Woodenspoke

I own a small CNC mill and hope to someday purchase a CNC router. I think the issue I would have is you are close in price to a real CNC router, real meaning 2" x 4" size table big enough to do most parts maybe even several parts at a time. Looks like you have to invest over 2K to start. The router is certainly a big one but my worry would be it looks looks like it will just fit a standard guitar body like a Les Paul or Strat. Forget about an Explorer or Flying V or any custom body sized over the max width of the unit. Unless you are rich servos motors are for mass production; steppers are for us simple folk like most forum members and will work fine on any CNC router so that should make no difference. You dont get feedback from the motors but it works just fine if everything else has been set up properly. If you are doing this as a pro forget it, open your wallet and spend the big bucks. I do like the probe so you can take a design and scan it into the machine, it will save you time learning several programs to get a part to cut. But I have already started that process and would personally look for a larger platform. There is also a CNC forum out there CNCzone.com with a section on guitar building. I found this forum very helpful when I first started out. they will probably rip this machine up but try it maybe some does own one and it works.

I dint check your links probably says the same thing. I emailed Reranch when I could not get on the Yahoo site to order about 6 months ago. I did get a email reply that he was too busy to add additional orders to his work load. So when he is really busy he brings the site down. Seems like he wants his shop kept small and probably wants to not have to add staff or expand. Seems a little eccentric to me to not expand if the market is there. Ok, whatever. I wasn't asking for complaints (I don't work for Bill). The thing is, www.reranch.com is down today so I just offered another way into the store, which was open when I posted the link. Wasn't a complaint at all?????? I want to rephrase that message the site was running but when you press the buy button a password comes up he does not bring the site down. I checked there today and he has the site locked (password comes up) which means he has back orders. This is just info for the site I have no complaints what so ever since I only order on occasion from him. I prefer to mix my own paints anyway and use spray equipment. But when I have used his spray paint I found it as claimed a good can of spray lacquer in hard to find colors, great for more extensive repair work without all the fuss.

I dint check your links probably says the same thing. I emailed Reranch when I could not get on the Yahoo site to order about 6 months ago. I did get a email reply that he was too busy to add additional orders to his work load. So when he is really busy he brings the site down. Seems like he wants his shop kept small and probably wants to not have to add staff or expand. Seems a little excentric to me to not expand if the market is there.

Mattia is right its always the first one which breaks the bank. The rest are the easy ones. If you have a work shop already go for it.

I would first check what oil finish you are using. Most of them are really a wipe on poly under an oil finish name and can be put over epoxy. However you may want a heavy layer of oil on the area first. Once the wood is a uniform color and the wood is sealed then fill the holes. If you sand through it will probably be the oil finish not the epoxy. Also you can add shellac between any two non mating finishing products if it is indeed a true oil finish.

Just replace the switch look on ebay for rocker switch that will fit. EBay rocker switch for sale Not my auction

It's nice to here someone actually reads books these days as well as using hand planes. Bravo Just remember going from poplar to maple is a big jump and requires very sharp blade and flat plane bottom to get good results. Good luck with the adventure sounds like you are going in the right direction as is your composting advice.

I would guess it depends on what you are measuring. The incra are good as Doug suggests even though the holes are small and a good sharp pencil is necessary. If its a fingerboard fret positions than you really need to go all out crazy accurate. But if it is just laying out your instrument any good ruler will do. A set of rulers, 6", 12" and 24 " (or metric equivalents) are recommended. Always start your marking using the 1" position and not the edge of the ruler and of course add one inch to the measurement. I never found it necessary to get crazy laying out patterns or anything else 1/32 is close enough (or 1/2mm). I buy my fingerboard templates so I dont have to get crazy.

The founder of this website believes if you have information someone else does not, then put it up or simply don't bother to reply. Don't chastise someone for not knowing what they are doing, to learn from those who know how is what this site is all about. If you have the knowledge to explain it to them, then explain it, instead of looking down your snotty nose at them. This site is specifically focused on HELPING BEGINNERS. So, if you can help and you have the experience, then let's hear what you have to say. If you're too lazy or simply don't care enough to help some new guy out or don't feel like typing it all out, then move on and read another thread and leave this guy alone, because someone here WILL help him, it just won't be you. I stand by my opinions as I believe my point is valid. If you want to hear what I have to say you can do your own homework and read my posts. I have been attacked by VIP's before but generally without the name calling. No I have never written a book on how to use a router and I do not plan on writing one on the forum as you suggest. If the founder ever does get a sponsor I wonder who will be the first to go the members; or the VIP's. I expect to be on the short list LOL. Alysum: Viva le Tour.

Stainless now your talking bucks. There has to be some machine screws out there that would fit a standard neck plate insert combo, at least chrome plated ones. Maybe MSC has them.

