Welcome Sean! £20 guitars are great for starting on but I highly recommend building from scratch - in some ways it is easier than repairing...and you'll learn so much. I am biased obviously ...

@seanf

Welcome to the forum. Repairs are much harder than building from new, especially on cheap factory instruments. Often they use glue that can’t be taken apart so te whole thing breaks. Where are you getting fret wire from.

@markbailey I am quickly weighing on the side of just starting one from scratch, I might give the fretting a go and see how I get on until I have the rest of the tools! 

@rocknroller912 I bought some fret wire a few months ago just off amazon before I had done much research into the subject, I have Dunlop accu-fret jumbo size. I am unsure whether I will still use those as I am unsure they are right for the guitar.

Thanks for the warning about cheap guitars and the probability that they may break up! I will try and be careful once I get round to trying it 🙂 

@seanf

If you have any repairs to your old guitar other than fretting, which is covered in Marks course, post them on the forum first and you can get a few opinions on the best way to proceed.

@rocknroller912 brilliant! I certainly will if I find any more issues with it 🙂 

Welcome @seanf. You're going to love it. 

🙂🎸🎶🙏

@seanf Welcome to you Sean. Whatever you decide to do first, you will find help here. 

As far as a bench goes, I used two trestle type things and a big sheet of MDF for my first work bench (see pictures). It’s fairly inexpensive but can be a little wobbly sometimes. When I knew I was going to continue making guitars, I constructed something more solid to work on but the trestle table is adequate to start with. As you can see, there was enough room to work on my guitar and to accommodate bench tools etc when needed. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-TB01-Portable-Workbench-100/dp/B000LFVGW0/ref=psdc_10257119031_t2_B0001GS0FU

Again, welcome to your new addiction, I mean hobby. 🤣👍🎸 

Boo. 

Posted by: @boo

but the trestle table is adequate to start with.

I can confirm. I still use mine , as I dont have anything else at the moment. I only use our heavy garden table ( heavy stone surface ) when I am carving the neck, as it is very sturdy and does not wobble, but all the rest is done on the small workmate bench.

@boo

Thanks for the great suggestion, I have one of those, but didn't even think about getting another one and making a table out of it, that will certainly be much more of a quicker start up for the bench side of life! Thank you for the pictures as well!

@koendb

Great to know it does the job for a long while! I will need something that won't wobble when I get that far 🙂

I’ve been using a Blacker and Decker workbench since 1982 and bought a second one a few years ago in a sale but I do find I get back pain now so I tend to work standing up using a T board held in a bench vice that 

That gives me a better working height

@seanf For what it’s worth I did all my carving with the wood clamped to a workmate bench, well, a cheap copy from Wickes and it’s been fine. Obviously more space and a beautifully arranged workshop would be preferable but don’t let that hold you up. As you’ll see Mark’s course is broken into very discrete parts so you build up tools as you go based on what you need for the next part. If there are tools you’re looking to find and can’t decide which is most suitable then post questions as most of us will have some experience or recommendations to share.

Welcome 😛

@rocknroller912 , @tej Thank you for your insight! I certainly will keep in mind to ask questions when they come up around tools also.

Luckily I have sourced someone with a Router I can borrow initially, and as of this morning sourced a woodworking bench I can have once I can cleared and cleaned the space for it to go in.

Hopefully within the next month or two I can get the blanks and hardware ordered and start the course / my first build 🙂

@seanf Just to give you another bench idea or two. 

In my garage/workshop I took an old pallet, screwed some legs to it with strengthening braces and put a big piece of MDF on top. This was all scrap wood I had lying around or acquired, don’t buy anything if you can reuse existing stuff. 

*Disclaimer* This work area is not a good, clear example of what a safe work environment should be like, it’s a bit messy. 😂

@seanf 
I also converted the box room in the house into a small indoor workshop, it’s great in the winter. I stripped the room of everything, decorated and used the top off an old wardrobe to make a work bench. I screwed some battens on to the walls and some diagonal braces to hold the top firm, it’s a solid work bench now. Once everything was in there, the floor space was left free for a carpet to be fitted.  *work areas soon get messy though 😂 

@seanf I later added a small bench vice that just clamps on; it can easily be taken off for times when it’s in the way. It was cheap and good quality from a good quality vendor, I use them a lot. 

https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-trade-vices-woodworkers-vice-with-table-clamp-150mm-106345

@boo Great Ideas! I am certainly excited for the setup to come together,  and I know someone who has stacks of pallets, so will be giving them a friendly visit 🙂

It would be great to do an indoor setup also, but I think I won't get away with that one! I was wondering how will it be in the winter time for doing projects in the garage as it is just single skin. I may just have to layer up if I am full steam ahead on a project!

A removable vice is certainly something I will aim for! Thank you for the link!

Posted by: @seanf

I was wondering how will it be in the winter time for doing projects in the garage as it is just single skin. I may just have to layer up if I am full steam ahead on a project!

@seanf Yeah it’s not good working conditions in winter, it’s too cold really. It’s not good to work in the cold, not just because it’s unpleasant, but it’s not good for the guitar woods. I usually go into the outside workshop to do all the major and messy cutting/routing etc and then come inside as soon as I can to continue on the project. 
Our little box room was one of those dead ares in the house that wasn't really properly utilised so it was a good thing. Use your household/relationship political skills to negotiate something similar. It may mean you have to do a lot of those DIY jobs that have been on “the list” forever but it may get you what you want. It also doubles up as a DIY station, where you can manufacture bits for the house repairs your significant other always wanted. 😉👍