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Private member DiscussionDesign and Testing

Incoherence between CAD and test-piece

Good morning everyone, I was taking some measurement on production necks with scarf-joint (13° headstock angle) to add some machining process with the cnc. I so recreated the standard neck blank feature (100mm wide and 20mm thick), then drawed the 13° angle. Everything correspond the to the real piace but two measurement: the startingcut behind the break angle is ''off'' by 20mm +/- as well as the cut on the bottom, still off by 20mm…

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Is it possible that the angle of the scarf joint is different from the angle of the headstock on the real piece? Could be a manufacturing quirk
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Sanding methods/mechanism routine

Good evening folks, lately I'm experiencing some sanding methods/mechanism frustration. Can't explain better than look like I'm regressing at doing it. The only thing changed in my building routine is that I'm currently using a CNC (I haven't used one for some years) for both bodies and necks. I have no problems with necks, but sanding bodies has become incredibly frustrating, specially around the edges. While I keep improving my c…

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Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Any helpful tips with bar frets?

Hello, One of my commissions is coming down the pike and it's going to be my first time using bar frets. I could use a once over for any helpful tips if you have any. About the guitar: Aged HD-28 but mahogany back and sides. I think Martin called this a HD-28 M? Skipping the truss-rod and using two carbon fiber strips. My process for Frets: 1: I CNC my fingerboards to a 16" radius and for T-frets I use a .023" to cut slots with a mat…

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Ian Davlin
Depending on the carbon fiber strips and the gauge of string, you're compression may be moot, or at the very least, a fairly subtle factor. I would do a lot of testing before you glue the neck on to t…
Private member DiscussionElectric Builds

Guitar Building Philosophy...

Hey everyone, I had a question on guitar building and overcoming something of a mental hurdle that I have. Quite awhile back I had access to a CNC machine and routed some Stratocaster bodies which you can see in the pictures. I was mostly pleased with how these turned out, but there are a couple of issues. On the cherry bodied guitar, the seam is off center and I had some blowout at the upper horn location, which caused me to try and cu…

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Private member
I appreciate the response and the perspective, thank you! I am curious, since I'm a rather inexperienced builder, I'm torn between being a perfectionist, versus seeing a project through and cracking e…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Side bending - actual problem or isolated freak out?

Hello All! My first post and I'm very happy to be here and share the highs and lows of this pony ride. After years of bending sides on a hot pipe or bending machines belonging to 'other people', I finally built myself a bending machine. Functionally it is great, but the result on some test material was far from great. See pictures attached. What you see here is a doug fir 'test side' that certainly came out guitar shaped, but oh my, what…

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Private member
Hi Benn: My layers are: Metal slat heat blanket 1 wood heat blanket 2 Metal slat
Private member DiscussionShare Your New Builds Content

3D printing and CNC

3D printing and CNC are two areas that I am interested in as a way to facilitate acoustic building. Two questions: 1) For those of you that have both capabilities in your shops, which do you find more useful or more often used on a regular basis? 2) How did you choose a cnc machine? Given the high cost and huge number of products in the marketplace the decision is a bit daunting. Given that the learning curve is steep, I am inclined to b…

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Private member
> 1) For those of you that have both capabilities in your shops, which do you find more useful or more often used on a regular basis? Without a doubt, the CNC is much more useful for building ELECTRIC…
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Bending Crelicam Ebony

A client has asked me to build an acoustic guitar using crelicam ebony for the back and sides that he is getting form Stewmac. I have heard it's challenging to bend, and this will be an OM so the waist is pretty tight. Any thoughts or suggestions for bending these sides? I use a homemade bending machine modelled after LMI's latest design (may they rest in peace) and I have had good success bending rosewood, walnut, mahogany, and pau fer…

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Private member
See the Michael M and Michael B entries in the "Side Bending" thread below
Private member DiscussionAcoustic Builds

Recommendation on inlay courses

Hi all, Not sure if this post should go here. I usually do a simple inlay on my guitars like the one in the picture, nothing complicated. I used to have access to a laser cutting machine, but I can't use it anymore, so I do it by hand and I always get some slots that I have to fill with glue and sawdust, so it could look better. Does anybody know any online courses on inlaying techniques? I would like to improve mine. I know Robbie O'Brien…

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Private member
Thanks I will check!