[PuresoundGuitar]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to enter the cnc market as a programmer (btw I offer my services) for musical instruments.

My first challenge is to program a les paul style neck.

I'm up to 4 setups, and I can't machine the headstock contours, since I'm doing 3 Axis only.

Anyone wants to share their machining method, fixtures, etc.. for a neck of this type?

I've seen many videos from factory tours, but none seems to show what I'm looking for.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Kammo1]

Hi if I was entering the CNC programming world and offering my services I should know all of the machining knowledge and "how To's", sorry if this sounds harsh but how can you offer a service not knowing particulars yourself ? not being an ass but stating the obvious. What other work have you done and accomplished in the guitar world would love to see the results.

[PuresoundGuitar]

Dude, I do molds for a living...trust me, it's not the programming part that is the problem, I work with CATIA and do 5 axis without a problem. I wanted to reduce the machining setups to a minimum, that's the part where I need help.

Design wise, I've made all kinds of guitars and basses, some fairly complex like the almighty LP59.

I just needed a hand with the fixturing, maybe the (I offer my services) part was mis-interpreted...

[ihavenofish]

Dude, I do molds for a living...trust me, it's not the programming part that is the problem, I work with CATIA and do 5 axis without a problem. I wanted to reduce the machining setups to a minimum, that's the part where I need help.

Design wise, I've made all kinds of guitars and basses, some fairly complex like the almighty LP59.

I just needed a hand with the fixturing, maybe the (I offer my services) part was mis-interpreted...

holding the work is 90% of the work on guitars i find.

hit youtube and search carvin. they have a decent tour showing some neck work. ive also seen pics of rickenbackers vac hold downs, and some of taylors stuff. they each do things a little different.

its dificult to have any less than 3 setups, often 4 unless its a flat fender style neck.

for an LP, youve got:

1: the top side truss.
2: headstock front angle.
3: headstock back angle.
4: tenon.
5: neck back.
6: headstock outline and tuner holes.

all with different angles.

the best i can manage is 3 setups with custom vac jigs and cutters. top, back and headstock.

then theres more interesting things like what taylor does on their electics. they rough the neck, then mount the fretboard, install the frets, then cnc the fret ends, outline, and carve the back last. it runs through like 5 or 10 various setups on different machines, but of course they are making thousands of pieces.