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From: Michael Gibson
Really great, thanks for sharing the image!
- Michael
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Here's another one designed entirely in Moi3d
Image Attachments:
Stardust2021back.jpg
Stardust2021closeup.jpg
Stardustmed.jpg
From: Frenchy Pilou (PILOU)
Very appealing!
From: Michael Gibson
So beautiful!
- Michael
From: ed (EDDYF)
Outstanding. Belongs on the MoI homepage!
Ed Ferguson
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Latest model: "Starbird Elite." Designed entirely in Moi3D. Features: Arched domestic figured maple top. Domestic figured maple neck, abalone headstock logo, abalone fret markers, rosewood fingerboard, 13" lower bout, African Limba chambered body, 14 degree peg head pitch (scarf joint), dual action truss rod, 14" radius with 22 6105 frets, 24.75" scale, hand wound humbucking pickups, handwound single coil pickup, Seymour Duncan triple shot pickup rings, 6 position ultra switch toggle, Graphtech piezo string saver bridge with independent volume control, master volume and tone for magnetic pickups. Graphtech "Ratio" tuning keys and "Nu-bone" nut. Bigsby tailpiece. Gloss polyester finish on body and headstock face. Hand rubbed poly finish on neck back.
Many thanks to Barry for making the formerly flat top into an arched top.
Image Attachments:
StabirdElite2.jpg
StarbirdElite1.jpg
StarbirdElite3.jpg
StarbirdElite4.jpg
StarbirdElite6.jpg
StarbirdElite8.jpg
From: Mik (MIKULAS)
Absolutelly perfect work in every detail! Marvelous.
Mik
From: Michael Gibson
Wow this is really going well Neil!
- Michael
From: Michael Gibson
Hi Neil, could you please describe a little bit about your current fabrication process, are you cutting these on CNC now?
- Michael
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Yes. All the guitars are made using two 3 axis CNC machines. One smaller one for pickguards, fingerboards, truss rod covers, inlay, engraving etc. The other for necks and bodies. The instruments are made in house.
From: Michael Gibson
What CAM software are you using to drive the CNC?
Can you show some pictures of the machines you built? What do your pieces look like straight off the CNC?
Is your process going faster now that you're using CAD/CAM?
- Michael
From: ed (EDDYF)
Great work as usual Neil. A bit off topic - Do you perform your own photography?
Ed Ferguson
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
"What CAM software are you using to drive the CNC?"
I am using a very basic program called "Estlcam."
https://www.estlcam.de/
I'd like Desk proto when it's possible. Both machines use Grbl.
The shop is a very modest 800 square feet and located in an industrial park. Most of the benches, jigs and fixtures are my own. Tools include two radial arm saws, an over arm router, table router, band saw, thickness planer, jointer/plainer, radial arm drill press, spindle and edge sanders besides the two CNC machines. It is quite primitive - but gets the job done. Since COVID the work here has been mostly repairs and restorations - mostly of acoustic guitars.
"Can you show some pictures of the machines you built? What do your pieces look like straight off the CNC?"
Both machines are built from kits. The aluminum alloy (larger) machine uses high torque Nema 23 steppers and has a 25X25X5" cutting area. The smaller machine uses high torque Nema 17 steppers and has a work area of only 17X17X3". The larger machine uses ball screws and is very accurate. The smaller wooden machine uses lead screws and is fairly accurate but not stable enough for big projects. Right off the machine (as you can see in the video below) there is a frame that has to be cut off after routing. This is done with the band saw. This is true with both bodies and necks.
A short video of the arch top on the guitar just posted being made by this machine (turn down your volume):
https://youtu.be/bmtgzpyXlTU
"Is your process going faster now that you're using CAD/CAM?"
Yes building and designing is much faster and the results of a higher quality.
Image Attachments:
PowerRoutem.jpg
From: Michael Gibson
Great stuff Neil, thank you for sharing some of your fabrication details!
- Michael
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Hi Ed - One of my customers does the photography in exchange for a custom guitar. He does it professionally.
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Thanks again for this - still using this technique and it makes gorgeous arm contours. :)
From: blowlamp
That's some beautiful work you are doing there - I think your photographer is getting a good deal!
I have Estlcam and Deskproto and it's surprising what these two apps are capable of. I suppose you are aware Deskproto has a free version
https://www.deskproto.com/products/comptable.php (quite limited, but useful nonetheless), but the full version is very capable so it would suit your work well.
Just for information to anyone interested, the hobby version can be used commercially as long as sales amount to no more than EUR 3000
https://www.deskproto.com/order/licenseagreement.php
Other CAM apps I find to be very good are CamBam
https://cambamcnc.com/ & Ecam. CamBam would probably do everything you would need as it has quite strong 3D capability along with excellent 2/2.5D functionality.
I use Ecam
https://v4.e-cam.it/ for milling and turning which again I find to be full-featured and nice to use. All these CAMs have strengths over each other, so I sometimes use them in combination, depending on what I need to do.
If you would like to compare the gcode of one of your parts running through any of these CAM apps, then just mention it here and I'll give it a go.
Martin.
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Thanks Martin,
I need to upgrade the CAM program. Estlcam is little limited - although it has been amazing for the price. I own CamBam but the learning curve is a little bit steep for someone with very little free time. That said, I try to spend a little time with it when I can. CamBam's interface seems a little cumbersome to me. Estlcam can spoil you because it is so intuitive. I'm torn between Deskproto and V-Carve pro - they are in the same price range but V-carve pro seems geared more toward the woodworker. Opinion?
Many thanks for the post Martin!
From: VG (VEGASGUITARS)
Another guitar. Nothing new here - but I thought it turned out nice.
Image Attachments:
Gadda1.png
Gadda2.png
StarbirdgreenSM1.jpg
StarbirdSignaturebackSM.jpg
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