That would be going specifically and directly against the prime directive of the owner of this website and his personal philosophy of what this website was designed for in the first place. :D There are woodworking sites dedicated to using tools. I seem to be under the impression this was a guitar building forum "Project Guitar". Maybe being a long time woodworker I expect others to spend some time learning to use their tools before the plug hits the socket. I have seen and posted on issues related to patterns and pattern bits. Anyone could have done a search and come up with dozens of posts to read on the subject. Yes its not my forum nor yours and what I do like is I can express my opinions freely here even though not everyone agrees with them. My "prime directive" (what are you captain of the enterprise) is I joined to discuss and learn about building guitars plain and simple. If the initial question was what bit should I use, my response would have been different. But it was painfully obvious to me he did not do his homework first. I can only hope he does not think finding the right bit should be the end of his search for knowledge. A router is a dangerous tool if used incorrectly. I would not like to be responsible for only providing just enough information for this member to injure himself.

I hate to be the only downer with all elaborate and excellent responses posted here. BUT First I though this site was dedicated to building guitars not learning how to use standard woodworking tools. If you buy a tool I would expect you to learn how to use it before you post questions to the group. Template routing is an often discussed topic here and assumes you have a working knowledge of the tool first. Maybe we are missing a beginners guide to using tools section on this forum. I think what puzzles me is someone can buy a tool and just expect to know how to use it without any reading; maybe its osmosis at work, LOL. I guess the destroy and learn method is a method none the less. Buy a book about how to use a router first then ask questions on pattern routing. I expect all you forum members to be a little more critical of people who cant learn to use their own tools before posting responses here. Give the guy hell for not doing his homework first.

Mahogany is definitely softer than maple, so the answer really has been given. If you worry about the design use brass inserts and machine screws. The inserts have a wider thread giving you more surface area than a standard bolt on neck screw and you dont have to worry about stripping out the screw holes in the future.

If you are interested in guitar building buy a band saw. How about a coping saw way cheaper than a jig saw real old school.

This is the short answer There are two types of people in this world. Those who pay others to do the work and others who get there hands dirty. If you are not the screw driver rip it apart and fix it kind of guy. Buy your dream guitar its takes a lot less effort and money. I started in a basement with little space, with no knowledge, no internet, no computer(both not invented yet), and a few tools one book no longer in print. Turned out I had talent using my hands. My father on the other had couldn't cut a straight line; go figure. Its always a hit or miss, this forum is no help if you have no talent for it. I have gone on to learn many other skills because I am good with my hands and have no fear in trying new things. I have about a half dozen guitars hanging on a wall all failures stripped for parts, but each one a learning experience. I will some day strip out any remaining parts and use the wood to warm my hands by the fire. Good luck

Drummerdude 364 posts and still regressing. I check out the two links you have the rubber mallet must be for your head LOL.

Contact Larry Karosa of Karosa guitars and tell him his neck is a problem and have him fix it for you or at least check it for you no charge.

I remember you posing about some piece of wood, you had people spent time and effort trying to help you, now you want someone to approve a stupid idea like painted bindings. I think I remember seeing those on toy guitars. If your not interested in learing to build a guitar why post here, maybe some other site will be more appropriate like the toy makers forum. If you are just posting stupid questions just to post you have wasted my time and many others on this site who have knowledge they wish to pass on. I will put your posts on my Dee Dee Dee list (For you american mancia fans). As bright as a 5 watt bulb.

Most pros would use clamps and cauls to help bend the neck back and would never use shear force to straighten the truss rod using the nut. With out any tools who know what your fret board is doing, bow, hump, wave. maybe you need a complete fret job a board leveling to get this fixed. erikbojerik is right a lot of repairman taper the end of the board to help with the action, but most would prefer to start that process before the frets are installed. If you want to do it yourself you will need tools and some idea of what is wrong before you start leveling frets to fix the problem. This is really not a question someone can answer on a forum since a dozen things could be wrong. make sure you have the tools to check the board then frets and then probably send it to soapbarstrat he's the pro.

First off I will take any hardwood (poplar is an exception)I can from any neighbors tree that falls. It's really hard to cut first you take a chain saw and cut it. the rest its knowing what to do with it. With a chain saw you should expect larger board thickness or you will waste wood. If its a big tree call a local mill and have it cut for you. Maple in the NE USA is cheap and plentiful. If it wasn't for guitar wood suppliers and manufacturers buying on mass some of the figured woods would be affordable. Honestly I can go down to my local hardwood dealer and buy instrument grade wood at half of what you can. why because they are just selling the wood by the SQ foot and not cut or made for instrument use which is the way it has always been. Do you think a cabinet maker would pay some of the catalogue prices you see for guitar wood, they would laugh at you and say a few nasties to boot. No not every piece is great but it is called looking through the pile for the best board. I can find a large piece of maple with enough figure to split into several tops and if 3/4 of the board is plan I still get a better deal than some of the pricing you see for figured lumber. Makes me mad when people spend hundreds for wood because they are too lazy to find a local lumber source and do some board moving. It also reinforces the high prices you pay. Like swamp ash 5 years ago it was just ash now its more expensive than some nice figured woods. Its just ash, ok so its lighter in weight that doesn't justify the the price being astronomical. Its hype you are paying for on that one. Price hype dont have a fit if you use the wood I dint say it wasnt a good wood. Sorry about the bitching but everyone get real, hardwood should be sold by the sq foot (cut acoustic wood is an exception sorry if I offended acoustic wood buyers). If you buy a pre cut electric body you are only paying someone else a lot of money to cut a piece of wood to size, Food for thought. Ok now to mystery man who lives somewhere where the metric system is in use. Unknown piece of wood, unknown thickness. You asked for advice and showed pictures but who can help you when you dont want to talk about the board. All I really want to say is I dont care how old it is, who it was for, how many knots are in it, what's the radius of the curve, or what wood it may really be. I am glad you only paid for shipping a bargin if I ever did see one. I want to point out several terms you should know about when working with wood, Flatsaw vs riff cut (or quartersawn) my reason to want to know the thickness of your flatsawn board. If you are not following my point here it is time to look on the web about wood movement and cutting wood and grain direction. A violin neck is much smaller than a guitar neck and if it was for this use he would be working from the edge of that board not the top cutting neck blanks, or sides or what ever the intended use was. Is it me or is Rich (fryovanni) the only one who is getting the point here about this board or any board you use. Its wood and requires knowledge to make use of the material no matter what species it is. Knowing grain direction and its effects is knowledge. End of bitch session and my last post on this topic before I explode. Woodenspoke

