Cigar box guitar: Difference between revisions

Cigar Box Guitar
Cigar Box Guitar
Information
Owner	critter42
Version	1.0
Status	In Progress
Started On	February 2010

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Revision as of 04:04, 12 February 2010

Overview

I wanted a fairly easy project to do to possibly display at MidSouthCon, and the current issue of Make Magazine had instructions on building a Cigar Box Guitar. While I am not really musically inclined, I thought this might be a fun first project.

Features

Design and style
- 3-string guitar with a through neck made out of ~~maple~~ red oak stock.
- Steel Strings
- Fretted neck (may go fretless if the fretting doesn't work out)
- Tailpiece/strings mounted on through end of neck rather than on box
- Toothpick frets and ~~bamboo skewer Nut/Bridge~~ wood chip Nut and threaded bolt Bridge

Status

In Progress

Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail

To Do

Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail
Fabricate cigar box sound chamber
Assemble components
- Affix Neck assembly to cigar box sound chamber
- Install hardware
  - Tuning Machines
  - Frets
  - Nut and Bridge
  - Tailpiece
  - Strap points
- String guitar

Completed

Acquisition of materials
Designing fretboard

Work Log

Designing fretboard

Determined fret layout using Fretfind-2D with the following parameters (units in inches unless otherwise specified):
- Scale - 24.5
- String width at the nut - .75
- String width at the bridge - .75
- Fretboard Overhang - .375
- Calculation Method - 12 (no unit)
- Number of Frets - 21
- Number of Strings - 3
- Tuning - 1st String - D, 2nd String - G, 3rd String - D

Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail

Head
- Laid out cut lines for clearing away head and body sections
- Cut away 6" long, .5" section from head end to allow tuning machine pins clearance
  Head area cleared away to accommodate tuning machine pins
- Sanded sides of head to allow clearance for tuning knobs to turn
- Drilled 3 1/4" holes in center of head for tuning machine pins
  Head shaped and tuning machine pin holes drilled
- Rounded back corners of neck between head and body
- Printed out fret layout and attached to neck. A piece of clear "magic" tape was placed over each fret line to prevent fret template from becoming loose when sawn through
  Fret template attached to neck
- Fret slots cut using hand saw to a depth of about 1/16" to 1/8"
  Fret grooves cut into neck
- Filled fret slots with Gorilla Glue and inserted toothpicks. Glued wood nut to top of neck and clamped all pieces securely
  Toothpicks placed into fret grooves, glued up and clamped

Future Improvements

Addition of pickups or piezo buzzer to electrify the guitar
Add more strings
Make a finger slide

Bill of Materials

Item	Metric	Cost/Item	Qty	Sub Total	Distributor
Cigar Box	N/A	$0.33	3	$0.99	Tobacco Corner, Ltd
Red Oak 1" x 2" x 3'	N/A	$3.00	2	$6.00	Lowe's Home Improvement
Tuning Machines	N/A	$1.75	6	$10.50	Yarbrough's Music
Guitar Strings	N/A	$1.00	6	$6.00	Yarbrough's Music

Total cost so far: $23.50 + tax

*Components for CBG Guitar - cigar box, oak stock, guitar strings, tuning machines and bolt for bridge. Toothpicks for frets not pictured*

Tools Used for Construction

coping saw

table saw

hand saw

drill

belt sander

tape measure

speed square

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 ** Fretted neck (may go fretless if the fretting doesn't work out)
 ** Tailpiece/strings mounted on through end of neck rather than on box
-** Toothpick frets and bamboo skewer Nut/Bridge
+** Toothpick frets and <s>bamboo skewer Nut/Bridge</s> wood chip Nut and threaded bolt Bridge
-== Work Log ==
+== Status ==
 === In Progress ===
-* Designing fretboard
+* Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail
 === To Do ===
-* Fabricate head/fretboard/tail
+* Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail
 * Fabricate cigar box sound chamber
 * Assemble components
@@ Line 48: / Line 47: @@
 * Acquisition of materials
+* Designing fretboard
+== Work Log ==
+=== Designing fretboard ===
+* Determined fret layout using [http://www.fretfind.ekips.org/2d/ Fretfind-2D] with the following parameters (units in inches unless otherwise specified):
+** Scale - 24.5
+** String width at the nut - .75
+** String width at the bridge - .75
+** Fretboard Overhang - .375
+** Calculation Method - 12 (no unit)
+** Number of Frets  - 21
+** Number of Strings - 3
+** Tuning - 1st String - D, 2nd String - G, 3rd String - D
+=== Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail ===
+* Head
+** Laid out cut lines for clearing away head and body sections
+** Cut away 6" long, .5" section from head end to allow tuning machine pins clearance [[File:CBGHead1.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Head area cleared away to accommodate tuning machine pins</i>]]
+** Sanded sides of head to allow clearance for tuning knobs to turn
+** Drilled 3 1/4" holes in center of head for tuning machine pins [[File:CBGHead2.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Head shaped and tuning machine pin holes drilled</i>]]
+** Rounded back corners of neck between head and body
+** Printed out fret layout and attached to neck.  A piece of clear "magic" tape was placed over each fret line to prevent fret template from becoming loose when sawn through [[File:CBGFretLayout.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Fret template attached to neck</i>]]
+** Fret slots cut using hand saw to a depth of about 1/16" to 1/8" [[File:CBGFretsCut.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Fret grooves cut into neck</i>]]
+** Filled fret slots with Gorilla Glue and inserted toothpicks.  Glued wood nut to top of neck and clamped all pieces securely [[File:CBGFretsPlaced.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Toothpicks placed into fret grooves, glued up and clamped</i>]]
 == Future Improvements ==
@@ Line 85: / Line 109: @@
 Total cost so far: $23.50 + tax
+[[File:CBGComponents.jpg|200px|thumb|none|<i>Components for CBG Guitar - cigar box, oak stock, guitar strings, tuning machines and bolt for bridge.  Toothpicks for frets not pictured</i>]]
 == Tools Used for Construction ==
@@ Line 90: / Line 120: @@
 {{tool|coping saw}}
 {{tool|table saw}}
+{{tool|hand saw}}
 {{tool|drill}}
+{{tool|belt sander}}
+{{tool|tape measure}}
+{{tool|speed square}}