#1 resource for Cigar Box Guitars, Free Plans, How-To, Parts & More!

Tools Question

Hello, all.

So, I have recently purchased a house, and am working to (slowly) build my power tools collection. Right now, I am stuck with what I had while in an apartment, which is just a very pathetic drill, a very small reciprocating saw, a sheet sander and a circular saw.

I'll likely be getting a Ryobi One+ drill for Christmas, and once income tax returns are filed and come back, I'll probably be getting a table saw, and maybe a scroll saw.

So, I guess my question is two fold:

1) Would that be enough to get me going? I mean, I know these things used to be made from broom handles, but I want to make something decent, at least.

2) As I grow my tools, what should I look at getting? Keep in mind, I can't drop $500 on a single tool, so I'd be looking at $100-$200ish for the tools.

Any advice will be helpful.

Thanks!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on November 29, 2017 at 4:25pm

Raid your kitchen for a good paring knife. Victorinox make some great little kitchen knives. I don't know what I would do without my y handled vegetable peeler. Not all of them work equally well but I have tested the kiwi brand and ones from Kmart and Ikea.

https://youtu.be/hwpjJeD4_3M

Apart from that make yourself a jig or two.

This fretboard duplicating jig made around a hundred fretboards before I made a second neater and wider one.

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/my-fret-slotting-jig

I recently made myself a bench hook from scrap wood and wonder how I managed before it.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard Dean on November 29, 2017 at 4:36pm

got a pic of the bench hook?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on November 29, 2017 at 5:14pm

Hi here's a pic of some of mine, they are a bit old now but still work.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on November 30, 2017 at 9:29am

This is my new fretboard duplicator on the bench hook I made to go with it. The bench hook also works without the fretboard duplicating jig.

Attachments:

20170819_171246.jpg, 804 KB

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard Dean on November 30, 2017 at 9:40am

nice, I need to make a second one without the fence to accommodate longer boards.

I use to use one a lot more, but I kinda got bandsaw and scrollsaw lazy lol, especially doing fret boards, so much quicker.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Br Harold F Stubbs III on December 6, 2017 at 9:26am

And now I know what I have been missing trying to carve stuff with chisel and hammer...

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kigar on December 1, 2017 at 5:00am

Thanks for this, never heard of a bench hook before, don't know how I missed it. I think would be used a lot. It's now my next project!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Titch the Clown on December 1, 2017 at 9:51am

I really don't know how I managed without it. The internet is full of a squintillion variations.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on November 29, 2017 at 5:52pm

Hi Shawn, I was going to post some photos of the tools I have made, redesigned or stole from the kitchen.

I decided against it, after going through the Stumac's catalogue and found that 53 of the tools and jigs and aids they show for sale, I had made for myself. Often before they had them for sale, sometimes years before they had them for sale. What's that about the "mother of invention?

And I did not get to the machines part of my creations.

Cheers Taff

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard Dean on November 30, 2017 at 9:49am

mostly made jigs or clamps of some sort, quicker/easier/cheaper than running to the store for one, one of my first tools ever made was an extra large compass for making large radius's when doing my Adirondack chair backs, my favorite to date is probably my picture frame jig, I even use it for CBG box glue up

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CboxGypsy on December 6, 2017 at 4:49am

You don't need a bunch of big tools. They are nice, but it's easy without them. A good pul saw, fret saw from Stew mac, some good files, clamps, etc. All my tools are kept in the car so I can get back and forth to my shop, which is a covered picnic table area in a campground. I have been building them for a couple years while traveling in an rv. I could never have that many, and I still live in the rv so I can't now. I dream of big tools, but it can be done with the minimum and a little elbow grease.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Don Bear on December 7, 2017 at 5:46pm

I agree with the comments re: not needing a lot of tools. I think when you get right down to it, you could build a perfectly fine CBG with only a drill - a small hand crank drill would work - if you didn't want to spend the $ for a power drill. Also a small "jab saw" to cut sound holes and you are good to go.

I have a well equipped power tool shop but mostly just use hand tools. You need to learn the basics first and it is much safer for a novice.