THE AMAZING AFFORDABLE “MAKE THINGS EASIER” TOOL THREAD !

[Dark Horse]

I was discussing how great I thought @Matt Liebenau’s idea was to use self centering “hinge” drill bits for drilling pickguard screw holes, bridge screw holes, etc , and it got me thinking about some GREAT but inexpensive tools that make building things easier, more efficient, and often more “accurate”.

“Inexpensive” means different things to different people, so for the sake of keeping things affordable in general, I think I’ll limit this to items that are $50 or less…. UNLESS it’s something a little more that truly is worth the few extra $$

I’ll be using the format of:

What is it?
What do I use it for ?
Approximate price at time of posting this.
Amazon or other link to product


I’ll start, but please… I encourage you to add to the list !!!


*****************************


SELF CENTERING HINGE BITS
Used to make accurate screw holes for bridges, control plates, pickguard screws, etc.

I just ordered these for $9.99 on Amazon. They review well. I’m not sure which ones Matt uses

https://a.co/d/06tz2hGm

DOUBLE SIDED TEMPLATE / WOODWORKING TAPE

Used to hold routing templates in place. Also used to hold things like fretboards in place while radiusing, basically anything that needs to “stay put” while being worked on. It holds things firmly in place, without having a nearly impossible to remove “death grip” on items like a double sided carpet tape might.

Currently under $20 for THREE rolls ! (I’ve used less than half a roll in 6 months)

https://a.co/d/05Jripzz

COUNTERSINK DRILL BIT KIT

Used for anything you need a countersunk hole on…. Typically like when you make a pickguard and want to recess the hole a bit so the screw sit more flush. This but set is fully adjustable, has been reliable for the year I’ve had it, and it speeds up the process since you are drilling the hole and doing the countersink at the same time !

$25 for the kit currently

https://a.co/d/08k6eNWV

REMOTE VACUUM SWITCH OUTLET

I use this to turn on my dust collection remotely. I can be anywhere in my shop and press the remotes button to activate the collector. Saves time in walking back and forth. Can be used for many other things as well, like “adding” remote control to air filters, fans, etc .

$40 at the time of writing

https://a.co/d/0dIMXsC5

WEN 2” DUAL SCALE HEIGHT /DEPTH SETUP TOOL

This thing makes it SO easy to set up router bit depths. I use it all the time. Great for making sure that your cuts and routes are accurate.

$17 on Amazon right now

WEN 2-Inch Dual-Scale Tool Setup and Height Gauge for Band Saws, Table Saws, Router Tables, and Woodworking Equipment (ME522G): Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

WEN 2-Inch Dual-Scale Tool Setup and Height Gauge for Band Saws, Table Saws, Router Tables, and Woodworking Equipment (ME522G): Amazon.com: Tools & Home Improvement

a.co

3 PIECE MARKING RULER SET

These make it super easy to accurately mark things for cuts. The pencil notch keeps the pencil in line while marking. I love rulers and measuring equipment, and this gets used quite a bit.

$26 for the set at this time !

https://a.co/d/0cuyURn1

MILESCRAFT DRILLMATE PORTABLE DRILLING GUIDE

Need a vertical (or 45 degree…or 33.76886 degree..or whatever) hole drilled, but either your drill press won’t reach, or you don’t have a drill press ? This basically turns your handheld drill into a drill press. On things like drilling “string thru” hold on telecaster bodies, this is indispensable if you don’t have a LARGE drill press. Portable, accurate, and reasonably priced.


$50 is the current price

https://a.co/d/04VEpYpu

3D MULTI-ANGLE RULER

Super useful for marking centerlines on the edges of bodies, templates, etc. Just a useful and inexpensive tool that is great to have around.

$14 on Amazon right now !

https://a.co/d/0aFyPXd6

UNIVERSAL TRIM ROUTER BASE PLATE

Added to your trim router, it makes it MUCH more stable when routing edges, pickup cavities, etc

Just $36 right now !!!

https://a.co/d/01M5HrpJ

GENERAL TOOLS SCRATCH AWL

Super useful for marking centerlines/ starting drill holes so that your bit doesn’t wander from its intended location. Just pit the point where the hole needs to go, press (or tap with a hammer) into the wood to make a divot, and you’re good to go… grab your drill and go !!!

