mistermikev

you had me at battery powered tube amp.  love it.  should be a wonder of nature when it's done.

meanwhile... out in the garage... gluing up panels... then realize I put one of the long boards on the short one (glue is dry now) while I was applying glue to the long one... so bunch of swear words... wet rag to get the glue off... I'm guessing my 1/4" flamed maple piece is going to look like a ski when it dries.

old smell... such is life.  will get some more practive milling down new longer puple heart piece today!!

6 minutes ago, MiKro said:

Do not use soft stops as they move with your zeros and cause problems .

Edit the XML with notepad if nothing else

 

 

right on... I will take the advice, but find a free xml editor and edit it.

I haven't opened mine up yet, but I believe it should be this one:

https://www.ebay.com/i/224181412357?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=224181412357&targetid=935083617267&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9032152&poi=&campaignid=10897367470&mkgroupid=108153776780&rlsatarget=pla-935083617267&abcId=9300403&merchantid=101708222&gclid=Cj0KCQjwufn8BRCwARIsAKzP697QKf966av-r8hGnaFu7gGH-3pqFiqlA5_Gv8LaD6aV0sF-E_Hbt38aAp87EALw_wcB

It at least uses the bobcnc driver. 

Just now, MiKro said:

As far as the center is not the best option for X0, Y0  you should use a corner that is referenced from your X0 Y0 machine coordinates.

Does the machine have the ability to home? If so, then home the machine. set everything to zero. Go in to mach 3 choose offsets and and then choose G55 or G56 just not G54 then jog or use MDI to move to a specific location , Let's say X2, y2 for an example. once done. then rezero those. That is now a work coordinate using g55 or what ever you chose.  Make sure to save the settings.

Now you have the ability to always find work offset place from the machine coordinates. when you run a part for it you will select G55 or what ever you chose before running anything. YOU can always edit the Gcode to reflect using that as well if you want. I change mine constantly over a period of time as my locator pins may become sloppy. but it is still a referenced work offset from machine coordinates.

MK

this is a subject that has really caused me some grief.  the machine has no mechanical zero stop mechanisms ie no home per se.  I've seen a bunch of threads where folks have added them... but I'm not there yet. 

I have taken the machine to lower left corner and max y and set that as home... but then I am unable to utilize the soft stops.  Using machine coords and trying to alter the soft stops... it just does not seem to respect them.  I know this must be an issue with my brain... PEBKAC error/operator error... but had chased it around one day and then just got beaten into submission. 

the machine itself seems to be setup to have a center zero... because using machine coords none of the corners are actual zero.  I need to dig into that xml file and figure out where those settings are but just too lazy to install an xml viewer on my pc as I'm about to build a new one anyway. 

for now... my kludge is that I built in some center lines on my spoil board.  if I toss a 15deg engrave bit in there I can get the center dialed in pretty well... but yeah - it's a pita and not the best way to do it.

Just now, MiKro said:

So as far as the tilted pocket you will need to make a jig that places the surface at the correct angle for the body to lay on. As far as Sprues. in your tool path settings go to advanced options in the profile tool path and choose tabs. set these accordingly, then calculate. These will hold the body to the outer piece of cutoff wood so it remains as one piece.

right on.  certainly good advice there.  I have become familiar with the tabs - it's a very nice feature - just wish that had an easier toggle-on/off for it.

I've seen that you can do a 2 rail sweep or a tilt at the component level that will give one the appropriate angle... any issue with using those?  I ask because it's common to see folks recommend tilting the work piece as opposed to using this and I wondered why - something I'm missing?  I used the 2 rail sweep method for my 1 deg neck pocket.  I do see the down side of the butt edge remaining 90 deg (not 89 deg) but in my case that part will be covered by my neck overhang anyway.  I could make the neck stock an extra 2mm long and back bevel it to fit the 91 degrees. 

i see amana tool makes a 3 degree bit... will keep looking for 1 degree and 4.5 degree but not holding my breath!!

6 hours ago, curtisa said:

Good call on the dust boost for the CNC. I can't live without mine. Right up there with a LED light ring underneath the spindle to illuminate the cutting area.

