CNC or Hand Work

[Paul E Buerk]

You don't necessarily need a printer larger than a standard 8.5"x11". Just overlay some alignment lines on the image, then print out at 1:1 over multiple pages. Glue the pages to wood or cardboard, and line up the pages using the outlines and the alignment lines.

[Eric Baack]

I've done that for larger printings too. It is nice to have the 11x17 though. or even better, a plotter...

[Gordon Bellerose]

I'm like most of the responding members here.
I absolutely see the advantages of using CNC, and if I ever wanted to get into a larger production situation, I think there is no other way to go.
The cost of purchasing a CNC machine large enough to carve guitar bodies is definitely a negative factor, as is the cost of good software.
And as a few others have pointed out, the learning curve for using the software would be steep. (I'm probably showing a bit of my age here)
For a single "one off' guitar, the costs would be huge. (I agree. ONE is almost impossible)

I enjoy the process of hand drawn design, and hand building my templates. I have spent almost as much time building the initial templates, as I have building the guitars!
There is something extremely satisfying about taking raw wood, and creating a playable instrument, using regular tools and your imagination.

[John Sonksen]

I'm enrolled in a CAD/CAM program right now at a local community college. We're using Solidworks in one of the first classes of the program and I am really enjoying using it. We've already done some pretty complex modelling and it is easier to use than I expected. One of the big problems with it is there are so many features to use you have to look for awhile to find the right tool to use, however for a lot of things certain tools will not be available until you've reached the proper time to use them so that's helpful.

I've ordered my student version and should have it next week, I can't wait to play around with it. I'm in the program to give myself some skills that will help steer me out of the cabinet making profession. I've been doing it for so long and have pretty much hit the ceiling in pay and experience at my current shop. I've really gotten tired of building boxes too so I'm hoping CAD/CAM will help me with more than a lateral move in the manufacturing sector. Hopefully I can get into a higher paying job to be able to afford the software for myself, and I am planning on building a CNC using an engineer friends plans and parts list. I've been building stuff with my hands for a long time now, but I am really excited about CAD/CAM and the possibilities it opens up.

All that said, I'd still go with building your own by hand, if for no other reason than the tactile sensations that you'll get along the way. I couldn't see doing a final shaping on a neck with a cnc being as satisfying as doing it by hand, feeling how it changes and molds to your hand as you go, making subtle adjustments until it's perfect. I could see doing the body contours, neck pocket, pickup routs and electronics cavity on there though and I might actually prefer that. Still, I'd go with the build by hand for the experience.

[Art Davila]

David,
do you have access to all the wood working tools you need?
I know you stated you have the access to the CNC tools.

I use other venders to build my guitar bodies and necks for one very simple reason I do not have many tools yet that I feel I would need to build them myself.

I would never have the time or patience to build with all hand tools.
I assemble pieces and configure how my customer or if its for me I want.
I have made so many changes to guitars I have built for myself I can't keep track but I find that if your doing a standard design and want to tweek it afterwards you can buy the body from a CNC guitar builder and work with him/her to fine tune their current design say a p bass.

[Art Davila]

I love a strat body, but hate the volume knob where it traditionally is, I like mine a bit forward and about 3/4" lower.
Also I like my bridge pickup to be very trebly, think ice pick in the ear,
but I roll back the treble when using it alone but add some when mixing it with the neck or middle pick up so I have 3 tone knobs parallel to the neck behind the bridge.

I do have some projects that I have asked for them to not do the pick up routes or control cavity so I am getting some small experiences. I do my own pick guards and have asked for no neck pocket also, so I could make my own just little thing but I am getting more confident.

As I don't spend much per body depending on wood choice $135 to $210.
If I change my mind after a time I rebuild but re use all those expensive pieces of hardware and pick ups pots ect. So if you don't have the tools and from you original statement your not going to do it as a business. you can get a lot done cheaply working with others who do have the expertise and equipment.

[Art Davila]

If you have access to a printer that can do 11x17" prints or larger then you can always do "printer CNC" for making templates. I draw the parts up in solidworks and then print them out in 1:1 scale (with a couple of dimensions to verify that it is actually 1:1).

You don't necessarily need a printer larger than a standard 8.5"x11". Just overlay some alignment lines on the image, then print out at 1:1 over multiple pages. Glue the pages to wood or cardboard, and line up the pages using the outlines and the alignment lines.

You can always go to a kinkos/fed ex store or equivalent I use the all the time cheaper than buy the printer and ink when I would not use it that often.

[Jedi Clampett]

David I had to laugh when you posted that you were not wanting to make money at this.
This as a business is like the old saying
"If you want to make a small fortune building guitars, start with a large fortune"

[David Grier]

I understand you fully Jedi....lol....I still laugh, I look at it like this, this is my get away from the get away if you know what I mean....this is just something to relax my mind after a hard day of work....I have given up drinking and I have decided that I need something constructive to do with my time. I am doing this as a stress reliever and not a money maker.