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ok i am debating weather i should get a router or a jig saw. what would be the best choice for carving out a body. i have some free space in my apartment and i want to turn it into a workshop. now i already have some tools dremel, screwdrivers, soldering etc... along with a small table but i have a space around 5ft by 10ft almost rectangle to play around with.

what ever i choose i will probably go with ryobi knowing they are good

thanks... i was just debating on what to get first... i guess we will see what my weekly garage sales come up with. hopefully i will find some decent wood as well

Get the jigsaw. You'll need to cut the body out, and, with the space you mention, that's the best bet.
By the way, i guess you could cut a body out with a router, but I wouldn't do it or recommend it. Routers work best removing small amounts of material at a time, especially hand held ones. Even on pickup and neck routes the excess wood is usually hogged out with something else, like forstner bits, and then cleaned up with the router. Router blades spin at a high rate of speed, and they're easy to get away from you, or to snatch your project out of your hand and sling it God knows where if you take too big a bite. Not to mention broken bits flying, again, God knows where. Not trying to scare you, but a router is a tool that demands the utmost respect, all the time.
By the way, I know it's old school, but a sharp chisel does a decent job on a lot of things a router can be used for later when you get the cash for it.

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Mike

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You may want to consider a scroll saw instead of a jig saw. You can still cut out an electric, though it would be slow, you can be very accurate, but there are a host of other things that you can use it for that a jig saw would not do, head stocks, pick guards, I have ripped binding on mine. Generally they are pretty available used, check craigslist.
Rob

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Ryobi? I'm not sure if you are kidding or not, but I have never had any luck with Ryobi tools. I'll never buy another as long as I live.

ive only ever had one ryobi tool but which is my drum sander, but i have never had a problem with, works great every time (even with my jimmy rigged sanding belts). course thats my only experience with them... and mine was free lol.

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ryobi seems to work fine when i have used them. but i am open to anything that works and works well

I owned a Ryobi baby band saw. I'd be very generous if I called it a piece of junk. It was the only tool I'll ever own from them. I'm glad others have had success from them. I just wish I had been one of the lucky ones.

I agree with Filippo, you really do need them both. If you can find access to a band saw or a scroll saw, I'd get the router first, an 1/2" collet is a better choice than the 1/4". If you are going to use a template for you body, I'd definitely go with the router first. Worst case, you use a coping saw to cut close to the line. It will take a bit of time, but it can be done. Um, in this case alder or basswood might be a good choice for the body.

When you get the router, get some scrap wood, 2 x's to practice on. DO NOT use your template until you are comfortable using a router. It is easy to wreck the template if its your first run at using a pattern bit (or a flush trim bit). Grab so 1/2 MDF and cut out some shapes and use those as your "templates" first. Do interior and exterior templates.

If you can't find a decent book at your library or utube videos that guide you through using a router, Smartflix.com has videos for rent. Check the woodworking section out for a how to router video. While you're there, there a several guitar building videos that might interest you. There are two for electrics, one is building a solid body and the other is wiring, Gibson style, as well as fretting and finishing.

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Aoibeann

sweet ty well i found a router for sale on used ottowa i will be picking it up locally for 30 bucks unless he takes my offer of 25... time to get the coin jar. anyway i will be getting both eventually i just couldn't decide which one...

and the router should be too hard to use seeing as i have used them multiple times

Hey Calgarc!

If you're in Ottawa, you should have a look at BusyBee tools, if you don't already know it. It's a good place to get great stuff for good prices!

Good Luck!
Francis

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars

thanks

sweet watched a few videos... i will watch the rest when i get time