Carving guitar tops

[liquidguitars]

Hi Pookie,
I just started to look at this desktop cnc a week ago , so I do not have a unit. I saw a Carvewright on ebay and here i am doing some research.

[Greybeard]

hello in the UK.. I used the idea of your plastic figure immersed in a black dye bath detail" very cool BTW" but in 3D, using a grayscale map a "trick i use in brodcast to generate earth images ect.." i was able to project the virtual ink well map into my cad model, render it and bingo!

Great

John

[liquidguitars]

Hi John,
After looking at the 3D simulatons of the guitar shape above, can this body be accomplished with the Carvewright with repeatability? Some of
the woods we use are something not to waste.

I know that a large 5hp CNC is better but....

[Greybeard]

I hope you realize that I'm in a similar position to you without a mc.
However, I have become familiar with the current software so I hope I can contribute theoretical observations that are valid.

Repeatability shouldn't be an issue, but production runs might be if you are thinking in commercial terms. If you're doing everything else yourself, I guess the mc making the bodies (and the necks ?)could keep up with you. But if your thinking of a small factory, I'm not so sure.
Certainly that's the line that Carvewright take - this is designed more for the diy/hobby market, but then a lot of companies start as just that.

Re the sizes involved. You haven't posted the actual dimensions in terms of maximum depth you need. Although the maximum cutting depth is only 1", you can turn it over and carve from the back, so with a suitable jig to hold the first carved face steady, you should have no problem with a 2" slab.
Are the bodies of electrics always made from a solid block, or is building the shape from glued up pieces commonly done ?
John

[liquidguitars]

I was thinking your working with the MC now... no worries...

Regarding the guitars bodies two piece top and bottom bookmatch is typ.

for the guitar top, bookmatch maple: 17 long x 13 wide x3/4 thick typ and the back 1 3/4x13x17 typ I would think the MC should be fine as far as the sizing.

But I am wondering if the MC can handle the carving part without shutting down due to heat ECT... I am thinking about calling MC and see if a demo
or sample caving would be prudent.

[pkunk]

ok I was thinking your working with one now... no wories...


but I am wondering if the MC can handle the carving part without shuting down due to heat ect.. I am thinking about calling MC and see if a demo
or sample caveing would be prudent.

Carvewright most likely (according to their web page) will not do this as a sample carving. Post your mpc file, I'll upload it to a card at best, and let you know here what kind of carving time you're looking at. Then we could discuss where you want to go from there. I've run my machine as much as 6 hrs. a day with no ill effects, allowing for some cooldown time.

[liquidguitars]

I am thinking about getting one for prototype work. I like the idea of a small CNC running 1 hp and high rpm.. so you think it's up to the task?

[liquidguitars]

Well I thought I was smart about the cad transfer but looks like I have a pitted surface due to the maps I am painting....

[liquidguitars]

Here you go- It is a eary version of the body not to scale, but a good test.

[Dan-Woodman]

You will need to put this project on a sled or add a couple of boards to the sides for the upper rollers to ride on.
When you upload the project it warns you about this. You have a choice to manual jig , let the machine autojig, or ignore.
Carving time 2 hrs. 21 minutes.
If you choose autojig ,it reduces the size of the project to leave extra wood on the sides for the rollers.
If you ignore thers no way to hold the project down.