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I don’t have CNC capabilities so I could not duplicate Dave Slimmer’s version ( https://loothgroup.com/loothprint/bridge-clamping-cauls/). Got a 12x18x1/2 inch HDPE cutting board on Amazon for under $10 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D3LQVA), drilled a row of 1/2 holes about 5/16” deep with a Forstner, cut the HDPE into 5 sided chunks so I could orient by touch, and free handed the brace grooves on the band saw. The clamp swivel pads are 1…

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…

Rask Guitars — Utah (relocation required) Rask Guitars is a Utah-based custom shop dedicated to building exceptional instruments — primarily high-end acoustics, alongside electric guitars and prototypes. We operate with a small, focused team where craftsmanship isn't just a standard, it's the entire point. We're growing, and we're looking for a skilled, experienced luthier who's ready to plug into a real production environment, contribute…

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…

Found this, will print later, saves a little design time. https://makerworld.com/models/1835300?appSharePlatform=copy Having made 3D printed Vacuum fixtures for CNC previously, I’d recommend printing as close to 100% theoretical density as possible, as any voids can and likely will lead to suction loss. Finer dimensional stability and layer adhesion with something with Glass Fibres will probably help. I’d avoid materials with additives th…

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…

Hey all, My father-In-law would really like to make a rickenbacker 4003. I’m based in the UK and I can’t find a suitable template/templates for this. I wasn’t sure to post this in the CNC forum but thought I’d post it here first. I have tried crimson but no luck, but they’ve mentioned many people have asked about them. Thanks for any help it’s much appreciated

We at F Bass Inc have been crafting boutique basses out of Hamilton, ON since 1978 and we’re looking for a Master Builder to join our small but mighty team. Applicants must have a sharp eye, strong organizational skills and the ability to problem solve in creative ways. Someone who genuinely loves crafting custom instruments and appreciates the little details even more so. If you pride yourself on precision and creativity and get a kick…

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…

A while back I saw a Canna Guitars video on Instagram and thought his use of the “wave” scarf joint between his neck and headstock was an interesting use of CNC. But it got me thinking about other options, and this idea percolated in my brain: Cut a regular scarf joint, but then using a CNC cut a tenon into the neck, and a mortise/dado into the headstock. (Obviously you could also do this by hand with a saw and chisel). The joint would i…

Anyone Else looking at the Makera Z1? https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/makera-inc/makera-z1-entry-level-cnc-pro-level-power? Earlybird price is $799. Looks like it might be good for a newbie like me?

I've been building up my "2 car garage shop" for about 10 years preparing for retirement from health care. This spring I finally quit punching the time clock. Over the same time I've build 13 mandolins and 4 guitars. Now I pretty much have all my tools in place and enough wood stored to build for quite some time. My work benches are built with a heavy door for a top and base cabinets I scavenged from work. Lately I have toyed with the i…

I just got a link to this very detailed writeup on CNC milling fret slots, I figured it would be useful to have it here: https://www.precisebits.com/tutorials/fret-slotting

Hey Loothers, A client reached out requesting a neck with wider nut for his headless Ibanez 7 string. He would like it built with rosewood for the neck and the fret board which has been stored for years at a consistent 45 to 50 % humidity in his home. The frets are angled to make it play more ergonomically but it is not a multi scale instrument. He plays finger picking fusion style and simply needs more neck width at the nut to play mu…

This is a repost from the main feed so it is in the correct forum. The recent F5 CAD modeling video inspired me to take a stab at it. I use Fusion 360 and have already completed a full A5 model that I’m using to prepare a lot of parts for my CNC. The F5 top seems intimidating. I focused on modeling the scroll alone for now. I didn’t pay attention to following a plan, or having perfect dimensions, or getting the curves to look perfect th…

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…

I rarely use pickguards on my builds, as most of my guitars are intended for fingerstyle players. That said, I occasionally need to install one, and I've yet to find a cutting method that consistently meets my quality standards. I’ve experimented with several techniques for cutting clear pickguard material, but the results are always somewhat disappointing. Using a brand new X-Acto blade gives a reasonably clean cut, but there's almost a…

Should a CNC be able to cut a perfect looking circle? I'm trying to make solid wood rosette rings. I made the tool path a profile cut. The top and bottom of both Y positions come out uneven in width than the rest of the ring. I've tried slowing down the feed and plunge rate, but it doesn't seem to make any difference. I have an old second generation Nextwave CNC shark and use Aspire for CAD and CAM. Linear cuts seem to be accurat…