MzI Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Heres some things ive been working on since January of this year. I am currently taking a Grad class as an under grad called Digital Manufacturing and we get to use a nice big CNC mill for the course work. And of course we are allowed to use this machince as much as we please so of course I need to cut some guitars and try it out. My first thoughts have been that it takes way too much time to get the guitar set up and the cad files drawn correctly etc. Now that I have the mill figure out, man it saves so much freaking time. The first two pieces I cut were for a neck thru maple flying v. It took all of 10 minutes for the mill to cut them. There is maybe another 30 mins or so of work that needs to be done before I can attach them to a neck but still this cuts down on the actual build time so much. Heres the pics for the first cut links link 1 link 2 link 3 link 4 Now after I cut out the first set of wings I had a slight problem I wanted to fix. When the machine picked up the bit, it pulled it in towards the body. So to fix that I went back into Mastercam and changed the tool path, this took all of 5 mins maybe. I was feeling rather confident and thats when all hell broke loose. OH NO!!!!! OH NO!! 2 The router bit ended up slipping because I didnt tighter it enough and decided it wanted to dig into the aluminum table a bit. Needless to say its time to order a new bit after all the action it has seen this semester so far. I hope to be up and running again by the end of the week because I have a nice piece of white korina that wants to be turned into a 59 Gibson Flying V. MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psw Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Wow...oh no... Imagine making that mistake with this CNC machine I found... you can hire it for a really big guitar...or a whole house from a single block of wood 50ft CNC machine good stuff...it could have been worse! pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 nice work, that must really make life easier for guys who are alergic to sawdust (like myself) by the way, how much does one of those bits run yea? more then a router bit? Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted March 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 (edited) actually all it is is a router bit. A regular 2 inch cut 1/2 inch diameter, 1/2 inch shank straight bit, maybe 10 usd. Not exactly expensive. Ill just get another. Pete that is a freaking huge mill, and I thought the one I was using was rather large. It can cut 4'x12'x5" as a 3 axis, more then enough for a simple guitar. MzI edit: The bit ended up coming out to $18 shipped only cuz I dont have the time right now to drive to home depot to see if they have one Edited March 27, 2006 by MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 Looking good man. Very interesting the way you left the tabs to hold the part in the blank. When I cut mine, I stick the whole blank down with double stick tape. That way I can cut all the way around and not have any tabs to sand off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderblitz Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 hmmmmmmmm V, oh my baby... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth guitars Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Mzi, something you may want to try - instead of leaving the small unrouted sections connected to the outisde piece try an onion skin method where you route your thickness all the way around to a 16th of an inch. Then you can use a trim router to cut the rest up to the edge clean. This will save you a lot of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted March 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 The tabs are what a fellow student suggested so I tried it. I have double stick carpet tape which I will also try at some point. Leaving a 16th or so also sounds like a good idea. The mill work we do in class doesnt call for any contour cutting so I had no real precedent going into this so many thanks for the suggestions. I am currently on hiatus between waiting for my new router bit which will be here on monday and the amount of Design work right now as my Gate Review is in 2 weeks which will decided whether or not I will graduate on time. I do home to have my bass cut with a rough carve and atleast one korinna V if not more by the end of the semester so there will definetly be more outta me shortly MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay5 Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 The router bit ended up slipping That is a VERY VERY bad thing to have happen on a router of any kind. Can you imagine what would have happened if it came loose? Is the CNC enclosed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted March 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 The bit dug into the aluminum table a little bit before the machine stopped itself. No the machine isnt enclosed. Its in a room. There have been some bits that have been snapped in half even though they were solid carbide and they just kinda fell down to the stock didnt go anywhere. Its all part of the learning process MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mammoth guitars Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 The router bit ended up slipping That is a VERY VERY bad thing to have happen on a router of any kind. Can you imagine what would have happened if it came loose? Is the CNC enclosed? It happens sooner or later...we have 4 inch long half inch diameter bit that came out at about 15,000 rpm once upon a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 It happens sooner or later...we have 4 inch long half inch diameter bit that came out at about 15,000 rpm once upon a time I hate it when that happens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadmike Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 similar thing happened at my dads work (hes a turner) one of his lackies left the key in the chuck, then turned the machine on! it definitly came flying out... but where it went nobody knows... perhaps stuck in the ceiling? