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| {{Infobox project | | {{Infobox project |
| |project_name = Cigar Box Guitar | | |project_name = Test |
| |image = CSGFinished2.jpg
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| |caption = The completed guitar
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| |owner = critter42
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| |version = 1.0
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| |status = inprogress
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| |start_date = February 2010
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| |media =
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| |facebook =
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| |myspace =
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| |youtube =
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| |cost = $23.50
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| }} | | }} |
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| == Overview ==
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| I wanted a fairly easy project to do to possibly display at [[Fan Table at MidSouthCon|MidSouthCon]], and the current issue of [http://www.makezine.org 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.
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| == Features ==
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|
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| * Design and style
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| ** 3-string guitar with a through neck made out of <s>maple</s> red oak stock.
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| ** <s>Steel Strings</s> Bronze acoustic strings
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| ** Fretted neck (may go fretless if the fretting doesn't work out)
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| ** Tailpiece/strings mounted on through end of neck rather than on box
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| ** Toothpick frets and <s>bamboo skewer Nut/Bridge</s> <s>wood chip Nut and threaded bolt Bridge</s> Walnut nut and bridge
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|
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| == Status ==
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| === In Progress ===
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| * Play!
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| === To Do ===
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| * Build Cracker box amp
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| === Completed ===
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| * Acquisition of materials
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| * Designing fretboard
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| * Fabricate head/fretboard/tail
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| * Fabricate cigar box sound chamber
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| * Assemble components
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| ** Affix Neck assembly to cigar box sound chamber
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| ** Install hardware
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| *** Tuning Machines
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| *** Frets
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| *** Nut and Bridge
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| *** Tailpiece
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| ** String guitar
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| * Tune guitar
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| * Play!
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| == Work Log ==
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| === Designing fretboard ===
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| * Determined fret layout using [http://www.fretfind.ekips.org/2d/ Fretfind-2D] with the following parameters (units in inches unless otherwise specified):
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| ** Scale - 24.5
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| ** String width at the nut - .75
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| ** String width at the bridge - .75
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| ** Fretboard Overhang - .375
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| ** Calculation Method - 12 (no unit)
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| ** Number of Frets - 21
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| ** Number of Strings - 3
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| ** Tuning - 1st String - D, 2nd String - G, 3rd String - D
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|
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| === Fabricate Head/Fretboard/Tail ===
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| * Head
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| ** Laid out cut lines for clearing away head and body sections
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| ** Cut away 6" long, .5" section from head end to allow tuning machine pins clearance [[File:CBGHead1.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>6" x .5" cut from head end to accommodate tuning machine pins</i>]]
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| ** Sanded sides of head to allow clearance for tuning knobs to turn
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| ** 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>]]
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| ** Rounded back corners of neck between head and body
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| * Fretboard
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| ** 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>]]
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| ** 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>]]
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| ** 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>]]
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| ** After glue cured overnight, trimmed and sanded the frets and cut out a slot in neck so the cigar box lid was flush with the fretboard [[File:CSGFretboardfinished.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Frets trimmed and sanded, space for box lid cut out</i>]]
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| * Tail
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| ** Drilled 3 1/4" holes and put a metal grommet into each hole on each side.
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| ** On back side of tail, put in 3 screws with large heads to anchor strings around. The strings I use have a ring-type knob at the end, so I slip the string through the hole to create a loop around the screw, then pull it tight, thread it through the hole around to the front of the guitar and string as normal [[File:CSGTailHolesDrilled.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Holes in tail drilled and grommeted with string mounting screws placed</i>]]
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| === Fabricate Sound Chamber ===
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| * Drilled 4 holes in lid of cigar box with a forstner bit
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| * Cut a notch on lid side of box on opposites side to allow neck to fit in snugly [[File:CSGSoundchamber.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Soundbox fabricated</i>]]
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| === Assemble Components ===
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| * Tuning machine inserted into holes and secured with screws
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| * Neck glued to lid and lid glued to box [[File:CSGAssembled.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>All parts assembled, glued and clamped</i>]]
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| * Cut a 1.5" piece of hardwood for bridge. Sanded to a rounded point and glued to top of box
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| * Guitar strung and ready to play [[File:CSGFinished2.jpg|200px|thumb|center|<i>Finished cigar box guitar</i>]]
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| == Future Improvements ==
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| * Addition of pickups or piezo buzzer to electrify the guitar
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| * Add more strings
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| * Make a finger slide
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| * Build an amp (project log coming soon!)
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| == Lessons Learned ==
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| * Freehand-cutting the fret grooves properly requires skill and experience with a saw - a miter box would make the job much easier next time.
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| * Use harder wood for Nut, or get a pre-made nut from the guitar store. I had to remove the nut and fabricate one from the same bit of scrap wood the bridge was made from
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| * Cut the neck top at an angle and angle tuning machines so they naturally fall over the neck in the right locations. I had to add a screw to make sure the largest string stayed in the correct location.
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| == Bill of Materials ==
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| {{bom-start}}
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| {{bom-row
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| | item = Cigar Box
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| | cost = 0.33
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| | quantity = 3
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| | distributor = Tobacco Corner, Ltd
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| }}
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| {{bom-row
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| | item = Red Oak 1" x 2" x 3'
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| | cost = 3.00
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| | quantity = 2
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| | distributor = Lowe's Home Improvement
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| }}
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| {{bom-row
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| | item = Tuning Machines
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| | cost = 1.75
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| | quantity = 6
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| | distributor = Yarbrough's Music
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| }}
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| {{bom-row
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| | item = Guitar Strings
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| | cost = 1.00
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| | quantity = 6
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| | distributor = Yarbrough's Music
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| }}
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| {{bom-end}}
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| Total cost so far: $23.50 + tax
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| [[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>]]
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| == Tools Used for Construction ==
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| {{tool|coping saw}}
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| {{tool|table saw}}
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| {{tool|hand saw}}
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| {{tool|drill}}
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| {{tool|belt sander}}
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| {{tool|tape measure}}
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| {{tool|speed square}}
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