Building a Guitar on a CNC - Part 2: The Body

Round two folks! This time we run you through the entire process of importing the guitar body 3d model into carve, getting your file set up and carving into a sweet chunk'a wood! Follow along a we share lots of tips and tricks to make your co guitar journey a rockin' success.
At the end of the day...Nevermind
Chapters:
00:00 Buying Supplies
03:00 Guitar Video 2 Intro
04:00 Onshape File Export
05:50 carve Import
07:50 Setup
09:25 2 Sided Carving Buttons
12:30 Limit Planes
17:40 Adding 3D Tabs
25:00 Lets Talk About Indexing
26:45 Creating Index Holes
33:00 Creating the Roughing Pass
40:15 Finishing Pass
49:35 Saving Toolpaths
52:14 Backside Setup
54:38 Creating Index Holes
57:19 It's Getting Rough in Here
59:47 Reaching My Limit(Plane)
1:02:52 Finishing Pass
1:04:20 Tab Vector Toolpath
1:10:40 Offsetting Body Vector Toolpaths
1:26:30 Take a Breath
1:28:06 Onshape Guide Vector Export
1:29:18 carve Guide Vector Import
1:33:20 Ferrule Holes Math
1:53:05 Neck Plate Refining
2:02:55 Saving Toolpaths
2:03:52 Carving Setup
2:16:13 Let Us Carve!
2:23:50 Flip It. On the Back!
2:31:10 Moment Of Truth
2:33:15 Chop and Sand
2:34:40 Thanks for Sticking Around!
Project Files:
rb.gy/9rylxd
Onshape
rb.gy/osqdyk
Bits used in Parts 2 and 3:
Sienci 1/8" Downcut End Mill
sienci.com/product/1-4-spiral...
Sienci 1/8" Upcut Ball Nose End Mill
sienci.com/product/18-balinos...
Sienci 1/4" Upcut Ball Nose End Mill
sienci.com/product/1-4-balino...
Sienci 1/4" Downcut, End Mill
sienci.com/product/1-4-spiral...
Sienci 1/8" Precision Collet for Makita RT0701
sienci.com/product/1-8-precis...
Feeds and Speeds:
cuts2.com/tPEDf
Check Out Our Feeds and Speeds Tables!
resources.sienci.com/view/Imk...
Helpful Fret Spacing Links:
FretFind2D
www.ekips.org/tools/guitar/fr...
StewMag
www.stewmac.com/fret-calculator/
Fret Install Mastery:
www.gunsandguitars.net/
Materials Used:
Body and Neck: Black Limba.
Body blank dimensions: 383mm × 427mm × 44.5mm (15.0787in × 16.811in × 1.752in)
Neck blank dimensions: 80mm x 735mm x 25.9mm (3.1946in x 28.937 in x 1.0197in)
Fret board: Black Ebony
Fret board blank dimensions (before surfacing): 69.4mm × 613mm x 10.9mm (2.73in × 24.125in x
0.43in
Sand paper:
120, 180, 240, 320, 400 grit random orbit and hand sandpaper
Guitar Parts Links:
Pick ups, bridge, selector, jack, tuner keys, neck plate, strings:
rb.gy/uyqyx8
Fret wire:
rb.gy/cghwkp
Ferrules: (Mine are black, but they don't seem to be selling the exact same ones in black at the time of posting this rb.gy/hogo5k
Nut:
rb.gy/pwz6cp
Truss Rod:
440mm version
rb.gy/xeay5g
Pickguard:
rb.gy/tm250w
Fretguru Dagger 2.0
rb.gy/cnaf54
Fret rocker/gauge: (a nice to have, but not necessary)
rb.gy/ayaeh4
Fret trimmers: (I already own a pair of flush cut end trimmers, so any pair similar to these should work)
rb.gy/3pexhz
Other Supplies and Materials Used:
12" long 3/16" Drill bit:
rb.gy/u3knjy
1" Aluminum tube for sanding:
rb.gy/nqqyb3
Sandpaper for aluminum bar:
rb.gy/nqqyb3
Crazy glue & accelerator, painters tape, red sharpie (just not black),
Know the new AutoZero Touch Plate
sienci.com/product/autozero/
Know the Starter End Mill Set
sienci.com/product/sems/
Know the Sign Makers End Mill Set
sienci.com/product/sign-makin...
Know the 3D Carver End Mill Set
sienci.com/product/3d-carver-...
Know the Machinists End Mill Set
sienci.com/product/machinists...
Know the LongMill MK2
sienci.com/product/longmill-mk2/
• Resources
Long Mill Resources Page I Sienci Labs
resources.sienci.com/view/lm-...
// FEATURED TOOLS & SOFTWARES
•Softwares
gSender | Sienci Labs
sienci.com/gsender/
Vectric V-Carve Pro V11
sienci.com/product/vectric-vc...
Vectric V-Carve Desktop V11
sienci.com/product/vectric-vc...
Carveco Maker
sienci.com/product/carveco-ma...
• LongMill Add-ons
Dust Shoe I Sienci Labs
resources.sienci.com/view/lm-...
TouchPlate I Sienci Labs
resources.sienci.com/view/lm-...
Checklist Poster
bit.ly/checklist_LongMill_Sie...
// PROJECT IDEAS
• resources.sienci.com/view/lm-...
// JOIN US
• Facebook Group | / mill.one
• Instagram | / siencilabs
Hashtags:
#LongMill #Sienci #CNC #touchplate #autozero #gender #train #DIY #Maker #gift