 

I vote for option D - rough it in on the bandsaw (or even hand saw it) and finesse it by hand using a plane and/or sanding block. If your headstock angle jig isn't the right tool for that particular neck and your tablesaw only able to cut it under borderline conditions, it's going to take you longer to CAD up a fancy one-off model, work out the toolpaths and machine it on the CNC. Pick your fights.

hehe, was already thinking I should build one and put some leds in it.  was going to run them to a motherboard battery. 

option d you say... well sir, I don't have a hand plane but I do have a beltsander and/or my rigid oscillating sander has the sort of belt sander attachment... that might work quite well for this.  thanks for the suggestion. 

pick your battles - tru dat.  that said... you work it out one time and it will be there for you in the future.  guess I'm just itching to do some real work w it!

starting to be able to visualize it. We're looking at the back of the bass here.  the opposite side will get either a flamed maple slip match top, or a figured oak slip matched top.  Haven't decided which one to go with. 

couple notes: to self

1) building a big heavy 2x4 planer sled makes for solid rigidity going through the planer as well as a very soar back.

2) the upper horn there... going to require some forethought to have that come out w/o the tip being part of the centerpiece wood there.  I want that detail to be part of the wing... so after I glue these side wings up I'm going to have to take a strong 1/4" cut on the table saw up to the start of the horn... then stop the saw (mercy me - a very serious proposition as it is a doable cut but one that should def be taken seriously). 

This middle piece had to be that wide so that the lower (left) body would fit within the lovely piece of purpleheart I wanted to use.  This means the upper right horn would go into the centerpiece territory. 

3) my tablesaw is only 10" which means I have just uner 3" of blade height to work with.  The neck blank is just over 3.  I'm doing a scarf joint on this neck with a multilam headstock that will be a sandwich similar to the body wings.  So... I can do that scarf with:

A) the tablesaw (not enough blade height)

B )  my headstock angle router jig (might be too lean of an angle) 

C) the cnc (I'm not confident this will leave the kind of flat finish I want)

so... channeling the spirit of carl thompson this weekend as I practice resawing and planing pieces for my bass. 

I have oscillated back and forth about doing a glueup of 4 pieces of purpleheart + top or and more 'pieced together' thingy in the spirit of carl thompson.  you can see my orig blank top left here and my 2nd one front ctr below.  purpleheart is so heavy that I'm thinking I might try to work in more lams of maple for my wings of the body.  I guess I can always use one as a lab rat and choose what one I like most towards the end.

no resaw expert... but I'm learning... made a great big planing jig out of 2x4... works fantastic.

my floor is starting to look like some sort of psychadelic purple snow christmas... might hold a rave here next weekend idk!

getting more familiar with the cnc too... did up a spoil board complete with training wheels... and a dust collection boot.

6 minutes ago, David Ivy said:

@mistermikev I bet it is brutal.  The hurricane brought a cold front with it so at least there is that.

We are not burning up without Air conditioning, Lol...

I'm told it gets pretty brutal in Louisiana too... but I recon not this time of year anyway, right?  Usually in AZ if the power is going out it's gonna happen during the monsoon which likely means it's not that hot (fortunately).  Anywho, have to clean up the shop and organize the tools while you wait it out!!

50 minutes ago, David Ivy said:

@Bizman62I play store bought gibson epiphones and fender teles and starts. I like playing both.

When I build a Gibson style guitar I would like it to be as close to a Gibson as I can without copyright infringement. I eventually want to try my own body shapes and breadstick shapes. But there are so many out there that even originality is almost a copy of something that's already been done.

on that note... you are going to want to go over to mylespaul.com and do some searching on 'bartlet plans' and also '59 burst plans'.  there are some guys there (a few visit here sometimes) that take 'as close to the original' to a whole nutha level.  there are documents over there that were drawn from actual 59 bursts and such.  they take it down to the exact placement of the control cavities and everything.  It's really obsessive and I respect the hell out of it.  Anywho, if you want to get close that's a great source for info - just thought you might appreciate.

5 hours ago, David Ivy said:

Yes I am well, working.

The company I work for was not affected by the storm.

I have been charging my phone at work.

I can't wait til they have the power back on. We take for granted all the comforts we have like hot showers after a long days work, or cooking food on an electric stove and so on.

Thank you Bizman62 .

this is kind of a rolla coaster reply - at first I'm like "what?  power out everywhere and you still have to work??!?" then I read the part about charging the cell and thought "well I spose that whole workin' thing is pretty fortunate!"

hehe.  I always keep some candles around for power outtages... but here in az if it happens in the summer - BRUTAL!

1 hour ago, David Ivy said:

Thanks MisterMikeV !

