DC Ross

First thing, be aware with that narrow of a bit, you'll get into trouble trying to seat any normal-sized frets. I learned that even for frets with a .021" tang, a .023" bit is iffy unless you're using softer woods. I ended up with a neck that had so much back-bow that it looked like the St. Louis Arch. Depending on the type of wood, I ramp at about 15-30 in/min, taking .025" per pass. As with everything, start conservatively and you should be fine.

Looks like the dye black, sand back method first, then a mixture of some TransTint mahogany and maybe cordovan or dark walnut, then distress it. Just pick up a bunch of dyes and experiment.

CamWorks is supposed to be excellent. Couldn't afford that price tag on top of SW, so I opted for HSMXpress (a free 2.5D plugin from Autodesk). Super easy to understand. I use the generic Fanuc post as well, and it works brilliantly. For 3D carves I use FeatureCam. It's kinda cheesy, but it does a good job, just not as fluidly.

Looks great, I'm really curious how the ABS(?) will hold up to the stresses. Great job!

Never had a board that was so rough that it needed 80 grit that didn't go through the jointer and thickness sander first. I usually only use random orbit sanders on flat surfaces with 220 and up. Most of the downward pressure needed comes from the weight of the machine, don't press down on it much at all -- that's a sure-fire way to get rounded edges. As for the sides, maybe it's time to change that router bit if 80 grit is needed

Stew Mac's dual-grit diamond crowning files work great. They're easy, really controllable, and work quickly.

If you have the body (albeit damaged), why not just create your own template from that?

Looking good!

I use SolidWorks exclusively. It's way overkill for just doing guitars, but there's definitely no better tool for it. Plus the fact that there's a free CAM plugin, HSMXpress. It only does 2.5D stuff, but it's very good, very intuitive, and you use it in the SolidWorks environment, so when you make a change to your model, the toolpaths are automatically updated. The cost for a SW license was tough to swallow (just over $4k, and that's without the subscription service), but it's proven to be well worth it. I'm no guru by any means, but feel free to hit me up with any questions.

That'd be great, just let me know. Thanks!

I'm not sure if they ship to Peru or not, but I have a Chinese-made JCut machine that's been performing well. http://www.jcutcnclaser.com/

Very cool project! Just an FYI: you can do all your Cut Extrudes in one operation -- it really saves rebuild times and makes for a "cleaner" model Looking forward to seeing more

That'd be awesome, ansil! I'm just starting the build this week, so within the next month or so. Let me know how much. Thanks again, guys!

Thanks for the replies, guys. This client is looking for a tele-style, 2 position switch which doesn't look like it exists. Super basic, forward for the neck pickup, back for the bridge, with no in-betweens. The feel of the blade switch is pretty radically different from the normal 2 way mini switches that we all know; it's a beefier feel that the client wants.

Hey all, I'm looking for a 2-way blade style switch. Any leads are appreciated. Thanks!

I'm curious as to how Perry is able to build Blackmachine copies, brand them as his own "Hypemachine" line, and legally sell them. I wrote to him and asked, but never received a response.

Like others have stated, there's a very steep learning curve, but it's well worth it, especially if you're doing production work. When I first got into this, I was pretty overwhelmed, and I have a background and degree in 3D modeling, so don't feel bad about asking questions. You found CNCZone which is a great resource, but it can be very overwhelming. Read everything you can, and learn whichever software you end up using as well as possible. Duh, I know, but there's always more than one way to do things, which few people actually move beyond. As far as design software for a 1st timer like you asked, there's a bunch out there and none of it cheap (from what I've seen). I tried the Rhino3D (design) and RhinoCAM (NC code generation) demos and just couldn't deal with its maddening interface and UX, but it works for a lot of people. I've heard BOBCam is decent and not terribly expensive. Personally I use SolidWorks (design) and HSMWorks (NC Code), but that's serious overkill for just doing guitars.

That's the proper way, Tim

I have an 8" jointer (Grizzly G0490 w/ Byrd Shelix head), and wish it were a little bit bigger. It's just big enough for face-jointing most body halves. The helix head leaves a surface that's practically finish-ready. For bandsaws, I use a 2hp 14" Grizzly G0457, it's got a tall fence and a 10" resaw capability. I've never found myself needing more. Planer vs. thickness sander -- That's a bit of a tough call. I have a Jet 16/32 that I really dig, but do wish I had a good 20" planer with a helix head. I use the CNC with a planing bit, it's way slower than a planer would be, and it still needs to be run through the sander. Changing grits on the sander is more of a hassle than I like, and it's definitely not ideal for taking off more than moderate amounts. If I were to do it again, I'd go with a wider model, so I could run bodies through on an angle, since the paper loads up really quickly from cured glue (I use Titebond original). It's great for thicknessing fretboards and neck blanks, and I definitely wouldn't give it up.

I about lost it when I read "I can guarantee that with a conventional ruler you will not be getting my scale length correct." I think he's saying that he's developed a completely new form of linear measurement (seeing as how the wonderful thing about rulers is that they are standardized and conventional).

Bone for non-trem guitars, otherwise Graphtech. Plastic just sucks, and brass is more a novelty than anything.

I'm selling a NEW 4 axis JNC-40M CNC breakout board, with shielded USB cable, and licensed Mach3. Building your own CNC machine, or upgrade your existing machine. $240, shipped free w/in the continental USA. PM or email Darren at rossguitars dot com

If there's enough room in the body, and the wiring harness is long enough, the pickups could be moved down, slid over, then tilted out. Not easy, but possibly do-able. The strings through the intonation screw holes is completely unforgivable, as is the use of a trem bridge plate. I do like the shape of the body though. And to be fair, he did say he has a "unique" construction method

Beautiful. I was very happy to see you chose to go with Cherry - that would've been my first choice.

I built a StewMac style neck jig from plans/instructions by Matt Vinson. It works really well, although a bit of a pain to set up. https://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=matt+vinson+neck+jig