[@tedposobiec]

Very good video. This video would have helped me out 4+ years ago when I started with my 1st cnc. I have a the older long mill and Love it. I have made several guitars. I am always learning new things by watching others. I just finished a telecaster body in 4 hours, I use the 3d only on corners and victors for all the rest. I do have a body that I will have to do more like what you have done. I index the front and back so I can take the body on and off at any time. The top hole are drilled all the way through the guitar blank and into the spoil board I use 3/8 pins. When I flip I like using 3 hole like you did, I use any other size dowel pins that I have at the dime as long as they are not 3/8. Good Job

[@tedposobiec]

Not at the Dime> It at the time

[@SienciLabs]

Thanks for the kind words! We appreciate that everyone can always learn something, and glad the video had something for you! Make sure you post pics of your guitars for all to see!

[@alsadaj1834]

You're not lazy. Using the tool that is already in the machine if you can is a very good strategy. Less moves equals less mistakes.

[@SienciLabs]

We couldn’t agree more! But Mistakes were made regardless 🤣

[@billysmether6237]

Hey Andy. For the Telecaster body there really is no reason to use a 3d two sided model. This will get you the depth for the switch valley and bridge pickup. The rear side only has the holes for the strings and neck screws which you can just use the drill markers on the top side to drill through manually for guides on the rear side. The 45 degree angle along the edges on both sides is best done with a round over bit with a bearing. It produces a cleaner edge and is much faster. The Telecaster is a very basic body. You really only need to do a 3d two sided model if you decided to do a Stratocaster body because of the depressions and rear mount parts opening for the bridge. These are awesome videos you are making. Thank you very much.

[@billysmether6237]

Me again. I do not use a roughing or finishing pass on the surface of a Telecaster, top or bottom. Use a piece of wood that is exactly 1 3/4 thick that has a perfect surface on both sides that you sanded before you start. Then just cut your pockets on the top side (double check the depth of your neck pocket), extend the dimples for string and neck screws later when you are done, with a drill or drill press. Fender Telecasters do not use a recessed pocket on the backside for the neck mounting plate. Then do your cutout. Now in just an hour you have a perfect body that just needs a round over bearing router bit cut on the top and bottom edges. Keep it simple.

[@alsadaj1834]

I love the simplicity of your method. Do you just drill out the larger holes for the string grommets on the back side with the appropriate drill?

[@KenDo_creation]

Sweet. Fantastic. Love it.

[@KenDo_creation]

Very soon I'll be getting my 48x30 :):):) can't wait.

[@SienciLabs]

Glad you like it! Goodluck when you start carving. It can be daunting, but it's WELL worth the time put in!

[@billysmether6237]

Besides below, just create (select) a separate pocket for any vector you want deeper and just enter how deep you want your pocket in the setup of the pocket. The limit plane has no effect. Simple and fool proof. If you move the cursor over a pocket in 3d mode in bottom right corner of screen it will tell you how deep to cut (Z depth). The depth of the pocket your neck sits in is critical, if it is wrong you will have to mess with shims or clear out pocket manually. Double check or your strings will be to high or low.

[@DougEllis]

I really appreciate this. I'm learning step by step here. I only have the trial version of Vcarve that doesn't come with clipart. Is there another way to create the tabs? Or is there a source for the clipart?

[@SienciLabs]

If we're not mistaken, you only get the clipart with a paid version of VCarve. If you're able to open to body/neck model in a 3d software you could add some "tabs" in there and export a new model. There probably is some sort of work around within Vcarve too, but we're not 100% sure what that would be.

