Bandsaws are generally used to saw a material – generally wood – into precise sizes for your project. Whether you are building a house, or building a doll house or bird house, a bandsaw may be able to be of assistance. Bandsaw can do some detail work and smaller cuts, but for the most part, bandsaws are used for large, sweeping cuts that are unfinished and undetailed. Other power tools can help with detailing when the time comes.

If you expect to be doing cabinetry or furniture making you’ll need a jointer/planer. These are used to make accurate flat surfaces and edges, such as reducing the thickness of a plank. Once again Jet offers a variety of floor-mount and bench-mount models. The various models range from under $400 (8″) to around $2,000 (15″). Planers are precision tools requiring lots of horsepower, and tend to be more expensive.

Well, depending on your bandsaw size, it may attach securely to a workbench or table, or the bandsaw may be on its own table. The larger and heavier the bandsaw, the more likelihood that it will be on its own table. The bandsaw table should always be on a flat, steady surface. You definitely do not want that table a wobbling while you are working. Your full attention should be on the bandsaw, not whether it will fall over. All manufacturers have differing ideas and guidelines for properly setting up the bandsaw. I suggest you thoroughly read those instructions. If you got yours used and they did not have instructions, contacting the manufacturer will usually get you a free set.

Floor Mounted Sander: This is another guitar building tool that you absolutely need if you are serious about making your own instrument. You’ll use it throughout the building process for things like the front and back surface of your guitar, sanding fingerboards, contouring the interior bracing of the instrument, and lots of shaping. Look for a model that allows for easy adjustment of belt tension, and a fence that can be removed with little effort.

Central Vacuum: Not really a stationary tool, you’ll want to have a central vacuum system that you can hook directly up to your machinery to collect dust. If money is a concern, this can wait – however, it’s wise to make it a priority to purchase one. You’ll be working with some items that contain toxic fumes as you build your guitar, and it’s wise to have a system to get that dust out of the air for your overall health.

A power cutting tool is a must have for woodcraft professionals and hobbyists as it allows them to perform a whole range of precision cutting conveniently and efficiently. To-date, one of the most widely used power cutting tool are those for bandsaw cutting, which allows you to perform precision cuts on wood.

A bandsaw cutting device, in particular, can be used to make various cuts such as cross cutting, ripping and curves on wood of any size and at a short time at that. It also allows you to do these cuts minus the effort of having to do them manually thus reducing potential mistakes.

Stock Control: How does one cut straight lines? Answer: find out how the saw wants to do it, and do it that way.

You can check it by opening up the thrust bearings and lateral guides. Back off both above and below the table so they do not contact the blade. Crank the tension gauge to the desired setting. Give the blade a sideways nudge about halfway between the upper and lower wheels. The blade will deflect easily for a short distance. This sideways movement should be 1/4″. If you push harder, it will bend farther but there is a distinct point where it quits deflecting easily. If you can deflect more than 1/4″, then add tension until this deflection is 1/4″.

Thickness Planer: Not quite as important as the bandsaw and the floor-mounted sander, a thickness planer is a great tool to have in any shop. Again, if money is a concern, put this one at the bottom of your list. It is useful for planing the top, back, and sides of your instrument. You’ll also use it to plane the neck, braces, and heel blocks. If you purchase rough wood, you’ll find that a thickness planer quickly becomes a necessity.