Tools Needed

[taiguy]

I'm a college student trying to build a pair of the Tuba T30s, and am wondering exactly what kind of tools are necessary, what kind of tools are helpful, and which would just make the process easier.

[Harley]

I'm a college student trying to build a pair of the Tuba T30s, and am wondering exactly what kind of tools are necessary, what kind of tools are helpful, and which would just make the process easier.

Necessary;

Circular Saw - cordless or mains,
Mutli-tooth blade for above, as many teeth as you can get - DO NOT use the standard rip blade supplied with the saw,
Cordless Drill - pozi or philips bit and pilot/countersink bit,
Caulking Gun,
C Clamps ( as many as you can lay your mits on in various sizes ),
Sash Clamps > 36" - 2 off at least,
Fine-tooth panel saw ( 12" - 15" ) - like a tennon saw but without the folded ridge guide at the top - in other words flat blade,
Squares - 12" adjustable and large Square,
Long Metal rule ( at least 40" ),
Box cutter type knife - AT LEAST 1" wide blade,
1" wide flat face Chisel,
Soldering Iron, wire cutters etc for wiring,
Various screwdrivers,
5/16" Drill bit for tee nut holes,
Jig saw or various hole saws.

Almost Necessary

Table/bench saw with tilting arbor,
Router - even a small cheapie . need rounding off bit, straight bit with top bearing guide and mill bottom bit,
Corner clamps ( picture frame cramps ),
Another Cordless Drill ( gives you one for the pliot/c/s bit and the other for the screw bit )
Protractor,
Small metal rule ( 12" - 18" ),
Thick perspex (plexiglas) straight edge ( for carpet trimmimg ),
HD Stapler.

Nice to have items;

Return air ticket from NZ to your place and I'll come build it for you! ( accomodation and meals would be great too! )

I am sure I've missed some stuff but others will chip in with ideas I am sure.

All the best with your endeavour.

Harley

[Tom O'Shea]

Glue tools:

The polyurethane glue is messy. Which means that even the most careful handling will put some where you don't want it, so be prepared.

Cover any surface that needs protection--that includes you. Wear rubber or nitrile gloves, because it'll stick to your hands, attract every bit of dirt or dust for miles, and refuse to come off. Vinegar or paint thinner or both should be handy to clean up fresh, undried glue from suitable surfaces, like tools.

Keep handy throwaway scrapers to keep your glue joints clean as possible. Scrap plywood, whatever. I keep popsicle sticks at hand.

Single edge razor blades. Cheap and endlessly useful. Slice away dried glue or use as mini scrapers.

Other:

Extra drill bits in the size you're using for screws or nails. You'e likely to break or lose track of just the one you need when you need it.

Extra screwdriver bits. See above.

I build on sawhorses and find I spend less time handling the box as I build it than when building on a bench. Save your back--you'll need it later.

You'll need to seal handles, jack plates, casters, whatever. I use PL Polyurethane Roof and Flashing Sealant, which comes in death metal black, and produces an airtight seal that's more solid feeling than silicone, stays flexible, and still allows removing the hardware later.

Eye protection while using power tools.

Lung protection while sanding.

Ear protection while building and testing.

Understanding or absent neighbors.

Tom O'Shea

[taiguy]

ok, I think I can manage all of that except perhaps a table saw. what is it used for in the project, and are there any alternatives? How much more difficult is it to use the alternatives?

[DAVID_L_PERRY]

Direct from bills plans:-

"You may do all cutting on a table saw if you have one. If you don’t you may use a handheld circular saw, using either a commercial or home made guideboard"


I built several cabs with just a circular saw with perfectly good results as long as you are careful.

Build you own table saw....
http://billfitzmaurice.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1227

Dave

[bgavin]

I get very accurate cuts with a guide board and circular saw.

[Frankenspeakers]

Router tip: I have had good luck with the Bosch B1630 router. It is discontinued, but there are a ton of them out in Skil/Bosch outlets and repair centers (a good place to get reconditioned tools- but price shop with others dealers first- they tried to pull a fast one last time I bought somthing reconditioned, the local hardware store was cheaper for a new model ) Look on ebay or craigslist. That particular model is rated at 1 1/2 HP, takes 1/2" & 1/4" bits and is very reliable. Also, a lot of comercial jigs and attachments are set up specifically for that unit. The B1630 was a commercial grade tool that will be supported for a long time...

[fender3x]

While I think the "buy the best tools you can afford" rule is a good rule of thumb... I have one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/WHoLESALE-NEW-2HP-E ... otohosting

There are a bunch of these available on evil-bay...they are essentially identical to a Makita 3612BR. It's a tad heavy, and lacks a speed control, but in spite of the cheezy packaging it came in, it seems very solid, and has worked great for me so far.

[taiguy]

i can make all the cuts with just a circular saw and guideboard? excellent. I feel better about taking on this project then. thanks everyone.

[CBIERN]

To make your construction life easier get
a triangular blade cabinet scraper from the paint dept of you local HD or Lowes. Makes removing dried PL easy.
A wallpaper scraper that uses 3" wide blades. (a myriad of uses)
A good supply of nitril gloves for gluing. You'll know why the first time you DON'T use them. They're cheap in bulk.
Buy your sandpaper in "contractors packs" to save money. Like the gloves it's cheaper in bulk
If you only have one drill get one of these (sold under many brand names) http://www.doityourself.com/invt/6174114 You can change the bit one handed!

[taiguy]

something that occurred to me. how would I go about making the angle cuts without a table saw?

[LelandCrooks]

The shoe on the circular saw tilts. Build an extra guideboard just for angled cuts. You will have to compensate placement with the various angles. Once you've cut a steep one with it, the edge will be off the mark for a shallow angle.

[billynoband]

if you are old enough to have been taught woodwork at school instead of design technology then you will get decent results with a handsaw, scriber and set square. i think one or two of the designs require internal routing but best to ask first. my t24 is fine by hand.

[taiguy]

if you are old enough to have been taught woodwork at school instead of design technology then you will get decent results with a handsaw, scriber and set square. i think one or two of the designs require internal routing but best to ask first. my t24 is fine by hand.

heh, no such luck. i've had to teach myself woodworking, slowly, and through experience

[sddj]

Get yourself a box of disposable, medical gloves. Use them for when you are applying the PL adhesive. It also allows you to run your fingers alogn the seams of the box to smooth out the adhesive. Keeps the hands clean. Then just pull them off and throw them away. That simple! A box of 250 runs about $6-7 bucks...