Acoustic building tools - Build Your Own Acoustic Guitar

Answer to: Acoustic building tools

Brian Walker — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:28:23 +0000

@nethanpaul86 Hi, and thanks for the advice👍😃 My cam clamp production line continues !! I’m up to six now a couple of them longer than the original ones I made, I know you can never have too many clamps, so the work continues 😂😂. These home made ones may not be as good as the shop bought ones but boy are they cheaper. Once I start on the guitar build itself, as it’s my first acoustic build, I will be following Mark’s excellent Build your own acoustic guitar course and it seems sensible to use one of his kits but I might decide to use some different hardware e.g. tuners and fret wire. After all if you have bits left over at the end of one build, it gives you good reason to start the next one (wouldn’t want to see things going to waste would we).

All the Best,

Brian👍😃🎸

RE: Acoustic building tools

Brian Walker — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:57:49 +0000

@Robin Thanks for that Robin, I will probably have a go with the scaffolding tube but will keep looking around for something with a bigger diameter. I will heed your advice and seal the end of the tube👍😃 don’t want to go roasting my nuts🤪😂😂

Answer to: Acoustic building tools

Robin — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:34:19 +0000

@brie Hi Brian, I've not done any guitar building since I moved to Clydebank. I've got a workshop now but still to build a workbench. I want to build another acoustic but never seem to find the time. I think my bending tube is 70mm diameter, I don’t see why 50mm wouldn't work. I think you'd need to cap the end of the tube though or you're likely to burn yourself. Robin

Answer to: Acoustic building tools

nethanpaul86 — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:25:15 +0000

You are off to a start, Brian. Your cam clamps will handle tasks but it is a good idea to have a few shorter cam clamps and a few longer cam clamps. This will make life easier during stages of the build.

For bending the sides of your guitar, a steel pipe setup can work really well. You do not have to spend a lot of money on this.

Since you are building your guitar from scratch it is also worth thinking about guitar parts. A made bridge and a well made nut and a well made saddle and good tuning machines and good fretwire can make a big difference in the tone of your guitar and the tuning stability of your guitar and the playability of your guitar.

Choosing the guitar parts for your guitar is one of the easiest things you can do to make your guitar better. Guitar parts, like a bridge and a good nut and a good saddle and good tuning machines and good fretwire will make your guitar sound better and be easier to play.

Answer to: Acoustic building tools

Brian Walker — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:25:39 +0000

Robin Hi Robin, I’ve not seen you on the forums for a while, good to hear from you👍😃 I do remember your post about the bending iron and have just been and had another look at it. I’ve got a length of aluminium scaffolding pole that might do the trick, thing is it’s only approximately 60mm diameter, or would that not matter? Most of the pro bending irons have a teardrop shape. Brian👍😃🎸

Actually the scaffolding pole is 50mm diameter🤪

RE: Acoustic building tools

Robin — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:33:12 +0000

@brie 13153 Hi Brian, I've just seen your question re bending irons. I made mine from a discarded aluminium gas cylinder and heated with a hot air gun. It got hot enough to steam damped sides and worked well for me. There more about it on my post "Robin's build # 004" if you can find that. Robin

RE: Acoustic building tools

HuskyWorkshop — Fri, 22 May 2026 11:53:38 +0000

@Benjamin Schwillens the side bender plans came from Gen One Luthier Services. That said, they weren't that much help as the plans are based on a light bulb heating system (very old approach) beneath the workpiece. It did give me some overall dimensions to work to which is handy rather than re-inventing the wheel. If you want to make one I'm happy to send some dimensions and more images over to you.

RE: Acoustic building tools

Benjamin Schwillens — Thu, 21 May 2026 08:34:28 +0000

@huskyworkshop nice a Fox style bender, where did you get the you side bender plans from.

RE: Acoustic building tools

Brian Walker — Tue, 19 May 2026 14:24:10 +0000

@huskyworkshop For some reason I’ve just seen your post about your side bender. It’s an impressive piece of kit and looks beautifully made. I agree with you, making jigs is very satisfying and does get you thinking about how they aid the making process. Not sure I want to tackle the building of one of those though🤣🤣 and kinda focuses the mind on the fact that getting properly equipped for an acoustic build ain’t going to be cheap whatever route I take. Thanks for sharing. All the Best, Brian👍😃🎸

Answer to: Acoustic building tools

Benjamin Schwillens — Mon, 11 May 2026 11:57:57 +0000

nice clamps