demonx

A few images from the build video in the previous post:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted here, busy running the guitar business and keeping its social media pages up to date, however I’m hoping this video will somewhat make up for my lack of attendance!

This video is a detailed compilation of mobile phone footage showing the Graveyard II guitar evolve from timber blanks to a completed guitar, including the pickup making and final setup!

I hope you enjoy!

I have a spindle and variable speed controller that I can pre program in my CAM. No issues with Mach, just took a while to get the ratios right so that the spindle was spinning at the speed mach thinks it is, however that was done on the controller from memory and not mach. No issues with changing spindle speed my remote control though mach or anything that I can think of. It's been a few years now. I cannot remember what brand the controller is off the top of my head.

My spindle can be run air or water. Air cooling is useless in the Aussie summer, we tried that first, even the water gets really hot and the temp of the spindle rises which means the cutters stay really hot and it makes the tool changer play up/stick. If you go a cooled spindle that it can be water cooled.

@verhoevenc

Same as the other thread, it's been a while since I logged in.

I use mostly upcut endmills.  Sizing and so forth will simply depend on what cuts you're making, for example I've got a upcut endmills ranging from 0.5mm to 12.7mm, if I'm hacking out large profiles it's the larger bits like the 12.7mm, if I'm cutting smaller edges it might be a 4mm or I might use a 6.35mm for the truss slot. But these sizes wont mean anything to you as you'll be using what suits your hardware and truss slots etc.

One thing I will say that is important is use a brand that has a consistent supply and keep spares of the most used. The more often you're using the machine the more often you're replacing the bits and it's a real pain in the butt when you get everything sorted with one bit and then you cannot get it anymore. 

On 31/01/2017 at 2:26 AM, verhoevenc said:

Resurrecting an old thread. I too have found myself spending much more time on sanding than I'd like. I'm looking at something like 45 mins for 120, 30 for 220, and back to 45 for 320. Granted these were setnecks (some tight corners) and basses (larger) but I'd still like to go faster! Figured this might be a good place to do that?

1- @demonx did your hire ever get faster, and how?

2- If the 'how' involved teaching him, would you share your guidance?

3- You and @rhoads56 mentioned relying heavily on RO sanders. Are you using them for just the flats? Or also bevels? Gut cuts? Sides?!

3a- What size disc for the various surfaces you use them in? 6"? 5"? 3"?

3b- Do you employ varying firmnesses of pads on your RO sanders for different surfaces or grits?

4- For those of you not using RO sanders do you have any tips, tricks, techniques of note (what you think is common may be news to others!) for sanding tops, sides, body round overs, necks, tight corners?

 

Here's my current take:

Tops/back/arm bevel: RO 120 + 220 and then cork-back sanding pad 320

Sides: Cork-backed sanding pad 120-320, flat for convex surfaces, round for concave

Rounded edges: Small sandpaper sheet  folded over twice to give it some firmness. 120-320

Gut cut, headstock transition, sculpted heels: same cork-backed round sanding block.

Tight areas: 3/8" dowel or a popcicle stick wrapped in sandpaper.

Alright boys, let's talk efficiencies!

Chris

@verhoevenc

Sorry, I don't log in as much as I used to, so I haven't seen this till now.

Ok... I do my own sanding these days, I got rid of the lackies a couple years ago and now it's just me. It's just so much easier to do everything myself and not have to worry about it being stuffed up by other people. Spending my time training other people or looking over my shoulder watching other people. So, I am now the sanding guy again.

Unfortunately as you have found out, it takes time. Simple as that. You will also find some timbers sand so much faster than others. For example you might sand two mahogany guitars in the time you sand one Walnut guitar. Being careful in your carving stages and not leaving mega deep marks means less sanding them out. Sometimes a few seconds with a bastard file in the hard to sand spots can save several minutes of hand sanding.

I use a electric random orbital, I didn't like the feel of air sanders when I experimented, for a lot of the deep sanding, 80 grit, 120 grit, 320 grit. Some guitars I'll go down to 600 grit. I hand sand any hard to get spots using the same grits and that would include the inner horns or bevels etc you asked about. I don't use pads or any of the mesh things or any of that crap. Just good quality discs on a cheap quality random. I've got cheap through to overpriced random orbitals and for some reason I prefer the cheapest ones they have. I end out buying a new one every 6-12 months, but it just has a better feel than the more expensive makita's etc.

If I'm doing block sanding, I use a small cork block. I have a whole series of automotive sanding blocks and I don't use any of them on guitars. Just the old fashioned cork blocks from the hardware shop and I have several scattered around the workshop.

So do it with sandpaper and a radius block instead of a router. 

Sounds like a story I heard from a guy I know who hired a ex PRS inlay guy to do inlay for him, resume stated he had done inlays for years at PRS. 

Problem was when he was hired to work at the small handmade guitar workshop assisting with inlays, he didn't know how to, he had only ever taken parts from pile A and put them into parts from pile B.

Funny you mention "Fast Guitars" as  all these supposed "luthiers" popping up really irk me, starting Facebook pages and websites and selling to people who know no better, presenting themselves as real luthiers who are selling boutique guitars.

It's pretty insulting to all those who are real builders in my opinion. Plenty of them popping up on SSorg lately and I'm sure other places are riddled with them also.

Considering when I had an existing workshop for building electric guitars, yet had to spend another couple thousand to buy acoustic specific jigs etc, I don't think your budget is in the realm of reality.

Benders, forms, binding jig all on their own are above you total budget without even combing the cost of them, add postage, then add sound hole cutters and other hand tools and templates and finishing tools, you haven't even purchased timber yet, which again is above your budget.

