SJE-Guitars Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 See what I did there . . So hey my first build for some time . . . and it's one I've been promising my 6 year old for some time! It's a 85% scaled down version of a Les Paul - albeit I am going to take some artistic license and it'll end up being more of a Les Paul Junior than a Les Paul . . . anyhow . . The build is being built from some salvage yard Cypress and also a piece of a Cadagi which is from a trunk of tree which was cut down in a friends garden (they are actually classed as weeds around here!) So one piece of Cypress cut in half Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 The Cypress becomes one . . (the gratuitous clamp shot have been missed out!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 It Cypress gets roughed out to shape. . . whilst I wait for the flood protection timer to run out . . . I should mention the whole layout and design of the guitar has been done in CAD which is where I got the templates from . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 boom . . . routed to shape and pockets . . . front and back . .. And for those with an eye for detail - your eyes are not deceiving you the switch cavity isn't perfectly round (as yet . . .) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 (edited) bam . . Not a bad looking piece of wood! It's take about 4 weeks of clamping flat after the initial cut out from the half trunk to get it settle so I could plane and glue it. The log had been air drying for around 1 year! (yes I the top where the neck pocket will be looks uneven and it is however as that are will all be remove for pocket it's no hassle, also the top left curve look straight because there was a minor (very minor look worse in the photo that it is) tear out on the router when shaping, however as it will be bound this will be removed anyway!) Edited January 7, 2015 by SJE-Guitars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 7, 2015 Report Share Posted January 7, 2015 That's a very nice looking piece of wood. It's good to see you back to a place where you can resume building. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) Starting to look like a guitar (will clean up the pocket tomorrow night) . . . Another little share here are the templates I made to do the pickup pockets - getting all 21st century with my 3D printer to print the white template which I then templated to the template! : I have to say the translation from CAD to the printer and in turn routed is very neat and very accurate! Edited January 12, 2015 by SJE-Guitars 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Now template making is something I had not considered as a use for a 3D printer......clever. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 (edited) The good old 3d printer really makes these kinds of work easy, since it essentially a plastic dispensing CNC the accuracy is repeatable. The biggest restriction is obviously the size limitation of the printing platform. Templates for the rear pocket recesses and covers will be created using the 3D printer also - then the coup de grace will be the pickups which will be made using 3d printed coils and base and pickup rings (I've already do the design work on these so I know they'll work) - obviously as I am designing and printing them they'll be custom string spacing match to this guitar as it's a 85% scaled down LP. For the neck I have Cherry and Honey Myrtle - unsure whether to use a single wood or put a single stringer of Myrtle between Cherry . . . photos will follow along with the pickups. Edited January 12, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Finally, a good use for a 3D printer great to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Ok - enough crap phone photos! The pockets are cleaned up: As mentioned the things that are to come - one full 8 string bobbin set pickup ring and plate, along with a couple of 6 string bobbins - all 3D printed: Edited January 13, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) One final share for the night, there may have been some folks out there wondering how I would route the neck pocket deep and longer into the pickup pocket . . . well the wonders of 3D printing strikes again! Edited January 13, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 I'll route the neck pocket out fully tomorrow night as it's nearly 11pm here and I doubt the neighbours would thank me if I started up the router now! Stay tuned for more crazy 3D printer template and jig fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattharris75 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Love the creative ways you're utilizing the 3D printer. One of my best friends has one, I may have to get him to make some templates for me for my next build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) Well the neck pocket routed out very well so I drilled out the control holes then gave it a bit of a clean up with 120 grit and a bit of mineral spirits . . . As you can see the fret board blank in the picture - the neck is starting . . . Edited January 14, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) So tonight has been a night of more template making - so of course 3D printing! Ok so as mentioned I did the CAD for this 85% scale LP previously so now it been a case of turning those CAD drawings into 3D CAD and printing them - so the neck . .. as you can see due to the length I had to print it in two pieces (3 if you include the headstock): However this is no big deal with a 3D printer you merely print some hole and some dowels to hold it together: A bit of super glue to hold it together and a bit of routing and voila: Chocks under it to check scale length and things are all centred and aligned: Hey a headless LP: That's all for now - the 3D printer is currently creating the headstock template - it's so nice to be able to print the CAD diagrams in a solid form rather that struggling with CAD diagrams stuck on bits of wood! Edited January 15, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 At this scale will your nut width come out to just under 1.5"? SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted January 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 Actually just over 1.5" - 40mm - only 2mm narrower than the standard nut but it makes a big difference. My previous single cut I actually use a 40mm nut on a 25" scale and it plays great, this is just 21" scale so it'll be a fun little guitar to play and playable by adults and my son! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted February 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2015 Well it's been a while - some progress: The top has been carved - I started out not really intending to do a fully carved top - but hey - here we are! All came out very well - done via the combination of router steps and an angle grinder with sanding disk: Neck - hmm yes I kind of got carried away and shaped the whole thing up without doing the truss rod - hey it's been a while since I made a neck! Never mind I'll manufacture a jig to do it once I have the rod: The scarf joint came out excellently even if I say it myself, the line is barely visible, will be interesting to see how visible it is after shaping.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) Well I radiused the fretboard tonight . . . using one of my radiusing router bit . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7iyOj_zY-k%26 Edited February 24, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) Chopped of the top and bottom - along with a shot of the finish produced by the radius bit: A pretty perfect radius - I think you'll agree: The finish - it shouldn't take more than a few minutes with some 400 grit to shine up: Now to sort out the truss rod routing! Edited February 25, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted February 25, 2015 Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Well I radiused the fretboard tonight . . . using one of my radiusing router bit . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7iyOj_zY-k%26 That is a great system Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 (edited) Well I radiused the fretboard tonight . . . using one of my radiusing router bit . . . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7iyOj_zY-k%26 That is a great system Cheers - just one $18 piece of Alu + 1 router bit + $4 roll of tape + router table = perfect radius I also tackled the elephant in the room (the truss rod routing . . ) and it came out pretty well - it is about a mm off centre but I aren't complaining it's totally straight - now I just need to die the thread down the rod and cut it to size (along with fitting it correctly! You can see the jig(!) I used in the background of the pic - nothing special merely a piece of wood thicknessed and clamped to the in feed side of my fence, this ensured the rear of the neck was level with the widest point of the headstock, then just slide it over, it was real easy in the end! Edited February 25, 2015 by SJE-Guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted February 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2015 A quick hop skip and a jump and it's looking like a guitar: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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