[@karkjones]

I used your design but the dxf files for the pick guard is of the whole body instead. Do you have a file that is just the pick guard? I’ve been trying to make one in AI but a little more difficult Do you also have any advice since the neck pocket is too big for my neck? Any advice is appreciated for a newbie. Thanks

[@SienciLabs]

Ah sort about that! I can grab just the Pickguard tomorrow and send it. As for the neck pocket, if you haven't carved the body yet, you can just make the pocket smaller in the file before you do. If you have carved the body, you might be outta luck 😔. Fingers crossed you can still adjust!

[@karkjones]

im having a problem with the finishing pass on the front that its saying it'll take 1.5 hours. and also having trouble on the roughing pass on the back. it says that no toolpath created and the pass depth is exceeding the depth of model when i try to use a 1/4 bit. any help would be great. thanks

[@SienciLabs]

The front finishing taking 1.5 hours isn't unheard of. You can bump up the speeds in Vcarve or your sending software if you're looking to save time. I'm not 100% sure why you're getting the errors on the back. I've opened the files we shared and they are working as expected. The "no toolpath created" tells me you probably don't have the 3D model selected. The pass depth exceeding the depth of the model says you may have changed a settings. I'd go back and double check the tool settings. Hopefully this helps!

[@graveljackson9639]

Curious, will this these machines work with available files online?

[@SienciLabs]

Depends on the files you're referring to. If you can find a reputable source, you'll probably be ok. But guitars are very scale and size dependant to be in tune and play properly, and there are examples of files that don't work properly when cut as well.

[@bigbear4x43]

i think i know why the pecking in vcarve is happening on the body you have to many nodes if you convert to bezier curves it will smooth out the curves every place there is a node it will peck stop and go let me know if this helps

[@SienciLabs]

Interesting! It certainly appears I missed converting my curves...Not sure how as that is a part of my standard workflow 🤷...We'll be building another guitar soon enough, we'll test and see how it works out this time! Thanks for the input!

[@jocelyndrolet4610]

I just received my Longmill 30x30 2 hours ago. And now I am watching this nice video. What a timing. I have a question. Why did you used VCarve Pro to generate the paths? I was under the impression after watching the info on your website that there are many free cam soft that we can use to do this. I do not think that retired hobbyistes (A significant portion of your customers) can buy that kind of software if, like me , they do not intend to sell what they produce. I believe your project would sell a lot more Longmill CNC if you would do it with 100% free software. I plan to continue using OnShape for Cad (much easier than Fusion 360) and Kiri:Moto for Cam if it does the job. Otherwise, I plan to use the CAM module of fusion 360. What do you think?

[@SienciLabs]

Hi Jocelyn, we tried out several different software, including Fusion and Kiri:Moto to decide which software to use. Both Kiri and Fusion would work for guitar building, but there are certain quirks that you may need to account for that were easier to deal with VCarve. We did make the assumption that it would be better and more accessible that using free software exclusively would make the LongMill more accessible at the beginning, but the actual reality was that much more people are using paid software than we expected, and after some time, most customers were moving to paid options when they were more comfortable with the machine and wanted more advanced features.

[@SienciLabs]

We always take into consideration the accessibility of the software as an influence of what we show, and although we agree that this software is fairly expensive, because of the functionality and the process we used, the ease of doing it made it more sense rather than using a free software that would have been more difficult to get the results we wanted. Hopefully the video can still be of value, as the techniques, processes, and considerations may impact you regardless of which software you use.

[@MrMuncieman]

I am just getting into this and can I ask you, What do you mean by 100%free software? I am considering buying a CNC machine and know almost nothing so something free interest me?

[@byronjamerson4198]

I'm blocked somehow from downloading the project file - Cannot figure out why...

[@SienciLabs]

We're not sure either, but maybe this link will work: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tYqXMaAB5JrEcb7LXZTd9LYWMm6l3FO0?usp=drive_link

[@byronjamerson4198]

@@SienciLabs That worked!! My MKII will be busy on this project soon. Thank you!

[@SienciLabs]

glad we could help! keep us in the loop with all the fun!

[@johnwiest5996]

Take a look at meshcam V8

[@SienciLabs]

Will do!

[@enabledintergers9372]

Do you really expect people to take advice from someone that cant make up their mind on The measuring of Units?

[@Overit5000]

Man those focus pulls are killing my head…. 😖