Any Idea Where to Learn to Make Tools and Instruments? What To Start From?

I had the realization, that I want to get into toolmaking as well as making instruments, however, I don't know where to start. Eventually, I'd like to learn to make tools like chisels and gauges, however, I feel I should start from wooden tools, as metal requires tools, which I have very limited access to. Right now, I'm more interested in gaining experience over making something useful, thus I'm open to ideas for what to start on, assuming I have a workshop with only hand tools.

Making tools is almost a right of passage as a woodworker or a metalworker (even for amateurs like me)!

I have greatly enjoyed making and restoring tools. I think that restoring old and broken ones is probably a good entryway into making new ones. You learn a lot of the same skills in the process with a model to work from. You can also get broken tools for cheap on-line, or in recycle shops and the like. You asked what tool you should start from, but the answer to that is certainly the tool that you need! So what tool do you need next?

My friend is a luthier (a musical instrument maker). I spent a decent amount of time wandering around his workshop asking lots and lots of questions and he showed me how he does a lot of the process. His specialty is hammered dulcimers, but he makes a variety of other instruments as well. I think traditionally if one wanted to become a luthier you would become an apprentice to an accomplished master-worker. These days there is so much information on the internet that basically anyone could start.

If you want to get into musical instrument making I would recommend starting with a tongue drum. And then moving onto a zither. The tongue drum is all wood, but the zither requires some hardware. Typically luthiers don't make their own hardware, but order it from specialist companies these days. So I don't know how you for example forge a tuning peg or a steel string, but I'm sure it is within the reach of a professional machinist, so the information must be out there.

Tell us more about what you want to do in particular and maybe we can point you in the right directions.

Thanks for sharing Johnson! I feel the most useful place for me to start would be to make tools to help me with roundwood timber framing, as I'm in the middle of building a house (when it's not winter). Last week, I built a jig template for making wind braces, and I enjoyed the process, however I must wait to test it out. Beyond that, I thought to make a grinding station to hold my grinding stones firmly, however, where to go from there I don't yet know.

I love your idea to make a tongue drum. I have access to some oak and ash and the tools needed to cut the shapes out, so that's one thing I already can't wait to get started on :D

Maruf, It is great that you want to learn to make tools and instruments!

Here is a thread to help you get some ideas:

https://permies.com/wiki/pep-badge-round-wood-woodworking

You might start by making one of these:

https://permies.com/wiki/124803/pep-dimensional-woodworking/Simple-open-toolbox-PEP-BB

https://permies.com/wiki/98371/pep-woodworking/Club-style-mallet-PEP-BB

https://permies.com/wiki/99244/pep-woodworking/Compound-mallet-PEP-BB-roundwood

https://permies.com/wiki/128240/pep-woodworking/PEP-BB-roundwood-iron-excellentbowsaw

And take lots of pictures along the way to be able to get your Badge bits!

I feel I should start from wooden tools, as metal requires tools, which I have very limited access to.

When you are ready to start on metal, you may want to start with Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap (Complete 7 Book Series) by David J. Gingery .

Build Your Own Metal Working Shop From Scrap is a progressive series of seven projects. Beginning with a simple charcoal fired foundry, you produce the castings for building the machine tools to equip your shop. Initially the castings are finished by simple hand methods, but it is not long before the developing machines are doing much of the work to produce their own parts...

Here is a link to the author's page where the individual books can be purchased one at a time.