Gather the Supplies and Materials You Need
The first step is to gather the supplies you need to make your brand new cigar box dulcitar.
Supplies
- cigar box - you can find these at tobacco shops, this will be the body of your cigar box dulcitar.
- 1"x2"x3' poplar board: you can pick these up from your local DIY warehouse. If you don't know much about wood, the actual measurements are about 3/4"x1 1/2"x3'. Make sure you get a good straight piece with no knots and the grain should run lengthwise as much as possible.
- tuning machines - pick these up from your local music store, you CAN make homemade tuners but it is much easier and more accurate to buy some, I will offer some ideas for homemade tuners in the Alternate Methods page.
- Fret Material - I use 14g copper wire used for household electricity, scrounged from a construction site. I have also used cocktail toothpicks. You MAY also be able to use nails, hardwood doweling etc.
- Carpenters Wood Glue - to glue the neck joint
- 2 Part Epoxy or Superglue - I had better luck with epoxy, but both worked well. The epoxy dried a bit slower so it was much easier to clean-up.
- Polyurethane - to add a protective coat to your masterpiece.
- Bridge material
- Nut material
- small screws to secure the top of the cigar box closed.
- OPTIONAL: A bit of paint to make fret markers, I use craft paints that come in little bottles and cost about a buck a bottle. Model paints would probably work also.
- OPTIONAL: Masking tape - to mask fret markers
Tools
You can use a lot of tools or just a few basic tools. I will tell you what I use so you have an idea of what you can use, everyone has their own favorite way of doing things and their idea of the best tool to use.
- Spoke shave. Used to round the back of the dulcitar's neck. A small or mini hand plane will also work here.
- Small/Mini hand plane. Used to plane the headstock thinner. A small handsaw and sandpaper may also do the job.
- A coping saw. To carve out the sound hole design. A drill, needle files, or a Dremel tool will also work.
- Sandpaper for smoothing everything out. The grit will depend on how much you like to sand. I usually use 60 grit and then go to an 80 or 100 grit.
- Circular Saw. To cut the scarf joint that forms the headstock.