Official Luthiers Forum!

Hey Mitch, congrats on the move. Spring Hill is really nice, you'll like it. You're only a half hour or so from me straight down Hwy 50, so like Dave, give me a shout if you need some help settling into the house or shop.
As far indispensable tools in the shop go, it would have to be the refrigerator... can't build geetars in FL without something cool to drink!

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Jim Womack

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. "
Will Rogers

Wow, the Floridians are coming out of the woodwork! We're stackin' up like cord wood...

I smell an alliance! the FLA - Florida Luthiers Association...

I'll even host the first meeting...but you have to help carry stuff into the house!

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Mitch

Hey, sounds good to me. You know what they say... A strong back is a terrible thing to waste!

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Jim Womack

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. "
Will Rogers

I totally agree with you Todd - and I already have the bench...

I've been an instructor at the CT Valley School of Woodworking for the last 5 years, and I have some nice Lie-Nielsen planes and chisels that I use often and keep well tuned. Those are irreplaceable. I never try to fit parts straight off a machine and love to work with my hand tools. My whole thought on the CNC was from my technical side, wanting to keep up with the times, I guess....

I tell my students that there are only two places where parts just magically fit together straight off the machines without hand work...Heaven, and Norm Abram's shop...

So if you made them fit off the machine, and you look around, and you DON'T see Norm....

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Mitch

The tools I have now...I'm very happy with my current toolage.

Thanks to the advice of various OLF members in the early days (still IS early days.. ), my local friends, generously giving me tools, out of being shocked out of their gourd at finding out my newfound passion for guitar making, I have found some incredible deals on tooling up.

I'm still amazed at my amazing Axminster bandsaw deal, alerted to me by ColinS.... haven't seen them that inexpensive since, even with thier current sales....

I love my thickness sander. Kind of like air conditioning. Don't know how I lived without it.

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Yup.

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

Out of curiosity, how small of a bandsaw can you get away with without running into any major issues? I currently have a coping saw, but that comes with its own issues so I've been looking into perhaps purchasing a bandsaw.

One thing to think about in Florida is the humidity. And Air. I work in the garage and most of the year it is HOT. I spend a lot of time just keeping sweat off my work. I'm new to the guitar business, but have built a Uke that I never plan to take out of the state. It has been good for a 3 years, but I'm just waiting for doom.

I need to consider the humidity before I get started on my first Guitar. My initial plan is to store everything in side and just go to the garage when I need to use a "shop tool" or do something that I can't easily clean up.

And tool wise I’m looking to acquire a Heat Blanket, a Band Saw, and I need to improve my sharpening ability.

Good luck on the move,

John
Lake City, FL