[Kammo1]

Hi guys just wondering does anyone have or know where I can get a DXF drawing of a standard 22-24 fret fretboard with the fret spacings in a 25 1/2 scale length and a 24 3/4 scale length ?
I don't know how to create my own and if anyone would be willing to share that would be cool, many thanks Kammo1.

[fatal-exception]

Here's a webpage for calculating the fret spacings for any scale length. I used to have this in Excel.

As far as a .dxf goes, it would just be a bunch of lines right?

[bostosh]

Will this work?
http://liutaiomottola.com/formulae/f...mozTocId169477
Are you seeking a 3-D model?

[Kammo1]

Hi guys and many thanks for some links and stuff. Ok basically what I was after was to basically have a DXF drawing of a fretboard/fretboards ie 25 1/2, 24 3/4 etc as a template so I can then import some images as fretboard inlays and place them in the correct origins on the fretboard and then get them cut on a CNC machine so I have the inlay's to go in and also the pocket on the fretboard. Maybe this would be a good tutorial to start for guys wanting to make some interesting fretboard alternatives, what do you guys think ? Basically it would be a great way to pull up a fretboard from the templates,import a design, position it where it needs to go then save as a Cad file and then cut, does this make sense ? your views please. I was looking at the Vectric Cut 2D to do this and will it be possible and a good software to use or are there simpler versions out there. Excuse me for the newbee questions as I am only starting to touch the basics of CNC software so there might be alot of questions. Cheers Kammo1.

[bostosh]

Great idea, Is sounds easier than it actually is to do.

Not impossible, you will learn much by doing this.

After all, it is simply x,y,z

[luthier]

I went to StewMac.com and printed out a scale I was interested in. I went into rhino and copied and pasted an arc for all the spacings that were calculated on the printout. It didn't take long at all. You have to remember you can have different fretboard radii, nut widths, number of frets, as well as different tapers. It makes sense to create your own for your particular needs.

[ger21]

A calculator and a free cad program can get you what you want in an hour or so, once you learn the program. Basicaly, you raw a line, and use the offset command 25 times.

I'm sure you can even download the spacings pretty quickly.

here you go.

http://buildyourguitar.com/resources.../jscrptclc.htm

[Kammo1]

I downloaded a free version of Deltacad which is quoted as one of the easiest CAD software in the world BUT I am still struggling to make a simple fretboard. Basically all I want is to make a template that is 70mm wide x 500mm long and all I want to do is place the fret positions in the correct origins and I still can't do it!! How can I set the programme to be in mm and type in a specified measurement ie nut to 1st fret and it will be in the correct spot ?? man this is turning into a headache!!!!!!!

[louieatienza]

kammo1, is that you from Charvel land? Hehehe check out vfret program, it's free too... also check out mimf.com, i'm a member there as well....

[Kammo1]

Hey Louie bro yes its me,great to see you here on this fantastic forum. Many knowledgable folks on here and I'm just starting to get my CNC act together and have been looking at some software to do fretboard inlays as my hands get very fatigued doing all the small fiddly work so I think its high time I tackled this obstacle. Great to see you here and love to see what you have got. Laz aka Kammo1

[CarveOne]

Kammo1,

Do a web search on "Fret spacing calculators" and you will find bunches of online and free download calculators.

CarveOne

[louieatienza]

Hey Louie bro yes its me,great to see you here on this fantastic forum. Many knowledgable folks on here and I'm just starting to get my CNC act together and have been looking at some software to do fretboard inlays as my hands get very fatigued doing all the small fiddly work so I think its high time I tackled this obstacle. Great to see you here and love to see what you have got. Laz aka Kammo1

Yes there are many here and they've helped me as well... My build's in the DIY CNC main section... Like you am getting a bit long doing this stuff by hand...

[ERJS2000]

Hi guys just wondering does anyone have or know where I can get a DXF drawing of a standard 22-24 fret fretboard with the fret spacings in a 25 1/2 scale length and a 24 3/4 scale length ?
I don't know how to create my own and if anyone would be willing to share that would be cool, many thanks Kammo1.

I am surprised nobody mentioned the plug in for sketchup that generates a 3d fingerboard to any radius or compound combination and any scale length. It requires another plug in for export but all the information is found at this link.

http://www.guitar-list.com/download-...etboard-plugin

[louieatienza]

I am surprised nobody mentioned the plug in for sketchup that generates a 3d fingerboard to any radius or compound combination and any scale length. It requires another plug in for export but all the information is found at this link.

http://www.guitar-list.com/download-...etboard-plugin

Dude you made my year....

[Kammo1]

I've seen that before how do you get it to work? I've downloaded it but what do I have to do next ?

[LuptonM]

If u want to model your own fretboard u can think of it as a cylinder trimmed by 3 planes (1 to define the height of the fretboard and 2 to define the taper).

Then you can use the fret distance calculator in order to make the fret slots by using solid boolean difference (is that a Rhino specific term?) with the trimmed cylinder and cuboids placed on the fretboard with their middle at the fret distance ect

[louieatienza]

I've seen that before how do you get it to work? I've downloaded it but what do I have to do next ?

You need to download the .skp to .dxf or.stl plugin, then you can import the fetboard to whatever program...

[Kammo1]

Ok guys thanks for all the help. I downloaded the dxf to stl plugin and have managed to get the fretboard in Sketchup HORRAY!!!!!!!!!! now when I go to "save as" it doesn't mention anything about saving it as a DXF or STL ? only in Sketchup 7 ? what am I doing wrong can someone walk me through this ? hope you can help.

[louieatienza]

Ok guys thanks for all the help. I downloaded the dxf to stl plugin and have managed to get the fretboard in Sketchup HORRAY!!!!!!!!!! now when I go to "save as" it doesn't mention anything about saving it as a DXF or STL ? only in Sketchup 7 ? what am I doing wrong can someone walk me through this ? hope you can help.

It's in the TOOLS drop down menu....

[Kammo1]

Ok guys managed to save a fretboard in DXF format and have the trial version of Vectric Cut 2D will this with Mach 3 machine the fingerboard or will I need Cut 3D ?? sorry for all the dumb questions but this is all new to me.