The Best Hand Tools - personal lists -- ADD YOURS!

Posted by Diane in Chicago on January 29, 2010 at 10:05am
My top five:

1.  Stanley scraper for shaping necks  $5

2.  inexpensive fret beveling file  $20ish

3.  StewMac Fret Slotting saw $35 ish


4.  groovy little fret file for fine-tuning the ends $ 20ish

5.  three sanding blocks, one each of coarse, medium and fine.  The hard rubber ones, not those foamy things round off your edges when you don't want them to.  $5 each, plus sandpaper

Total = under $100US


Okay, what's YOUR list?

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Replies

  • Salty Sea Empire February 24, 2010 at 6:15pm
    one of my favorite tools is a spoke shave... they used to use them back in the day for shaping spokes for wagon wheels...it works great for shaping necks you can pick one up at harbor freight for 12 bucks
  • RL Mott February 1, 2010 at 12:42pm
    Diane in Chicago said:
    Business cards: cleaning sawdust out of fret slots, spreading glue evenly, scraping off glue seepage while still wet, palette for small amounts of glue to be applied to whatever with at toothpick, etc.

    What will I do when I run out? Start another failed business?

    Save all the bogus "Your Name Here", etc. , credit cards you get in the mail .
    Small amounts of wet stuff , I bought a box of those mini Dixie cups that go in the dispensers .
    Also save some tops off of screw-on bottles and milk jugs .
    Get a pack of 5x7 mini "legal pads" and a clipboard to match . Handy for notes during builds and 1 sheet works for small epoxy jobs .
    Make a "noteroller" ... uses adding machine rolls ...

    note1.jpg

  • Diane in Chicago February 1, 2010 at 8:08am
    Business cards: cleaning sawdust out of fret slots, spreading glue evenly, scraping off glue seepage while still wet, palette for small amounts of glue to be applied to whatever with at toothpick, etc.

    What will I do when I run out? Start another failed business?
  • Shawn January 31, 2010 at 2:14am
    Stewmac
    fret nipper's ( this makes doing frets great)
    Fret bevel
    Files of every size
    My stuff
    Miter box with homemade fret saw
    Drill / and bits
    18 and 36 inch staight rulers
    Center ruler
    Jig saw
    Rasp
    Plate of tempered glass with sand paper ( one side 100 grit other side 220 ) for flat edging fret boards oh and a long chunk of granit
    Homemade jigs for diffrent app
    Blood and sweat
    And dremal and router
  • Jeremiah Cornelius January 30, 2010 at 4:05pm
    1) Rasp.

    2) Rasp.

    3) Stanley Sureform.

    4) Rasp.

    5) Bunch of little files.

    6) Mitre box.

    7) Rasp!

    You get the idea. I find I can rough any fine, beautiful shape with a few minutes and a medium rasp. Then a little sanding. I suppose I will owe a few pictures of what I have managed through this, with Padron boxes and plain, hardwood floor boards.
  • Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) January 29, 2010 at 6:06pm
    Here's my list:

    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/group/smokehouseguitars/forum/topics/...
  • chris ekelman January 29, 2010 at 1:08pm
    much warmer in AZ. shorts and tanks until night. then all you need is the flannel. stay warm.

    Diane in Chicago said:
    bloody freezing! the thingy says 7 degrees F.

    chris ekelman said:
    thanks Diane. how's the cold up there?
  • Dianne Woods January 29, 2010 at 12:21pm
    Hey Diane, very nice tips on the tools. I like that scraper; never have I seen one before like that with the handle. I am almost finished with the tin CBG. I have strung it up, but having a problem when tightening the strings, pushes the nut over. I think I need a screw on the head stock. I will snap a pic when I get this problem resolved. Stay warm up there.
  • Diane in Chicago January 29, 2010 at 10:46am
    And you'll need, but likely have:

    plastic face hammer for tapping in frets
    drill for installing tuners
    nippers for clipping fretwire flush
    craft knife for everything else

    Did I leave anything out?
  • chris ekelman January 29, 2010 at 10:32am
    thanks Diane. how's the cold up there?
This reply was deleted.