Official Luthiers Forum!

By this, I mean the bigger ones. Planers, joiners, etc. What do yu consider to be the essential Luthier tools?

Mike

Bandsaw is essential as far as power tools go, everything else is luxury, but I sure like my delta unisaw and thickness sander. These are the only big power tools that I have, all the rest are smaller "hand tools" like routers and drills.

Remember thought that everything can be done with hand tools alone, you don't need to have power tools, but it sure is nice.

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Bandsaw, drill press, router or laminate trimmer. These are the most important, evreything else just makes the job easier. I also use a thickness sander, tablesaw, jointer, belt sander, hand drill, DA sander, and a lot of special jigs and fixtures.

Al

I'll vote for a band saw and routers, the more the better. It's a real time saver to be able to leave a router set up for a specific operation. I recently bought a Rikon 6x10 combination belt/disc sander and have been finding new uses for it each time I'm in the shop. A vacuum clamping system is a nice convenience too.


BobK

Allthose mentioned plus: I LOVE my home built router table and my belt/disc sander.

(tried to upload pics but the website gives "error 500" and apparently can't accept even tho they are jpg at <100kb)

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Greg
http://garibaldiinstruments.com/

Like Rod, the bandsaw and thickness sander, i also really love my new Table saw! Serge Poirier39097.9281944444

Well, it seems the band saw is a "modern" essential. any brand/model numbers for that? I am also interested in thickness sander info. A jointer is required for bookending, right?

Mike

Mike I don't think I know what you mean by bookending?

I have a jointer but really have only two uses for it, both are on the neck and both can easily be done with a good hand plane. And actually to get back some well needed space in my 185 sft shop, I disasembled the jointer and now it's up in the loft and not even in use.

A couple of good hand planes can easily replace a jointer IMO.Rod True39097.9469675926

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

if by book ending you are referring to the jointing of the plate halves for gluing this is accomplished just as readily, if not more so, with a properly set up and honed hand plane and a shooting board. i use the jointer in preparing neck stock along with the thickness planer before cutting neck blanks on the bandsaw.

the table saw/band saw controversy will just have to continue. i use the table saw more often than the band saw most of the time, but the bandsaw can do things the tablesaw obviously cannot do, and vice versa.

Ow heck, just get both right Michael no controversy

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

absolutely!!!!!!!!! like mario i find my ancient unisaw to be my friend.... crazymanmichael39097.9606944444

Another way to see it is that with time, it will be nice to have most everything in the shop!

Essential shop tools- My drill press,band saw,router,belt sander,compressor,buffer.I've got by without a table saw so far,but I'm looking at some.
Also would like one of these: sander

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Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Oh ya Dave, I'd like an oss too. But if I were to get one I think I might get this one less $ and the added 12" disk would be nice.Rod True39097.997662037

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Yeah,That one does look better Rod. I hope to get one soon. I like that 12" disk too!

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Interesting thread, after some thought, I think my Drill Press is the most important, I have two. One set up for thicknessing with my Saf T Planner and the other for everything else. Second, my Dremmel, little machine but does so much, and third, my scroll saw, I use this alot. I use my Table saw to rough cut brace wood and cannot remember the last time I ran the band saw. Since I started getting my necks from Watkins, not much need. My Orbital Sander and small vibrating sander get alot of work and some on the belt and disc but most everything else I do by hand.

Mike

You guys are crazy. The best power tool is your brain. Treat it right and you are golden. But, that said, I'd love to have a bandsaw within a stone's throw. Or a drill press, maybe a belt sander, perhaps a table saw.

I do all my joining with an old Stanley #8 with a hock blade. For
curly or figured wood no jointer can beat it! The power jointer has
a tendency to crush fibers in soft top wood and this is why I join all my
plates with a hand plane.

Other tools I love are my 1x42 belt sander with mini thickness sander
attachment, my drill press and my band saws. I have one for wood and
one for metal.

If you like to tinker with machine tools look around for an old delta /
Rockwell 14" band saw. I got one of the wood / metal saws on Craig list
for about $200 and once I put it back together it's been awesome.

I too do not currently have a table saw but I am looking for an old unisaw.

Sharp chisels, knives and gouges would also be on my essentials list.


Louis

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Oh No! Not another learning experience!

If we are talking fixed machines rather than hand power tools, then the order of preference for me would be: 1.Drill press, 2.Bandsaw (could be other way round), 3.Table router, 4.Table saw.

But in reality by far the most important tools for me are planes, chisels and teapot.

Colin

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Lots of hand tools, and then a router. Then another router. Then a drill press. Then a bandsaw.

Good dust collection goes without saying if you're working with power tools indoors, though.

Greg, plz email the pics... slackkeymike@comcast.net

Thanks!

Mike

(oops, some questioned the term "bookending", I meant book matching!) slackkeymike39098.4250462963

I have found this thread very helpful and encouraging. I too have limited space (although I could spread out, my wife would not be pleased ) My usable space is about 200 sqf. I feel the joining issue has been addressed for me. I am not as confident about the thinning process... but the thickness sander seems to be the way to go for some in here. Does any body in here use a hand power tool for this?

Mike

I also have a small workspace of less than 200 sf and so I have placed my essential tools on mobile bases. My Delta tablesaw, Performax drum sander, and Ridgid jointer are all on mobile bases. I have a tabletop Delta bandsaw and drill press. Rounding out my essential power tools are a 12" disk sander, a Porter Cable laminate trimmer, and a Dremel tool with a precision router base and soundhole jig from StewMac. You can find the hardware kit for mobile bases from Wholesale Tools for $29 at http://www.wttool.com/.

I have a drum sander, but I use a hand plane for thicknessing soundboards. Before the drum sander, I did everything by hand plane which is fine as long as the woods are cooperative, not always so much fun with the heavily figured stuff. Learning how to use and tune a hand plane is always good, tho.

Must have power tools: Drill press, disk / belt sander, band saw, table saw. And routers, of course.

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