$7.29 right now for a quality tool !!!

https://a.co/d/0j4NcIef

Well, that’s a start !!!! I hope you find some of these items useful… I know I have !!!

Please add affordable items YOU have found useful to the thread !!!

Be kind to each other,
Andy

 

[NKBassman]

I recently made myself a "router table" from a piece of 3/4" plywood which clamps on to the lip edge of my work table. The fence is attached with a single bolt at one end with a threaded insert in the table as a pivot point, which can be adjusted to whatever width and clamped down at the free end. I used the existing base on my little Bosch Colt palm router to lay out the holes for mounting the router to the underside through the top of the board.

Other than the plywood being slightly cupped (resulting in uneven depth of cut for boards that span over the length/width of the table from edge to edge), it works surprisingly well and has already been immensely handy for the trim work I've been working on in the basement. Hopefully there'll be some guitar building saw dust to make soon enough.

 

[bodollar]

Thanks for posting!

 

[Matt Liebenau]

My hinge bits just came from Home Depot. I think they’re in the section with the doors, not tools. I’m pretty sure that’s the same double stick tape I bought last time. I got the recommendation here. Maybe from the amazing Mr Bruce. The trim router base looks cool but my trim routers are already in jigs.

I guess I’ll break the rules right off the bat. I use the Tim Sway center finder all the time. No funky maths, just put the outside points on the edges and the middle one is, oddly enough, in the middle. It’s a little over Andy’s price ceiling but I like it. I’m aware there are a number of hacks for finding center but I like the tool and I bought it to help support Tim as I’ve enjoyed his videos and gotten some good tips and I can’t afford the 6 string Aperion bass he has for sale. Check out the other tools on his site. Tim’s a builder and his tools seem to work.

The New, Improved CenterSqWAYre - Find Your Center

There's a new Center SqWAYre in town, and now it finds the center of even smaller spaces! The redesign of my classic and popular center-finding tool now features a tighter spaced clossed position so one can find precise middles of things as small as .125". And the extended center on the handle...

sqwayretools.com

I’m posting Harbor Freight links for the next couple of things and they have been fine for me so far but don’t hesitate to start out with better ones.

Transfer punches are very handy also. On something thicker like marking neck bolt locations on a neck heel just pick the size that’s a slip fit in the hole, give it a tap and it marks the center on the other piece.

https://www.harborfreight.com/28-piece-transfer-punch-set-3577.html

The transfer punch makes a small mark which I typically enlarge with a spring center punch. It’s also obviously good for general center punching in a freehand type manner.

https://www.harborfreight.com/spring-loaded-center-punch-621.html

Also if you’re drilling in metal the next step is a centering bit. They’re short and stiff and won’t wander off of the punch mark.

https://www.harborfreight.com/center-drill-countersink-set-5-piece-60381.html

The last thing for now is my amazing thingamajig. It’s just 2 yardsticks and some scrap aluminum and bolts, nuts and washers. The yardsticks get adjusted to run down each side of the neck then the projected edges of the neck get marked on the body face then I can find the center of the neck / strings area with the center finder (like how I brought that back around?) for centering the bridge and pickups. Again, I know there’s probably a blue jillion ways to do that but I find this tool convenient to double check everything before I place the bridge and pickups. It’s in use in my thread in a couple of places. Probably will be used again soon.



Come to think of it, I may have stolen that from Mr Sway…

 

[Dark Horse]

Great stuff @NKBassman and @Matt Liebenau

 

[frets4ever]

I will add tools inspired by talkbass and Bruce. Rod threading handle with a t nut to keep it straight in a drill press and rod being held by a 5C collet. Sanding blocks for Fender C and V profiles for guitars. Neck jig to help with laying out pickguards and hardware. I have a larger on that cover halfs the body with screw holes for various bridge types and pickup locations.

 

[Dark Horse]

I will add tools inspired by talkbass and Bruce. Rod threading handle with a t nut to keep it straight in a drill press and rod being held by a 5C collet. Sanding blocks for Fender C and V profiles for guitars. Neck jig to help with laying out pickguards and hardware. I have a larger on that cover halfs the body with screw holes for various bridge types and pickup locations.

