Woodworking Hand Tools to Consider - Part 2
These Hand Tools Will Be Essential In The Construction Of A Guitar
Woodworking Hand Tools are the essentials in the construction of a fine hand-built guitar. In this section we will review which tools you should have and which tools you can put on your wish list and purchase later .
I'm going to assume that the VERY basic tools like hammers, plyers, wire cutters, wrenches etc. are already owned or are very easily accessible. If you don't own these essential tools, consider buying a Combo -Pak that gives you everything is one package. These are available from places like The Home Depot, Lowes, Costco, Truevalue or your local hardware store.
All of the tools and supplies are available in our Store. Also, all Woodworking Hand Tools and Supplies are available from WoodCraft.
Although they are not absolutely necessary, it sure is nice to have these tools to lighten our work load.
The small routers will be the real work horse for you in a lot of operations such as: cutting purfling channels, routing a channel for the rosette inlay, cutting channels for peghead binding, saddle and nut channel cutting
An assorted array of hammers are required for instrument making. You will need a lightweight plastic-tipped hammer to set the new frets. You will need to have wood mallets for utilizing chisels.
The Smooth-Cut Rasps basically smoothen out the wood after the rough cut is done.
Bastard files are used for a variety of operations, but the fine bastard 10" to 12" long will be delegation to leveling frets.
Do you keep your tools as sharp as you should? If you ever herd that old woodworkers saying that you a dull tool is much more dangerous than a sharp one, take it to heart. It is absolutely true.
One of the most valuable sharpening devices in the small to medium shop is the Tormek Sharpening System. This machine will sharpen chisels, plane knives and most other woodworking tools to the most razor-sharp edge that you will experience anywhere.
Also, look at keeping oil stone and slip stone very handy to your working station so you can easily touchup your tools edge as you use it.Generally, you can use Titebond II for 60 to 70% of gluing operations. An exception to this is when you work with some of the more exotic woods.
These woods have an extreme about of resin captured within the wood and
even with preparation, you need to use a good 2-part epoxy to glue
these wood parts together.
Some of the fast set glues are used primarily for quick operations like repairs etc. Some of them have very good crack-filling abilities so you should have an assortment on-hand for this.
Instrument makers of old utilized hide glue and that was a very strong glue. The problem with hide glue is that is does dry out with low humidity and is very susceptible to elevated temperatures.
So for the extra hold operations like a bridge set use the polyurethane glue of a 2-part epoxy.
Try to keep a wide assortment of sand paper in your shop. You will be using mostly the garnet-type paper for sanding the bare wood.
Also keep sanding disk adhesive on hand to secure sandpaper to your sanding sticks that you make and for securing a full sheet of sandpaper to a large flat surface.
The wet/dry sandpaper will be used mostly for finishing operations, but I do find it comes in handy for smoothing up the rough edges on a new fret job as well.The newest micro mesh sanding kits will allow you to do a great deal more sanding before the surface loads up and has to be tossed, so pick up some of that too.
