Post Your Favorite Special Tools: DIY or Store Bought

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Post Your Favorite Special Tools: DIY or Store Bought

Hi Y'all,

Every cigar box guitar builder eventually makes their own unique setup in order to make things easier or make the guitars better.  Let's see your favorite tools and jigs, whether homemade or store bought.  We're especially looking for DIY ideas! 

So what's your special tools?

Members: 274
Latest Activity: Sep 6, 2021

Discussion Forum

Fret Jig

Started by Scott Schoepf. Last reply by Gary Stenzel Mar 2, 2017. 2 Replies

I Was Going "Nuts"....!

Started by Slowpaw Steve T. Last reply by Gary Stenzel Feb 21, 2017. 6 Replies

Comment Wall

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Comment by Thomas "Duck" Petry on December 3, 2016 at 9:12am

Hey Gary, nice mallet.  I may have to build one of those and retire my rock.

Comment by gary sheldon on December 3, 2016 at 5:52am

As much as I enjoy building gits and ukes,  I really get excited about making a few of my own tools and jigs.  Things that make building instruments more efficient and accurate.

Here is my first try at a mallet.  I left some bark on, because I can.  Next, my fret slot copying jig which I have built about 32 fretboards with.  The build instructions are somewhere on this site.  Then, my bench vice/clamp.  It can extend to 12" or more.  Then a marking gage which doesn't work too well.  I have also built a box joint cutting jig that is used with a router.

Comment by gary sheldon on December 3, 2016 at 5:23am

Rod.  That's funny.  I never noticed that mistake.

 

Comment by Mark Bliss on September 24, 2016 at 12:56pm

Its "tongue in cheek".

A stab at our tendency to suffer from TAS. (Tool acquisition syndrome.)

Welcome to our addiction.

Comment by Rod Lindsey on September 24, 2016 at 11:29am

Not to be nitpicking, but shouldn't the group description read either "a little more stress free or a little less stressful?" I don't mean to be a grammar nazi, being a brand new member and all, but it would make more sense...

Other than that, I'm here to learn... :-)

Comment by Thomas "Duck" Petry on June 11, 2016 at 10:14am

No problem Gary.  I make my own awls out of old drill bits and such.  I used to be a tool and die maker and have many sharp pointed things in the shop.

Comment by gary sheldon on June 11, 2016 at 10:01am

OOps..I wrote it wrong.  My use of the awl is to mark where the hole is going to be and give my drill bit a place to start without walking around.  Thus, without a good awl, I have taken to putting the bradpoint bit in my hand and using it as an awl.  Then I drill the proper size hole.

Thanks for the response.

Comment by Thomas "Duck" Petry on June 11, 2016 at 8:39am

Gary, I have found that drilling an undersized hole is the best way to go as it seems that the quality of screws these day is such that if you just try to screw them into hardwood they will break and then you are stuck trying to remove the broken screw as well.

Comment by gary sheldon on June 11, 2016 at 3:45am

Don't have a good awl to start a screw hole?  I have an awl from Ace hardware, and I must say that it really sucks.  I think it is a Stanley.  It cannot make a good screw starter hole in hardwood.  My solution?  I use a brad point drill bit and it makes a perfectly fine hole to start my screw.  In the meantime, I will look for a Marples awl.  They work and have a sharp tip.

Comment by Wichita Sam on May 16, 2016 at 5:12am

what are these?  Clamps!!!!

 

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Discussion Forum

Fret Jig

Started by Scott Schoepf. Last reply by Gary Stenzel Mar 2, 2017. 2 Replies

I Was Going "Nuts"....!

Started by Slowpaw Steve T. Last reply by Gary Stenzel Feb 21, 2017. 6 Replies

box bracing

Started by Wichita Sam. Last reply by Gipson Fat Fingers Shoemaker Jan 24, 2016. 4 Replies

Diamond core drill bit for fret dots etc

Started by Titch the Clown. Last reply by Gipson Fat Fingers Shoemaker Jan 24, 2016. 4 Replies

Special Tools

Started by Gary Ross. Last reply by gary sheldon Mar 19, 2015. 1 Reply

indispensable..

Started by Seasick Mick. Last reply by gary sheldon Jun 3, 2014. 10 Replies

Power string winding bit

Started by Titch the Clown. Last reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry May 10, 2014. 2 Replies

Raised Work Table

Started by David McQueen. Last reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry Apr 28, 2014. 3 Replies

Top Gluing Frame

Started by David McQueen. Last reply by David McQueen Apr 28, 2014. 2 Replies

Home made drill press

Started by Jimbo Cawthron. Last reply by Mike Strehlow Oct 21, 2013. 6 Replies

Wine bottle cutting jig

Started by Jan Westphal. Last reply by Mike Strehlow Oct 20, 2013. 4 Replies

Benchtop guitar clamp

Started by Mike Strehlow. Last reply by stringybark Oct 19, 2013. 1 Reply

Cutting Fret Slots on a Bandsaw?

Started by Habanera Hal. Last reply by Lou "cubancigar2000" Feb 25, 2013. 6 Replies

Hot hide glue pot and storage

Started by Charlotte Henry. Last reply by David McQueen Feb 10, 2013. 3 Replies

Spoke Shave

Started by Bluesheart. Last reply by jabes Jan 2, 2013. 5 Replies

tiny tools

Started by Bluesheart. Last reply by Habanera Hal Aug 19, 2012. 2 Replies

Homemade fret-end beveling file

Started by Turkeychicken. Last reply by PhilUSAFRet Mar 29, 2012. 2 Replies

Anyone use the stewmac dragon rasp?

Started by Charlotte Henry. Last reply by Charlotte Henry Mar 11, 2012. 31 Replies

Rotary Rasps

Started by PhilUSAFRet Mar 8, 2012. 0 Replies

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