Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Shawn Doyle on June 28, 2013 at 12:36am

Well, John, you'll be happy...lol.

I am taking it back and getting a good back saw instead.

I think I did what I always do. Got excited about a project and just went head first into it without the right research.

The saw is prett and nice, but for what I have been talking about (scarf cuts, trimming fretboard to size), it really wouldn't work. I did some looking late last night, and trying to cut straight lines with a scroll saw is difficult at best. And then cutting diagonal across the grain for a scarf...I just see that as not working out at all with that saw.

So, I will return it, and get a decent backsaw, then maybe, if I fell my inner tool man coming out, I'll go check out a pawn shop or two for "more power!" (Insert grunt).

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Permalink Reply by David McQueen on June 28, 2013 at 1:52am

If it is a good backsaw and you can find an adjustable mitre box for it, there is not much you won't be able to do.

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Permalink Reply by David L. on June 28, 2013 at 2:04am

I wish somebody had come into my school and taught me how to make a CBG - woodwork in the late 70s consisted of rubbing a blunt saw against a piece of wood hoping it would eventually give two pieces. These could then be rubbed with paper that a few years earlier might have had sand on one side. I finally ended up with a box with a sliding lid (still have it in the shed), some sort of shape (supposed to be a bird) and a toothbrush holder (thankfully lost years ago). Still it was better than metal work which was time spent rubbing even blunter files against metal strips (I realised quite quickly whilst they were known as bastard files) and got at the end of it all a screw driver with the roundest end I have ever seen and which never was able to srew in or out any screw known to man. Plus a little mini hammer which was too small too be of any use and couldn't even crack a hazelnut at Christmas. The only thing these were good for was to demonstrate my parents love for me and their acting ability when they looked pleased to be given the handmade "gifts" at the end of the school term.
Many years later when I decided to have a go at making myself a CBG after seeing one on YouTube I bought a little hand saw just like we had in woodwork and some sand paper and was amazed at how easy it was to cut wood with a saw that had sharp teeth and how easy it was to shape the wood with sand paper that still had sand on it. I guess the message is you don't need power tools to make a CBG and school woodwork/metalwork in the 70s sucked.

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Permalink Reply by David McQueen on June 28, 2013 at 2:34am

Gee. You had the same shop class I did.

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on June 28, 2013 at 2:07am

have to agree with c bone john shawn,have bought cheap stuff myself at times,but reccomend,buy less ,but buy best,2nd hand is cool,the stuff,s out there,build up as you go,better than blowing 1/2 a pay cheque on something that just doesn,t do the task required

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Permalink Reply by David McQueen on June 28, 2013 at 2:39am

I think on hand tools, the best really pays off. On power tools, it is like being a kid in a candy store. You could spend a mint and only use half of what bought once. I took the strategy of buying really cheap for the first tool. At that time the buget brand in Canada was Black and Decker. Then if it broke, I figured it was because I was actually using it and the second tool would be a premium brand.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on June 28, 2013 at 3:26am

I'm not putting down power tools at all, as I've got a fair bit of heavy duty kit, but it's taken me along time to acquire it, and I've got into the way of working whereby I'll do it by hand until I can afford to get a proper piece of machinery. Latest thing for me was fret slotting. I've made loads of fretted CBGs, ukes and guitars, and only a few weeks ago invested in a table saw specifically for fret slotting. I'd made my own fret slotting jigs and worn two of them out hand slotting hundreds upon hundreds of fretboards, and thought long and hard about getting more efficient, but I waited until I could afford a good saw - cast iron bed of course with an  induction motor. 

As for school..I made my first electric guitar at school when I was 16 in the lunchtimes in the school woodwork shop - a Tele Deluxe kind of thing, mahogany body, maple neck and fretboard with twin humbuckers - I've still got it.  I also made my own truss rod in the metalwork shop, threading and brazing the rod, drilling and tapping an anchor block. The only powertools used were a bandsaw - the teacher cut the body to shape for me -  and a press drill: everything else, including tasks like routing the slot for the trussrod was done by hand the good old-fashioned way.  I really value those basic skills I learned way back when, they are still with me today.

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Permalink Reply by James on June 28, 2013 at 3:41am

love it !!!  i would, and am, going to buy  that thing, it looks great for cutting smaller things, with less risk of  kickback, or many other disasters that can occur from cutting  small things on a full sized table saw, and also one can NEVER , have enough tools, acquire tool/ eat, in that order !!!

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on June 28, 2013 at 6:12am

A table saw is one of the last things I feel I can really use. I built my first without power tools and have slowly acquired them since. I do scarf joints on a bandsaw and my benchtop belt sander gets tons of use.

I've found that (for me anyway) a 3-string using the full width of a 1x2 is too wide. You can't easily make straight cuts down the length of a board without a table saw it seems.

It's on my list.

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on June 28, 2013 at 7:54am

Aaargh...the "I've got to have power tools!!" thing strikes again!!! You do not need power tools to do this stuff. I've resawn 3" x 3" oak table legs to make guitar necks..yes, it's hard work, took me an hour's worth of sweat, but ended up with guitar necks that cost me nothing. If a piece of 2" timber is too wide for your neck, either rip it down with a handsaw, or plane it down by hand, a 10 minute job max. either way.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on June 28, 2013 at 8:04am

But...I...LIKE power tools.

They give me the feeling of...well...POWER.

And they instantly cut my destructive capability time to almost nil: I power up, destroy a good piece of wood in a few seconds, and immediately learn what not to do Time 2. They enforce thoughtfulness post-catastrophe. Power tools are great teachers.

They may also be the reason I'm not the greatest fingerpicker in the world...;-)

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on June 29, 2013 at 8:31am

I don't HAVE to have one, but it sure makes it more convenient. Nothing against using hand-tools by any means. 

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