balooka Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 has anyone build a copycarver? or even purchased the buildingplans? If so, is it any good or should I keep away from it? the link -> CopyCarverSite jp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 Not yet but I would be thrilled to hear any comments from those who have. I'm just about ready to pull the trigger and get the plans but I would like to know more from those who actually have one. I'd be more than happy if it will just rough out material leaving me with just the final shaping with sandpaper but I would like to know if it is good enough to copy a neck profile acurately. Mayby I'm just looking for the easy way out but isn't that what tools and jigs are all about anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balooka Posted March 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 I have mailed the guy that sells the plans, asking about just that, acuracy. His answer was that it all depends on how well you construct your jig and the type of bit you use. Besides the fact that the site (for obvious commercial reasons) doesnt show how it exactly works in a fluent x,y,z motion it looks kinda oldfashioned. I'm gonna show the site to a friend that does the lasercutting for me and ask his opinion (since he'll have to build it for me lol), and if he says it could work im gonna order the plans and build it. Also, it seems that you can alter the measurements to your own needs so you can make it just small enough to fit your neck, or increase the size to do the neck and carved tops (or add another router to do 2 necks in one setup, which would be awesome). anyway... off to my friend now! JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 A good friend and I have already built one for each of us, and they do work good. We redesigned it to be 50% bigger so that it leaves a 45" wide area to work with, and is plenty for carving guitar bodies out. It's mainly gonna be used for carving the back of necks, and guitar tops. If I was you I'd check into Terrco's bits and stylus so that you don't have to make your own. I'm using a 3/4" round nose bit, with 1" slightly oversized Stylus, the advantage of that combination will come apparent after you've worked with it a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
balooka Posted March 20, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 hmm I thought the stylus should be the exact same size as the bit? anyway, I take your word on that since I never used it, but wouldnt that render an oversized copy? How long does it take for you the shape a neck, not including the setup. Doe you preshape prior to the actual uhm copycarving? tia jp hmmm so you already have the plans eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 20, 2004 Report Share Posted March 20, 2004 If you think about it, a 3/4" round nose bit would be smaller than the 1" stylus, thus when your guiding the stylus over the original, the 3/4" bit will only have a small cutting area, which will make it more precise. It's hard to explain, but basically the slightly wider stylus makes it where mainly the tip of what the stylus goes over will be duplicated on the copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 can we get some pics GF? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 Sure thing bro.. I took some of me practicing with it, but I'm just now getting the actual templates that I will use to copy done. We built it and I didn't have the right kinda bits to use with it at first, so I ended up ordering some from Terrco and haven't gotten back to carving yet, since I've built a neck jig, and had to work on the arbor press to get it to accept the 3/8" arbor press system. Also, been getting more wood ready to work with. Of course during this same time, I've been doing alot of fret work just to get better, and learn how to use some of the new tools I bought. If only I could take off a full week from my current job, maybe I'd get somethings done.. lol When I get home I'll try to post you some pics.. Does anyone know of a good free web server? I wish I could find a better one than the one I've been using. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted March 24, 2004 Report Share Posted March 24, 2004 fullserve... i just post from my domain sometimes though.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Here is the only picture I have taken after I built the machine and was testing it out with a 1/2" straight bit. Copy Carver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krazyderek Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 wow, is plywood really stiff enough? i would have thought for sure you woulda used metal.. ? looks neat though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 So far it's done everything great since I switched over to the 3/4" round nose bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPL Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Thanks for the report GF. It sounds like it could be a good addition to the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Thanks for the report GF. It sounds like it could be a good addition to the shop. oh yeah big time, I can't wait to get to use it more. Like I said I've been so busy working my regular job sometimes 10 hours a day, then working out everyday for at least an hour, our band is recording a CD so most of the weekend is tied up a well, and inbetween all that I've been buying and building tools. So hopefully I'll have alot more pictures of neck carving and body carving later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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