How's this one Barry? :)

Hi Neil,
looks good your on the way.
Barry

Barry, Yay! Thanks very much for your patience and great advice. I really like the way you model - very clever ideas! There are so many things you can do with Boolean commands - very cool stuff.

N

Here's a guitar I just finished for a customer in Phoenix - hand made from scratch under one roof by a crotchety, snaggle tooth, good ball. BTW I also hand wind all our pickups too. :)

Great work Neil!

- Michael

Hi Neil,
I have managed to get a good result using a simple network, trim and blend into head.
I would like to try it on some different heads before posting the process.
So if you have any curve drawings of heads you can share can you post them to me.
Barry

Wonderful job!!!! Congratulation!!!

Hey that looks fantastic Barry - really awesome. Have a couple been working on that will send - also a .dxf of a LP for something different. Looking forward to seeing what you do with the other files too. - Neil

Hi Neil,
got the files will look at them Monday as I'm away the weekend.
Barry

Lookin' good Barry!

Nice Neil! Hand wound pickups too, sweet.

M

Great advice Barry - thanks much!

Hi - sorry I didn't reply earlier. Yes I own two CNC machines. As you mentioned it seems the best neck transitions are done with filleting, blending, networking - and Boolean operations .. . unfortunately I have a long ways to go until I'm past the "learn your basics" stage - but its fun anyway!. Nice to know there is another hand builder around here you can appreciate what's involved. If you ever want to mill something let me know. Thanks a lot for your input.

Hi Neil,
here is the method I have been using with network & blend.
I'm still looking at lespaul head it may require a different method.
Hope this helps.
Barry

Wow - excellent - that is really clever - and looks fantastic. Have to get to work on that. Many thanks Barry! Trimming spheres that is so cool. I'll bet I wont be able to duplicate your work. I'm still having trouble reliably repeating trim and blend. :)

Hi Neil

I was struggling with the same challenge. I came up with this.

Hello jopo,

That looks excellent - very nice transition! Thanks for sharing. Well done - can't wait to try that.

Here's a neck using Barry's trim and blend method and basic networking - all basic commands. Everything on this one checks out - so I feel I can move on to Barry's other method of using trimming spheres. And jopos networking and trimming example.

Thanks jopo,

I tried your method but obviously need to work on it - not sure how you're drawing the lines between the spliced arc and the headstock back - but the way you draw makes the network very smooth.

3d objects on cnc are machined using a ball-ended bit.
Similar to a topographical map, tool paths are mapped over the undulating surface of the 3d object. The finishing quality is achieved by placing these tool paths as close to each other as to create 90 percent overlap of the tool, which means it takes a long time.

Whenever profiling bits can be used, they are great because they are fast and require minimal sanding. The profile of something like a guitar neck is not consistent the way a profile bit is, unfortunately, leaving no choice but to go for 3d machining.

I hope this helps?

I use cnc to produce artwork and architectural elements - this is why I am learning MOI.

Cheers!