Thanks everyone for the kind words. Can't take credit for the photo as the pictures are by a professional photographer who is also a customer.

Great advice - thanks!

Hi Neil,

> There is a guy selling tutorials on how to model guitars in Moi3D here: https://3dcncguitars.com/

That's great, I didn't know about this one! I've added a link from the MoI resources tutoriuals page.

That would easily be worth it to get very specific information on a complex area like this.

- Michael

Still a novice - but have learned a lot via this forum about guitar modeling. When a little further along I'd like to share, in a concise file, the tips and tricks accumulated over the years from here so that others, interested in the area, will have a solid foundation to get started with and then expand on. Certainly can save the beginner some grief.

Here is an arch top made with a different program that was shared on a CNC web site - any ideas how one could do this with Moi?

Hi Neil, that one seems to be built in a "patch by patch" type method where some profiles were drawn in and several surfaces probably constructed using a sweep or network type tool. One problem though with this kind of patchwork method is it's hard to get a totally smooth result. For example this area has a sharp edge:





It tends to be hard to get really good quality smoothness using this type of approach. But it is overall a pretty difficult thing to model.

Often times something organic where you would need to do a patch-by-patch approach can be handled better by sub-d modeling instead of NURBS modeling for those areas.

- Michael

Hi Neil, so this surface is planar so that's probably a good one to construct first from planar profile curves:



Then this area here:



I'd probably try making an extended sheet something like this using Sweep or Network:



Then that would get trimmed by a profile curve like this:



And then these areas would be done with a Construct > Blend.



You could get a large portion of it built like that but then the rounded tip protrusion like spots will be the most difficult to do well.

- Michael

Hi Neil, so this method would go something like this:

Planar curve here - build a surface from it using Construct > Planar.



Another planar curve on the interior like this:



Cross sections running in this direction, slightly curved:



Construct > Loft through those to make this type of extended surface:



Trim the loft with the interior curve:



Trim edges with lines to break them:




Select edges and do a Construct > Blend:








That would be a good way to start out I think getting an initial chunk of it done.

- Michael

Then probably the next steps would be to build these strips that rise up from the planar base level:



- Michael

Then it's going to get a bit tricky but maybe this kind of blend:





- Michael

Fantastic - thanks Michael! This method looks much better than the patchwork. That's an excellent start to getting a handle on this. Have no experience yet with subD (although did download Rocket as you suggested). Thanks very much for the tips to get rolling. Here is another arch top from the same guy - not really crazy about this arch top - it's a bit too flat on the top. Tried to attach the file - but am out of space. If anyone want's it let me know. Really like the dimensions in V4.

Hi Neil,

re:
> This method looks much better than the patchwork.

Well we'll probably arrive at some patch-by-patch filling in yet when coming inwards from the rounded tips.

But if helps if you can use as few surfaces as possible with extended areas that are trimmed rather than building every surface directly to some initial curve framework.

The other thing that's good about having a smaller number of surfaces is you can adjust the shape easier like with the steps above you can tweak the loft profile curves to control some subtle curving. When things are diced up into smaller pieces being filled in it becomes difficult to make a broad shape adjustment.

- Michael

Here's a method Barry came up with (using one of my flat top models) that uses the ideas Michael shared . . . the files Barry sent me are below and include the model and an animated .gif that shows how to do it. This is Barry's work.

Thanks Barry - clever, interesting and fun method - took a few tries - but finally got it. Thank you for sharing. As you can see I have a couple bulges on either side - the original you made did not have them - not sure where I went wrong yet. Also, putting finishes this week on the two arch tops I milled from your models last year. It's fun to finally have the time to learn how you did it (recently hired a helper in the shop)! Now on to trying your methods with a different guitar from scratch - that should only take a few months if I'm lucky.

Hi Neil,
if the bulges are in the blend use the sync points in the blend command this will smooth them out.
Cheers
Barry

Thanks Barry - will work on that!

Barry - here is another result of your help with the arch tops. Many thanks again for your help! Just finished this one. Walnut top, Sapele center block with Meranti wings. 25.75 scale.