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Cad/cam Software Reccomendations


Mattia

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...I just figured out I can get a variety of CAD software packages for dirt cheap, and entirely legally (oh, the joys of being a student), so I figured I'd ask those of you with CAD/CAM experience to chime in: what's a good package for someone without massive amounts of experience, who wants to dabble in designing various guitar parts and the like. I've got a CNC project perpetually on the back burner/list of 'things to do eventually', but I figure it's a bit idiotic to start building a machine if I don't understand the basics of, well, designing things to do with said machine beforehand.

The packages available that look vaguely relevant all cost about the same (65-85 euros), and I've got the following to choose from:

AutoCad 2008 (Student Edition)

Autodesk Inventor Professional 2008

Solidworks 2006-2007 Student Edition

(Solidworks comes with a 24 month license, the other two with 14-month licenses).

Thoughts from those in the know?

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I've never used Solidworks but I like both AutoCAD and Inventor. If you buy Inventor Professional 2008 you get a free copy of AutoCAD Mechanical included in it, so no need to get it separately.

I've also got a CNC project sorta in the works and plan on using Artsoft Mach 3 ($159 for a full license) to run the machine. It comes with a free copy of Lazycam who's apparently a very decent CAM package.

Edited by Phil Mailloux
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  • 2 weeks later...

First you need a good CAD program. I like Solidworks only because I find it very easy. Don't take my easy to mean its easy.

Then you have to find a program which will turn your CAD part into a code capable of running on a CNC computer. So now you need a second program called a CAM . Because all those beautiful pictures are nothing until they are converted to a usable code which wil be recognized by the Router mills controll program.

Then you need a control program and hardware which will run the code on your mill which will control the motors. For this I use Mach3.

I suggest the CNC ZONE forums if you really need help with all of this.

Edited by Woodenspoke
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The ultimate answer is... they're all decent software. Just depends what your comfortable with. If you can play with them beforehand, do it and go from there. Personally, I had a lot of problems getting my head around AutoCAD, but when Inventor 4 came along, I took to it like a fish to water. By the time I had any exposure to Solidworks or CATIA, I was already up to Inventor 7. I was so "Inventorized" by then, Solidworks just didn't grab me. Intuitiveness is the key, and that's alway a bit personal. Go with what your comfotable with. In the end it's 6 of one or a half-dozen of the other.

By the way, the only reason I use Inventor to design a guitar is for the visual aspect, and to calculate my wood. Even if I had access to CNC equipment, I just couldn't see myself building a guitar by CNC. Just seems a little "soulless" IMO. But that's just me :D .

Cheers

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I'm not sure I see most stuff going to the CNC for the reasons you list, but I would like to be able to do inlay, basic body outlines (or templates, at the very least), pickup routes, neck pockets, fret slotting, that sort of thing on a CNC. Most of the rest by hand. CNC is just another tool, really, and in terms of inlay at least allows you to do things that are nigh-on impossible by hand.

Thing is, I'll likely build at least another 20-30 guitars the old fashioned way before getting around to CNC'ing much in the way of guitars, and the first CNC I'm likely to convert/build will quite likely be a square column mill of some sort (Mini Mill or otherwise), maybe with a sliding table upgrade so I can slot fingerboards and do minor inlay, make parts for jigs and make some hardware (bridges, pickup surrounds, that sort of thing).

In the meantime, I'm investing in some nice table routing stuff, etc. etc. I do wood layout the old fashioned way, using templates, but then again I have it in big-ass board form and don't order per project...

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I'm not sure I see most stuff going to the CNC for the reasons you list, but I would like to be able to do inlay, basic body outlines (or templates, at the very least), pickup routes, neck pockets, fret slotting, that sort of thing on a CNC. Most of the rest by hand. CNC is just another tool, really, and in terms of inlay at least allows you to do things that are nigh-on impossible by hand.

Thing is, I'll likely build at least another 20-30 guitars the old fashioned way before getting around to CNC'ing much in the way of guitars, and the first CNC I'm likely to convert/build will quite likely be a square column mill of some sort (Mini Mill or otherwise), maybe with a sliding table upgrade so I can slot fingerboards and do minor inlay, make parts for jigs and make some hardware (bridges, pickup surrounds, that sort of thing).

In the meantime, I'm investing in some nice table routing stuff, etc. etc. I do wood layout the old fashioned way, using templates, but then again I have it in big-ass board form and don't order per project...

A mini mill which is what I use, is good for small items, 3 1/2 x 7 inches max size and a about 2K. If you want to work with wood you need a router based machine. The mini mill I use for cutting metal. Would work also for smaller metal parts and wood but overall its way to small for most things in guitar building.

I do wish to someday get a Router Mill but i would probably stick with using a table saw for cutting fret slots anyway. Just the setup alone would make using a router just that much more difficult not including replacing broken bits and probably adding a smaller router to hold the bit. I you wanted to make 30 identical body's then thats a better solution for a CNC setup. I mean there is a learning curve but after that it pretty much just setup. I think the misnomer is you make a drawing and them it just cuts your parts. I wish it was that simple.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Try Rhino 3.0 or 4.0. The best 3D solids modeler I've used, and I've been doing CAD for 27 years. It'll do stuff in Rhino 4.0 to make your head spin, and then you can export to any g-code generator with *.stl files, or some machines will read the Rhino *.3dm files directly. I've used it now for 2 years, and it still amazes me what it can do.

Costs about $800 for a full commercial single user license, but educational releases are identical (but not transferrable) for about $200 US. And the companion rendering software Flamingo is really great also (also about $500 or $150 educational). Rhino can import just about anything in the way of file types (*.dwg, *.dxf, etc.) and is the best going.

If I could figure out how to post photos on this forum, I'd post samples of CAD files I've used to make guitars out of sterling, and gold. Exact down to the tuners, but only 1.5" long!!!!!!!! Very cool, indeed.

MG

Edited by mgdesigns
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