building A Weissenborn Guitar Tool List

Whilst construction my guitar I did not have passage to many advanced tools such as one would find in a expert motor shop or woodworker's den. I really had to sit down and make some serious decisions about what I would and would not use while the build. I reasoned that, far back in the mists of time ,that guitar builders would pretty much do all things by hand but then the real nightmare of that struck me. I speedily realised the secret was, if I could not do it on my boat, I would get other population to do it for me who had the tools and gear! Logical really! That really was the lowest line of how I would get things done with my ready space and resources. Get the timber cut as near as dammit to size before you start. Had I realised this easy thing I probably would have started on construction a guitar a long time ago!

I built my guitar whilst living on my boat "The Nicky J Miller" in the North of Queensland. Naturally, I had a few easy power tools but nothing more than that. I did have passage to a rusty old Triton Bench saw and was able to make use of that for cutting the braces but they could have really been done with a hand saw!

Saw Bench

Optional desirable tools! Ones I didnt have!

Bandsaw, a planer, a router (I hate them and don't own one!)

Tools I Used For construction My Guitar
( strangely enough, I didnt even use all of these tools either!)

· A rusty old Triton workbench (only for the braces)

· A small block plane

· A sharpening stone and some oil

· A set of chisels 6mm to 25mm

· A chisel and plane honing guide (an absolute must)

· A set of cheap saws consisting of a hand rip saw, a small keyhole saw, a retractable exacto type knife.

· A stainless steel scraper.

· Ten or twelve six inch clamps.

· several small G clamps

· Three cam clamps

· A set of needle files

· A tenon saw

· A hobby type hacksaw

· A dovetail saw

· A coping saw

· A jeweller's tenon saw with a packet of 000 blades

· A flat plane woodworkers file.

· Jewellers pincers small

· A small hammer

· A small jewellers vice

· A small red vice.

· A one metre level edged engineer's rule (invaluable)

· A one foot steel rule (in inches)

· A foldaway builders steel tape (in inches and millimetres)

· assorted sanding blocks (rubber and foam)

· A Bernz-o-matic plumber's gas torch with a quarterly nozzle

(I would propose a larger nozzle)
· several small assorted fine toothed saws

· several packets of sandpaper fluctuating from some cheapo bargains in all grades to some really good high-priced non clog stuff fluctuating from 80 grit to nearby 800grit....some wet and dry about 400 grit

· A packet of 000 fine wire wool

· A jar of orange shellac (flakes) and a litre of methylated spirits

· several odd microscopic clamps that were lying nearby the boat

· A large packet of super big elastic bands

· About twenty very large rubber bands made from an old car tyre

· A twenty-dollar cheap and cheerful folding workbench (a kit from Supercheaps!)

· A tapered reamer from Supercheaps

· A few half decent paint brushes and pots.

Electric Tools

I had the usual galvanic tools that are regularly found nearby a house or boat. These were as follows:

· An galvanic drill

· A jigsaw

· A variable speed rotary sander..this is a extraordinary tool and I used it for nearly all sanding jobs.. The great beauty of this motor is the variable speed, you can pull it right down to about 75 rpm and it is very gentle to use.. Normal sanders are unintelligent and lethal and really should be banned! What on earth is the good of a motor that kicks in from nought to twenty thousand revs in a second or two...I hate them, they are only good for cutting roof tiles or steel even then they are still lethal!!

· A six inch rotary bench saw ( never used it!)

· A Bosch variable speed galvanic orbital sander and a lot of discs fluctuating from 120grit to 400grit ....( this tool was extraordinary for sanding the braces, backs and soundboard)

· A Colt or Dremel mini variable speed rotary drill and kit... I bought a few accessory kits for this motor most of which I did not even use except the rotary sandpaper drums for sanding down the braces to a point! and really I just could not have built this guitar without this microscopic wonder of a machine!...sadly, it burned out on the very last stages of the build but I will buy a Dremel next time or even a Ryobi!

These machines are the last word if you need to do any inlaying, but if you do, buy this book;

"The Art Of Inlay by Larry Robinson"....it is valuable if you are even reasoning about tackling any inlaying!

One certain thing is, of course, Keep your tools, chisels and planers sharp! I have posted someone else report I have written called " How to keep your tools sharp using automotive wet'n'dry paper. You will find it very useful I'm sure!

I also have bought a honing guide and it's a great microscopic motor too and you can still use the Automotive wet'n'dry to grind them too!

Humidity, The Soggy Question!

I'm going to say a few words about humidity. When I first said I would make my guitar on a boat, the immediate response was

" What about the humidity?" Well, firstly in Australia where I built the guitar in summer it is horribly humid and there is no way I would have attempted it then while the Summer or 'wet' as it is known.. However, I have lived on my boat for about seven years and own eight guitars. My boat is beautifully warm and dry and I have never had a question with any of them at all. I do, however, keep them in their cases at most times. However, in the Winter, it's a different story, There are many days when the humidity is well below sixty percent and that's fine for glueing up the guitars. It's much the same as anything who lives in a waterside house or apartment..... What do they do? I easy listen to the nautical forecast or look at the weather on the computer and they can tell me anything the humidity was just ten minutes ago! So really, I don't have a question with dreaded Humidity folks!

All of this information and much more can be found in Terry's book that he wrote about the build called " How to build a weissenborn lap steel guitar" This can be found on terry's site as well as photos of the build, and even a sound clip of the finished guitar! This can be found at http://www.buildaweissenborn.com

building A Weissenborn Guitar Tool List