Let's Build a Strat

[gregmary]

This thread will include everything anyone will ever need to CNC a Strat. Let us collect our plans, drawings, tooling ideas, g-code so anyone with a CNC and a few chunks of wood can build a Strat.

[Ed_R]

Works for me!
I wonder where I can find a .0023 cutter for the fret slots?

[Ed_R]

One thing though- we probably shouldn't call it a 'strat', since that's a no-no.

[anoel]

Originally Posted by Ed_R Works for me! I wonder where I can find a .0023 cutter for the fret slots?

Since you gotta buy wood anyway... Might as well buy a pre-slotted fretboard from Stewmac or LMII as it's almost the same price as an unslotted one... I can probably provide a slotting service as I have access to the slotting equipment... But only if someone were to send me the wood, fee would be reasonable.

Oh, we can call it a Strat "Style" guitar with no problems... I actually have a decent set of CAD drawings for one... Though I'm not sure where they originated but they are acurate. I might consider redrawing them for the sake of not redistributing someone elses work.

I do have a nice CAD file of a Tele body that is fairly accurate that I drew myself from the original blueprints... I need to do a little clean up before posting it up.

[Ed_R]

Hard to buy a fingerboard for a one-piece maple neck.

[gregmary]

Ed,

The way I make my fretboards is I use a tiny bit, the one I use for cutting inlay as a matter of fact, to make a single pass across the fretboard to make not much more than a mark, I then use a fret saw to cut the actual slots. Essentially I use the cnc to mark the slots and a fret saw to cut them. I have the g-code to make the marks.

Ed, Corrie,

Is it allright with you guys that I post some of the drawings we have been passing around for others to comment on?

[Ed_R]

Go for it, Greg.

[gregmary]

Here is the DXF file of the body. It contains all of the cuts, both sides viewed from above. Also are some 3D views of the body. When all agree with the looks of the body, I can post the g-code for it. Ed has suggested machining the body as follows:
1. Cut the outline of the body on the cnc and pop it off the cnc
2. Cut the .5" rounds all the way around the body top and bottom on a router table.
3. Put the body back on the CNC, top side up and cut all the pockets, tuners, knobs, trem, neck, etc...
4. Cut the arm cutout.
5. Flip the body over on the cnc table and machine the trembelo cut out on the back
6. Cut the body releif on the back
7. Take it off the CNC and sand it.

Ed, did I get that correct?

[Ed_R]

Yep. But I don't think it's a half-inch roundover. I'd have to measure to be certain but it's most likely not any bigger than 1/4 inch.
THe only issue really now is hold-downs. It might be smarter and easier for us to just program a stop in the G-code to let us move the clamps. We could just tell the code to cut around the clamps, but then everyone using the file would have to use the same sized clamps too.
I'm open for suggestions on that one.

[gregmary]

I am thinking that we add two tabs and have the g-code designed so the tool never goes near the tops of the tabs. The tab near the neck would have a .25" hole for alignment aligned with the body centerline. There would be two other holes for clamping bolts. The second tab would be located in the trembelo cutout and would also have a hole for an alignment pin in line with the body centerline and two other holes for clamping bolts. the tab near the neck could be cut off later and the material in the tremb pocket could be hand routed out, it would not neec to be real pretty as both sides are covered up. The blank would be clamped to our work table and the very first g-code file would cut the six holes. They would be symetrical so the same clamp bolts could be used with the body is flipped over for machining on the opposite side.

What do ya think?

[Ed_R]

That would work well for the body. We could even tell teh G-code to cut the neck tab down to about a quarter-inch thick as one of its last tasks, on the seam where it joins the body, so we'd have a really good alignment tool for the final cutoff

[anoel]

Strats use a 3/8" round over