I hate to say it but I am suspicious as to weather its maple or not, a lot of what looks like open grain for maple. It wasn't a traveling wood salesman who was passing through now was it? Gave you that story that it was owned by a little old lady and her husband was saving it for that violin he was going to make then he died suddenly from a car crash. It was grown on a small hill side in ________(name goes here) where it received the harshest weather and will provided the best sound of any piece cut from that hill. Tell us the truth now. Sorry just had to do it A Picture of some clean cut end grain would help. One note even if you use a knot(why anyone would want to is beyond me) once you cut it you never know what will happen until after the cut same as any piece of wood. I would hold off on any glue up so the wood has a chance to move as it will. You can see how much compression wood you already have by the tight lines around the knot. Cut over size. How about some dimensions on the board too like depth? I'm not saying it isn't maple but in the NE USA rock maple is pretty bland piece of wood. Send everyone a sample of saw dust so we can smell it, my wood identity method, only use your nose; your eyes can be wrong LOL I should never write at night Woodenspoke

This is goiing to end on friday evening and its all going up on ebay for cash only. So get back to me soon. You snooze you loose. Woodenspoke

Why do I ever get involved. 1. 16" yes 6" not so good 2. You cannot really perfectly level a fret board and frets unless you have the board and frets set under tension, the tension exerted by the strings you are planning to use or are using. You do that buy using a neck jig. As soon as you put tension on the neck with strings you no longer have a really flat fret board. Thats why I just built a neck jig since in truth a flat board and frets will not really look flat until the strings are on and its tuned up to pitch. So you can knock yourself out put on some medium strings and find you are in need of a truss rod adjustment first off. I think what I am saying is do the best you can with what you have. 3. As long as the device you are using is flat and you can measure its flatness over a measured distance, even if its crusty underwear your ok. LOL 4. Remember you can move a beam or block side to side and front to rear, some food for thought. This thread was about what to use not how to go about using the tools. For the most part everyone uses what they have or can afford and there is no wrong tool or right tool to do the job as long as the results are satisfactory. If you dont have a neck jig so what; you do the best you can and sometimes luck is on your side. Fretwork is more about thinking rather than just doing, I found sound advice from friends and SM videos helped me get through some misconceptions I have had since the 70's. I have seen some pretty weird styles even just using sand paper over the fingers to level frets. Again what ever works for you. My 2 1/2 cents worth or useless babbling, now go level your frets already Woodenspoke

Sounds like an in compatible combo My I suggest you call Stu and ask they why the two dont work and ask for a proper nut for their neck. Hopefully the nut is still stock, no cuts. Why shim your slot get the right nut in the first place. You better call them because they dont care unless you are speaking with a real person. Woodenspoke

Why am I always confused 1. Looks flat sawn 2. color stains looks to be just surface abuse 3. cracks caused by improper sealing on edges or using cheap sealer and knots, hard to tell from pictures where they go or how bad they are 4. knots mean compression wood and if you cut near the knots you may have made a long bow instead of a neck (trying to think UK here). better c;oser to the headstock end or bottom of the body The neck is a good reference except the neck and wood should be matched up against the side and not the top since you really would rather use a quarter saw cut from this slab rather than a flat saw cut. I see some picture of an edge its hard to tell if that grain is running at 45 deg to the face. So I would be looking to use the side as a reference edge for a neck not the top. neck through split the neck and maybe if its too narrow add a contrasting color strip down the center and reverse the grain for a more stable neck, At 45 deg angle the end grain would look V shaped when split and glued together. If its wide enought then you are set to go. Also 3 necks out of that huge slab, you are kidding me. maybe more like 10 or more if you plan it right. A better picture would be the edge of the board and neck together. I hope you have a good bandsaw. Also dropping wood I dont think makes it ring only when you bang your head against it enough times you hear ringing , LOL My 2 1/2 cents worth Woodenspoke