/4-1/2" blades and about 2" long or even less. I used scrapes of santos rosewood for several and planned to open the throat as needed. But the wood is so hard that is difficult.
I have 5-6 spoke shaves I have picked up over the years and find many uses for them.
The band saw(not shown here) is useful for everything. Must have.

I set my shop up 25 years ago and have accumulated a lot of hand tools, many I made myself. Cumpiano's book showed me how to build without buying a bunch of tools, or even making a lot of jigs. I made a soleria and a fox bender. I could not bend sides with the bender but I had success with the hot pipe and then putting them into the fox bender to get identical sides. I made a mold for an OM model and just this month glued the top on an L-00 with sides bent on it but cut down accordingly.
This week I made a 15' radius dish, 19" round on my lathe and glued the braces on the L-00 back.
I will comment more on tools shown as I have time. I have gotten a lot of help from members here and want to give back to others who may be starting out.
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