Need Help!- making a les paul

[cowboy1ht]

hi I need help me and my boy would like to make a les paul or gibson guitar I'm new to the hole cnc thing I got a cnc router with autocad 2000 and kcam 4 and really don't know how to use it all that good yet I have got some what good with autocad with books but that's about as much as I know so I was wondering if someone could help us out and kinda walk us through making one

[Perfect Circle]

I can send you some code for a strat now.

[Kammo1]

Hi without sounding like an ass why are you going for a Les Paul style of guitar when its probably one of the hardest models to generate and cut ? start small and then build up as if you haven't got the experience I would start with the basics. I started like you knowing next to nothing on CNC but now I can model fretboards and inlays but have yet to tackle a guitar body and neck and a Les Paul would be the very last model I would want to attempt, just some food for thought.

[crash5050]

Originally Posted by Perfect Circle I can send you some code for a strat now.

I'll take that code if you are still offering

David

[luthier]

Go to TDPRI.com and check out the home depot forum. There are threads where you will find DXF files for a tele style guitar. Make a tele body and neck first. It's a good learning curve to start with and you'll get the basics you need to advance to more complicated guitars.

[elevalther]

Hi Kammo
Good advice, I´m in the same situation as cowboy1ht.

I´m at the moment building my first 3-axis, and I thought that if I bought so already made drawing of a "les Paul Gibson" I would safe some time, but when I received the drawing they was only 2d, so now I have to convert or redraw everything, I have some basic knowledge in AutoCAD 3d, but I don´t know how to draw the domed shape of the top (back of the body.

Br

elevalther

[tjskcnc]

Start here -
CNC GUITAR
His videos are worth every penny!
After studying his videos (he uses Solidworks and Mastercam, but the techniques are transferable to almost any CAD/CAM software) you will not need anyone's help designing and CNCing your guitar.

[elevalther]

Thanks tjskcnc

now after your advise, I have now ordered One DVD, just to try, normally I use autocad, but get get solidworks its a kind of pricy too, but any way thanks for your advise

br

elevalther

[tjskcnc]

Any program that will let you import an image to trace over with vector lines can be used. The more tools you have, the more you can do. Most guitars can be cut with basic 2D pocketing and outline cutting (Vectric CUt2D, Artcam Express, etc.,) the balance being done by hand. A lot of operations are actually quicker by hand. Unless your machine can cut hundreds of inches per minute, a belt sander will cut the body contours quicker.
Spiro uses basic tools available in most CAD programs:
- lines
- splines
- points
- extrusions
- surface lofts
- planes
- 3D drawing
- etc.
The same techniques can be used in Solidworks, Alibre, VCarvePro, Artcam, and even free programs such as Inkscape and Sketchup.

[elevalther]

Thanks again tjskcnc

br

valther