Nice !

 

[joeLowB]

So cool.

And now another topic over which I can GAS!


.

 

[Thumpin6string]

The best tool for clamping layers together for a body is 2 pieces of plywood, a jack and my SUV. put a piece of plywood on the garage floor, put the glued up layers on the plywood, put the other piece of plywood on top, jack up the SUV and slide the plywood and body layers under the tire and lower the jack. Let it sit for 12 hours, and it is done. I used it to build this. Worked great.

 

[Fender_Bender]

Homemade radius gauges from heavy cereal box paper. They work fine provided you don’t try and smush them down into the object.
Heavy duty banana shaped scraper from an old plywood circular saw blade.
Pieces of old roundwound strings epoxied into the edge of a piece of thin wood to use like a file to lap nut slots perfectly.
A rectangular pencil eraser makes a really nice little sanding block. Either white (soft) or pink(hard).
A piece of hardwood planed perfectly flat to be covered in pencil lead to find high spots when shaping a neck. I believe mine’s about 18” long and 1/4” wide.
Inexpensive sub $5 files from model shops are very handy. I’ve made several nuts by cutting the slots with the conical round ones. I will wrap masking tape around where they hit .045” etc and finish them off with the string lapping.

 

[Gervais Cote]

Self-centering screw hole punch :

Drill guide :

 

[Gilmourisgod]

How about a good old fashioned dowel jig? I use on like this all the time to pin body wings to necks through beams.

https://www.amazon.com/Centering-Doweling-Straight-Adjustable-Accessory/dp/B0B985CXPB/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=2QDQL9I9I63C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.I7lkNGRFmFzxbBCqxmRPoPtXvnmaxkkywemQxAv-iOItHaOuOezZRMicqGns0iadCT6hzkjvvR3-eAormqVr4hoW79W0K8xHxM1oPIDt3SvYV-s6HHGlhDu6ho9x1iJu1ZniWwyXCbuWV4YAXpkEnGjEZHPdZ6ZILo00SPPw0VC3RErd4CEJ5XPP3vmLfFZkBn6SRV_aYh1KVxP3HFzyk7hIMIesY19Y3BynLdlYqfUzh71iRd_Lx9TGTrp6BLxkEHNk1PoNAhzKxbCMqxc3w--iJN45IfnRGjmyW2dYYzk.CJiNstZ4z7RujqlbhiTCH18XySPRv_IJQsaOCACR-mM&dib_tag=se&keywords=doweling%2Bjig&qid=1779793269&sprefix=doweling%2Bjig%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-4-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

That right angle line drawing jig would be really useful too, it's surprisingly hard to accurately transfer a mark around a right angle edge. Alos the little Wen router height bit gauge.

 

[lark_z]

Great idea for a thread!

First thoughts:

- Center finding ruler.

https://www.amazon.com/STAINLESS-CENTER-FINDER-Peachtree-Woodworking/dp/B001N1FR8K/ref=sxin_18_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?cv_ct_cx=center+finding+ruler&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-3-9630ce6b-eb04-480e-8729-567d2ef7dacb-spons&aref=MsJoPiUK2Y&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

- Turntable made from lazy susan guts and some scrap wood. Great for painting, finishing.

Amazon.com

 

[T_Bone_TL]

As a lathe owner, the cost of an awl is one masonry nail, one copper pipe scrap or pipe cap for a ferrule, a cubic centimeter or so of epoxy, and a bit of time enjoyably spent with the lathe and grinder, and some scrap wood. Right, also a tiny amount of boiled linseed oil and wax. If you don't overheat while grinding, the masonry nail is already hardened.

 

[dune]

The best tool for clamping layers together for a body is 2 pieces of plywood, a jack and my SUV. put a piece of plywood on the garage floor, put the glued up layers on the plywood, put the other piece of plywood on top, jack up the SUV and slide the plywood and body layers under the tire and lower the jack. Let it sit for 12 hours, and it is done. I used it to build this. Worked great.
View attachment 7502587

That's ingenuity. Love it.