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtis P Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 I was doing work on a lathe at the old woodshop i worked at, i dropped the chisel onto the ground when i put it back on the tool board to change chisels, when i bent down to pick it up, i dont know what happened, but i came back up and the damn bowl was off the lathe!!! I found it lodge into the ceiling between the one air duct and a plastic vacuum line (the big ones for exhaust fans) Curtis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted April 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 My luck is getting really bad this week with the CNC, I put another nice gouge into the table tonight. I was running a trial in foam for my bass guitar. I previewed the path atleast 5 or 6 times before I started the mill. Of course it had to screw up. It was halfway through the carved top and then it just picked up and dove down really fast right into the table and it shut itself off. I think im gonna take a break for a while before I destroy anything else. I have my gate review coming for my thesis project a week from tuesday so I should concentrate on that anyways. Ill post pics tomorrow of the piece of foam and the damage to the table. MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted April 1, 2006 Report Share Posted April 1, 2006 I had the same thing happen to the quilt maple top for my LP. Only mine did not hit the table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted April 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 (edited) Made a little bit of progress since my first review is over for my thesis project 150 hours of work in 9 1/2 days was no fun at all. Anyways im made a complete cut of the bass top in foam today and I thought id ask for some input on the carve before I move onto wood this weekend. more pics 1 2 3 the one line in the carve on the lower half needs to go already along with that little ledge that was created for some reason. I need to go back into rhino to fix those before I mill so that will prolly be tonight any other thoughts let me know thanx MzI PS they are photoshopped to bring out the carve otherwise it would have been hard to see also here is the initial sketch of the bass along with the first version of it completed a year or two ago sketch finished bass Edited April 13, 2006 by MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 the lower bouts look pretty good, but why doesn't the carve continue onto the horns? It looks peculiar to me. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Good luck when you carve the real thing. peace, russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 I actually like how it doesn't go into the upper horns. Like Garehan said, looks peculiar which I like! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted April 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 the "shelf" on the upper half is created from a continuation of the upper horn and then the overall carve on the bottom starts where the shelf cuts into the body and contiues to the lower point of the lower horn to almost a bevel. The idea was to create a carve, and then my architectural background took over and made it into something more unique and abstract. I guess im trying to give it an aesthetic quality with the shelf carve and a more function aspect with the bottom carve. MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegarehanman Posted April 13, 2006 Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 Is this going to be bound? I've seen a simular carve on a guitar before(with the shelf). They had the binding around the body and on the vertical area between the carved and uncarved sections. I thought it looked really classy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted April 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2006 thats an interesting idea, ill hafta look into that. Possibly using a contrasting wood binding like purple heart For this version of the guitar I have a three piece northern hard ash blank. Ill take pics of the blank later tonight and post them also, its a really straight grained set of pieces all rather old stuff. MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jer7440 Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Dude, I love the concept in the sketch! What you cut doesnt quite seem there yet, at least to my eye. I'm terrible at figuring out what exactly i'm seeing that I don't like, but.... my initial thought is that the transition between the carve and the flat is too abrupt. In your sketch, it feels like they flow together more smoothly, more roundish. I know it can be tough to get whats in your head into 3d cad. Maybe i'm just misreading your initial sketch, who knows. Just my .02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verhoevenc Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 I do believe Garehan was thinking of this German builder called "Forge Guitars". Chris PS: His website is here for more: Clickit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MzI Posted April 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 That carve with the shelf is exactly what I am trying to achieve. They musta stole my ideas or something, jk. The one thing I dont like about that design is that those carves on the sides of the body effect too much of the overall shape and it seems in the picture of the back of the guitar it doesnt not flow at all it ends ebruptly at those cuts. I think what I am trying to achieve isnt quite coming out in the foam quite yet. One thing to consider is that the transition from the flat top to the carve wont be quite as evident as it will be sanded slightly to make it more flowing except from the "shelf" on the upper bout. On another note I ran the profile cut of the guitar with success and also ran the file for my 59 Korina V's successfully, so both will be cut tomorrow afternoon. I think for the bass I am going to fix a couple things and just go ahead and run it in the ash as I have a ton more at home if I am not happy with the carve. Also it will give myself and everyone a better idea as to what I am trying to achieve. MzI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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