Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

[Diminished Triad]

My guitar tech needs a router and prefers a one-time investment in one that will handle the most fine/difficult bridge work and everything else guitar related. Are there one or two that stand out for custom guitar work and repair?
Thanks so much everyone! I do wonder how much it cost and what it takes to set up a complete guitar tech/repair or even a luthier shop. Is there some place on the internet someone can go to in order to find this information? All I've found is luthier courses and they are cool but guitar tech is looking more for the actual equipment right now...........and at the very moment is in great need of a very high quality router best suited for guitar work (he did not feel his lower level one would do justice when drilling for a Schaller Hannes bridge). Anyone know?

 

[Diminished Triad]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

My guitar tech needs a router and prefers a one-time investment in one that will handle the most fine/difficult bridge work and everything else guitar related. Are there one or two that stand out for custom guitar work and repair?
Thanks so much everyone! I do wonder how much it cost and what it takes to set up a complete guitar tech/repair or even a luthier shop. Is there some place on the internet someone can go to in order to find this information? All I've found is luthier courses and they are cool but guitar tech is looking more for the actual equipment right now...........and at the very moment is in great need of a very high quality router best suited for guitar work (he did not feel his lower level one would do justice when drilling for a Schaller Hannes bridge). Anyone know?

What is really needed to properly install a Schaller Hannes bridge (safe and sure!)???

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

My dad recommends Makita, Bosch, or Porter Cable. He's owned quite a few. If you get the right bit I bet any of those brands would do nicely.

 

[CTN]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

a) nobody makes routers specifically for guitar work. Whether or not a router is best suited for guitar work is all dependent on how skilled the tech/luthier is. You get what you pay for.

b) Stewart Macdonald and Luthier's Mercantile are good sources to learn (and buy) a lot of the tools of the trade, but the bigger things like bandsaws, jointers/planers, oscillating sanders, routers, table saws and such, are just common wood working machinery, and like I said, depends heavily on the skill of the person operating them to make sure things don't get screwed up.

c) StewMac sells some router bits which are commonly used for guitar stuff.

 

[J E C]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

+1 to what Thrasher and CTN said. It also depends on the particular chore as to what type of router mite be best suited to the task. Personal preference also plays a part in the type and make/brand. I love my Makita 3612 plunge router for most things, but there are tasks that a small Porter Cable, or an even smaller laminate trimmer, or a Dremel with a base on it is better suited.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

I want a makita asap. I have used a cheap ozito for the last 2 years and it works fine, But like anything you get what you pay for.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

Ahything from a Dremel Trio to an Onsrud Pin router will do fine. The craftsman defines the product, not the tool.

What he`s looking for is probably in the middle, somewhere in the Laminate Router /2 handed overhead router department, a 1-200$ investment that lasts for years. Stick to well known, quality brands like Bosch, Makita, (from what I`ve heard DeWalt), avoid cheap offerings from discount suppliers.

As has been said, the tools are standard 1A woodworking equipment from Home Depot or whatever, while some of the bits and templates can be more easily found at LMI or Stewmac.

What concerns me much more however is that I would expect for anybody doing any sort of woodworking on a guitar to know this BEFORE I give them work, not have to start to learn it after they start getting paid to do so.... :smack:

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

Why is your tech asking you on advice on what tools to buy? Doesnt seem like much of a tech to me. Or is this one of those deals where its not really a tech but your little brother or your colleague at work who made a bird house in 8th grade shop class and says he can do it for you. If you have the correct knowledge in knowing what you need to do you know what tools you need for the job.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

I would expect for anybody doing any sort of woodworking on a guitar to know this BEFORE I give them work, not have to start to learn it after they start getting paid to do so.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

 

[pzaxtl]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

I used to have a very nicely equipped wood shop, and I have done a great deal of research and reviewing of woodworking tools/machinery, so, this is one area where I know what I'm talking about. Any decent plunge router in the 2hp range is going to be more than adequate. I have 5 routers ranging from a 1hp Bosch Colt (palm router) to a 3 1/2hp Milwaukee (router table) -- all will do the job, but some are better suited to the task. Go for a commercial grade product not consumer grade if features, functionality and durability matter. In other words, choose something manufactured by Bosch, Makita, DeWalt, Porter Cable, Milwaukee. Stay away from stuff like Crap and Decker. Some of the best tools are produced by Festool, but they will most likely require selling your wife and children to afford them. As well, most offer a kit with dual bases (plunge base and fixed base) for about the same price -- these are a great option, giving you even more capability!

 

[MojoMonster]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

OP you need a new tech, pronto.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

I agree with the comments about a tech not at least having some knowledge and access to such tools if not actually owning them himself. I wouldn't pay anybody to do anything if they started asking me what tools they should use.

But to answer the qustion, I'd suggest a Dremel with the Stewmac router base for fine work like bridges (acoustic), and a laminate trimmer. The bigger routers are really only needed for building bodies and necks from scratch imho.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Building Guitar in need of commercial/professional ROUTER!

It sounds like he is the tech .... " I have a friend who likes this girl etc ..."