 

[Thumpin6string]

That's ingenuity. Love it.

Thanks, I thought so. I don't think any clamps could have clamped as tight.

 

[Dark Horse]

The best tool for clamping layers together for a body is 2 pieces of plywood, a jack and my SUV. put a piece of plywood on the garage floor, put the glued up layers on the plywood, put the other piece of plywood on top, jack up the SUV and slide the plywood and body layers under the tire and lower the jack. Let it sit for 12 hours, and it is done. I used it to build this. Worked great.
View attachment 7502587

Use whatcha got !!!

 

[Dark Horse]

How about a good old fashioned dowel jig? I use on like this all the time to pin body wings to necks through beams.

https://www.amazon.com/Centering-Doweling-Straight-Adjustable-Accessory/dp/B0B985CXPB/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?crid=2QDQL9I9I63C&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.I7lkNGRFmFzxbBCqxmRPoPtXvnmaxkkywemQxAv-iOItHaOuOezZRMicqGns0iadCT6hzkjvvR3-eAormqVr4hoW79W0K8xHxM1oPIDt3SvYV-s6HHGlhDu6ho9x1iJu1ZniWwyXCbuWV4YAXpkEnGjEZHPdZ6ZILo00SPPw0VC3RErd4CEJ5XPP3vmLfFZkBn6SRV_aYh1KVxP3HFzyk7hIMIesY19Y3BynLdlYqfUzh71iRd_Lx9TGTrp6BLxkEHNk1PoNAhzKxbCMqxc3w--iJN45IfnRGjmyW2dYYzk.CJiNstZ4z7RujqlbhiTCH18XySPRv_IJQsaOCACR-mM&dib_tag=se&keywords=doweling%2Bjig&qid=1779793269&sprefix=doweling%2Bjig%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-4-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

That right angle line drawing jig would be really useful too, it's surprisingly hard to accurately transfer a mark around a right angle edge. Alos the little Wen router height bit gauge.

Yes sir !!! Dowel jigs are super handy to have around for all kinds of woodwork and repairs.

I use dowels to line up body wings on neck through basses/guitars as well. I haven’t used them for regular body glue ups (for a bolt on or set neck), but I could definitely see them being useful for that as well. Just helping to insure that everything is lined up properly.


And yeah, I use both the Wen height/depth gauge and the 3d ruler (for right angle drawing) regularly.

And you’re correct, without it, it’s shockingly difficult to mark a centerline (or any mark) around a right angle. But once you DO mark it properly, it makes lining up templates and stuff much easier and more accurate.

 

[Dark Horse]

As a lathe owner, the cost of an awl is one masonry nail, one copper pipe scrap or pipe cap for a ferrule, a cubic centimeter or so of epoxy, and a bit of time enjoyably spent with the lathe and grinder, and some scrap wood. Right, also a tiny amount of boiled linseed oil and wax. If you don't overheat while grinding, the masonry nail is already hardened.

I LOVE my lathe ! Honestly, using the lathe is one of the most enjoyable woodworking experiences of all…at least to me. It’s almost mesmerizing, creating something in real time and watching it take shape.

And like you mention, it’s also useful for making various tools, making dowels and plugs, creating knobs for guitars, all kinds of stuff !

 

[Dark Horse]

Great idea for a thread!

First thoughts:

- Center finding ruler.

https://www.amazon.com/STAINLESS-CENTER-FINDER-Peachtree-Woodworking/dp/B001N1FR8K/ref=sxin_18_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?cv_ct_cx=center+finding+ruler&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sr=1-3-9630ce6b-eb04-480e-8729-567d2ef7dacb-spons&aref=MsJoPiUK2Y&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

- Turntable made from lazy susan guts and some scrap wood. Great for painting, finishing.

Amazon.com

I “almost” mentioned my center finding ruler in the initial post, so I’m very glad you brought it up ! While not a necessity, it definitely makes things quicker and easier… less “calculations” to make. Easier on the brain power !

Great idea on the turntable ! I’ve used lazy Susan’s in the past for painting, and they are definitely useful … especially for doing bursts and things like that. Also great for dyeing bodies.