I'm going to take my time fixing this. But we got hit by a hurricane last night and we are without power. So no power tools for now. And as we all know you can't use a soldiering iron without electricity. Maybe a few days before I can do anything to it.

sorry to hear that... keep safe.

good news is - looks like your chip is only down to about where a normal fretboard would be.  bad news is... that's a lot of wood to remove by hand.  Personally, I'd try to mitigate some of that with a router and router sled first... but that's me (lazy).  It's all just an opportunity to learn a few things.  guitar is looking great tho so... you got this.

if it's tapping you want... highly recommend you guy buy a drum head like the alesis dm5.  then, wire up two piezo elements where you want to tap... and to a stereo jack.  then you run that stereo cable to a dm5.  now... when you tap you will triger electronic drum sounds.  more importantly you'll trigger midi.  if you run out midi from the dm5 to usb pc in, or two other synths... you can trigger any sound you like (conga!).  Just a thought.

I would suggest that you

A) take the guitar to another instrument maker for formal appraisal.  Perhaps a local repair guy... someone who might know more about high end hand built instruments

B ) explain to that person that this is for insurance (you don't want them thinking you are trying to use this to put a selling price on your guitar), and you need a written estimate and I would tell them you'll bring them 6 guitars to estimate and give them $50 total. 

I bet that does it.  Honestly, if you go to a local guitar shop you are going to get low-balled anyway, and esp if you get them to do it for free.  Everything costs money... doesn't have to be a back breaker but I would think 6 guitars might take them 40 mins and $50 would be fair.  If you lay it out like that... from the repair guy's perspective he's going to make cash for doing almost nothing.  Hard to pass up.

total divergence... but I meant to ask: do you perhaps use a tablesaw jig to put a taper in laminates for a bass neck?  if so... any chance you have a pic?  I've seen a few jigs that I'm not fully satisfied with and learning towards typical mitre jig with toggle clamps.  Just wondering what others use?

40 minutes ago, Prostheta said:

My RBX is a 35" scale as are all my 5-ers other than the SB. It doesn't make that much of a difference, however I don't play heavy gauge strings. Just "normal".

Laminated necks are only slightly stiffer from their laminated nature, however it's common to laminate in stiffer woods for that goal. Bubinga and Wengé are two favourites I like to go back to, whether between Maple or Mahogany-ish woods. I choose my words carefully when discussing neck construction as stability and stiffness are two different things. "Stable" can often be confused or used interchangeably with "stiff", but generally it means the wood doesn't distort its cross-sectional shape excessively when taking in or giving back moisture to the environment. This is why I mentioned growth ring alignment....tighter radii in growth rings leads to all manner of screwy things happening, especially from tangential movement. Stiffness should purely be regarded as the resistance to bending under string tension.

A couple of carbon fibre rods are nice insurance, let's put it that way. They're not intrusive to the sound of the neck (some might spend ages arguing this, I prefer to practice, play and enjoy instead) and I think the task of slotting for rods is a good basic technical exercise, especially if in line with the taper. When not using compression rods, I really like the U-channel Gotoh rods. They're not the easiest to acquire sometimes, but they've always produced fine necks. Importing from Allied is a ballache.

You could always laminate in some CF pinstripes. Staple it on the endgrain both ends and stretch it over the laminate. If not that contributive, it's a fun thing to have in there.

always learn a thing or two when I chat w you - thanks for that.  I love wenge and have observed/used it's rigid properties at least two times now.  was not aware that bubinga was rigid.  I always loved the look of it... but passed it up at the local spot because I thought it was about the sm as mahogany.  I may have to snag some next time I'm there.  I imagine sapelle is on that list too.  have some of that and haven't cut any but I'm told it's hard on the tools.

the dif between stiff and stable is def not lost on me.  I am aware that mahog is very stable but it's not what I'd call stiff.  in fact, maple is perhaps more stiff but depending on the piece can be less stable. 

learned some new uk slang too... ballache! 

i like where you were going with the cf pinstripes.  I was thinking... if one cut some grooves on the back side of a shaped neck... then wrap carbon fiber thread around screws at both ends... turn the screw to tighten... then pour in epoxy.  Might add some stiffness.  Might look kind of cool.  Something to try when I'm feeling 'sperimental!

now that makes me think... what about carbon fiber binding?  wouldn't want to have to bend it around anything, but on the sides of the fretboard that could be pretty cool.  That said... it might fight the truss rod too effectively. 

just spitballing here. 

1 hour ago, Prostheta said:

My first 5-string was a Maple neck and stable as well. No reinforcement. Sometimes a neck is good, sometimes not. Laminations do help stack the odds in your favour of course  Opposing grain has never seemed to make much difference to me beyond cosmetics. It's enough to maintain symmetry and aim for vertical growth ring alignment. I don't think quartersawn, or similar alignment makes a neck stiffer....just more geometrically stable as the wood moves around tangentially/radially.