On 12 June 2016 at 6:27 PM, Prostheta said:

Original ideas are thin on the ground these days, Perry. Even when people think they've hit something unique, it's often the case that convergent evolution means somebody else more or less arrived at that same idea too.

Yep.

Kits are certainly not a new concept, but they are a nice little cash cow for when things are quiet, I was "ghost building" neckthru blanks for a Melbourne guy for years, doing the joinery but leaving the body and heel square, carving the neck and doing fret installation and leaving a headstock paddle. He then routes and sands, cuts his shapes and finishes, puts him name on them, no one the wiser. It is however something I've stopped as my own brand grows I'm taking on more of my own orders these days and don't have time.

In Perry's case it's another market to tap into, and in a multi-scale as opposed to the gazillions of standard kits on the market. Good on him. If it takes off then it's another income, if it doesn't, then it's still a success of sorts as he knows he tried and didn't just wonder "what if".

You only have to look at places like Warmoth or Carvin to see that entire businesses can be built around the "kit" guitar. Although these days I think Carvin is more focused on complete guitars than kits. Warmoth however are virtually a household name as far as kits go.

So they're charging $17 per decal? 

You guys will be very happy with what i plan on offering next year then!

My current decal stash I expect to run out mid 2017 and I will be investing in the machinery I need to make my own.

There will be a trial and error period, testing media to see how it reacts with 2k paints etc, but I plan to sell decals by the A4 sheet, not the individual decal. So it'll work out WAY cheaper than what you're paying. It'll work out cheaper than what I was paying before the place I was getting them done by turned to shit.

They won't be waterslide like this place, I never liked the look of waterslide. They'll be thicker quality vinyl. If you look at my gallery you'll see plenty of examples.

Thanks guys, and Prostheta, even though the Rosette may seem simple, it was a real pain. The two I did before looked much more complex and were a lot easier!

Latest build video - I hope you like it:

https://youtu.be/nCFoT68IdJs

On 6/6/2016 at 5:32 AM, Prostheta said:

What is the reasoning for harder woods requiring different offsets?

It is probably a combination of what you said and probably more to the point something soft will "help" itself in where something hard wont have the same amount of give. For example it'd be a LOT easier to shove a 10mm crayon into a 10mm hole than a 10mm drill bit. (To use an exaggerated example)

My 2c is this.

I started looking at entry level machines. After much research and hearing other peoples opinions and stories I decided to skip the entry level and go straight to a machine that now owes me over fifty grand once you add up cutting tools and holders etc.

Now that I've been operating a machine for a couple of years that cost this much and knowing it's limitations, I am scared to think how much regret I would have if I bought a el cheapo five grand entry level machine.

At the end of the day, if you're wanting to do this as a hobby, don't look at CNC. Do it by hand. If you get to the point you "need" CNC, then you won't be looking at entry level machines. You'll be looking at machines which will cost tens and tens of thousands.

I was messing around with something like that last year, didn't use holes for the glue though. It's a bit tricky, but if I can do it anyone can.

I think you'll find that even though offsets are way too small once you start allowing for harder timbers and then spraying paint etc

I did all my original mockups in pine and then found out I had to change a lot of things once going to hardwoods. Not only that, but your speeds, cut depths, overlaps and everything will be different in pine vs hardwood.

You will find that the majority of Acoustic luthiers have Dehumidifiers in their workshop. After having a soundboard crack recently on an in progress acoustic build I am also in the mind that they are very important.

I'm no expert on the matter, but I am slowly looking into them myself as I would like a semi industrial one for my own workshop. I'm looking at solar powered ones so that I can run it 24/7 and not have to worry about the power bill.

Old_Picker

What I do to avoid this, which only takes a few seconds is apply a dab of silicone in the slot where the threads will be (both ends), When you push the rod into the slot, the bead will ooze around the thread and you can wipe it with your finger to smooth it off and make sure the thread is completely covered.

Once you do this, then the glue will not bind your threads when you laminate the board.

Also, check your messages on the other forum we spoke on, I've had an outgoing one to you unread for a week.

8 hours ago, Prostheta said:

That Martin T60 is a serious bit of kit (€45k?) with a lot of great features but it's totally overspecced for guitar work. It's more geared to panel and sheet work. I bet you that one person who would LOVE something like that would be @demonx; right up his street I think. Outside of the CNC work, I think it would be something Allan'd get a lot of use out of.

If I could purchase any table saw for my own use, it would be something like a Felder K700.

My sliding panel scribe/saw is not in that league. Currently it is disassembled for a forklift load it onto a truck for the workshop move.

As far as luthiery, a panel saw is overkill - however it's still great to have in the workshop for other purposes. I used to find ways to incorporate it into guitar building simply because I had one, but it doesn't get used anymore.

On 2/27/2016 at 10:16 AM, RobSm said:

thanks for the info.

I was wondering about the wisdom of it since on the table saw with a template and jig it's no big job.

I'm just learning all the processes ie cad/cam at this stage.

I'll play with the lines.. :o)

Regards,

Rob.

 

 

 

Yes and no, it's a a big job if you have to set up the saw every single time, change the blade etc etc, if this was the case I'd rather just use a stewmac mitre box and do it by hand.

However if you have a dedicated saw, not a drop saw or a compound saw or any of that stuff as they flex too much, a radial arm saw is ideal, the old solid ones that were quality built and you can pick up cheap for a few hundred bucks. Get one of those and set it up permanently for for that job and then slotting is a quick and easy task.

17 hours ago, Prostheta said:

Is that paintshop a mobile unit or a built-in? No comment on the pink.

It's part of this facility:

Customer wanted bright metallic pink, after some discussion we agreed on some color samples and this fuscia variation was decided on. It's sprayed over a metallic silver and the fuscia candy is full of pearl.

8 minutes ago, curtisa said:

My eyes! It burns!

Hot huh!