I rarely get chance to select truly good wood on my budget or immediate availability, so a straight Maple-only neck could be a crapshoot for me as it's rarely ultra-perfect. If I reproduced my RBX-775's neck, I don't know if it would be as stable or stiff as the original unless I really spunked cash on an overpriced blank from a recognised source....even then....

Purpleheart is plenty stiff as it stands. Beyond a basic layup of ripped and flipped Maple, these should be more than enough. CF would be a bonus. Whilst I prefer compression rods these days, they do make a neck move around. Toneful beggars, but needy as well!

right-o.  I think if I did this neck using a single piece of the birdseye I have access too - we'd be golden... but that's not the right wood for this build.  I believe you are right about the multilam being enough... but there is one variable I left out that might make it more uncertain - 35" scale.  I'm also using an allied truss which I think probably does add some stability as they are well made and fairly rigid.  all that said... If the price of knowing you've done everything you can do is a little extra effort and a few carbon fiber rods... I'm in.  Will be something I can check off my "haven't done yet" list too so... think that's the way to go!

Just now, Prostheta said:

So that's a thing then.

Well, CF in a neck is no bad thing. I recall that David Myka did a test many years ago where he made a neck with LOTS of pultruded tubes replacing the wood. The comment was that it was very bright sounding. I wouldn't say that's a bad thing, just a thing to quantify when juggling your parameters. I'm of the opinion that a simple wooden neck can always be better whether through basic lamination of the same wood to achieve a more stable growth ring orientation and symmetry, lamination of different woods and materials to achieve the same and bring together a variety of tonal qualities, or flat out going super tech and dropping in everything....in reasonable balance.

Like you've heard other people say, a couple of small reinforcement bars are more than enough. You can easily make a neck too stiff and unresponsive. Strings need to pull in a little bow for fret clearance. Man, you know all this. haha 

right on, some good fact-lets there (I've heard many complaints about teh sound of carbon fiber, then again flea seems to make an entirely carbon fiber neck sound pretty good so... grain of salt).

I have two 5 strings right now... and don't really care for either.  they both are solid maple and are under constant strain to maintain the super low action I like.  I think I'm probably most of the way there just going with a 7 piece lam w opposing grain and an ebony board... and perhaps I'm jumping the gun thinking that that on it's own won't be enough to get me rock solid stability with a thin profile... but I'd hate to be wrong!

9 minutes ago, Prostheta said:

It's always a good thing to round up ideas and document how they play out. Too many forum threads around the Interwebs hit one snag and go cold forever with no meaningful closure. Where do you think you might take this, if anywhere?

well, the takeaway for me is that if one wanted to do something like this you'd have to address the need to put tension into the carbon fiber.  that really complicates it for me. 

I think what I'll end up doing is buying some of the thinner pulltruded carbon fiber rods and perhaps do a 1/16 route that is deeper.  I just don't want to put a lot of "anything other than wood" in a guitar if I don't need to.  The one thing I think I heard from many sources is that the typical 1/4 x 1/4 carbon fiber reinforcement is more than anyone needs.  so... perhaps I'll snag some 1/16 x 1/4 rods and try that out.  this whole thing came from me thinking about a 5 string bass (my next) that is a purpleheart/maple lam.  probably going to be pretty solid as is, but I'm wanting to do a really shallow profile and I'd like to maintain as much rigidity as I can without adding any more carbon fiber than I need. 

just a follow up here... I spoke to syfi... and he agreed that the TOW threat method would not add meaningful rigidity.  I guess we all kind of knew that, but just thought I'd follow up.

right on... I may have jumped the gun.  looking good.

when you say 'got her done' do you mean the whole enchilada?  if so... c'mon now... full body shot aka money shot aka "I'm all done look at the results" shot...

either way that's a sharp bridge and tuners look good.

wow man, "you're on fiiiirrrrre" (imagined van halen voice).  looks lovely.  nice work.

3 hours ago, curtisa said:

Small Bear Electronics would have most, if not all of those. Look up the 16mm Alpha potentiometer range.

250K blend pot with centre detent is a bit unusual. Stewmac sell a 250K Alpha blend pot but there's no indication that it has the centre detent. Mind you, if you're building an active preamp there are ways to do blending that don't require the use of such a hard-to-find component

Are you sure you need 250K pots for an active installation? Seems a bit on the high side.

yeah... what he said!  also, you can check mouser but it's such a pain to find things there for me.  if it exhists they'll have it.

also... there's this: https://reverb.com/item/31157001-alpha-blend-potentiometer-with-center-detent-250k-ohm