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I decided to make a new thread after realizing hiw far off topic i was getting on my tiling thread. Ill be asking all my questions here. Ill starr with a repeat question.

Can you tell me what are the most useful bits for guitar work? I see these variety packs for $27. I don't have high confidence in those.

Ive bwen thinking about electric necks which are too long for my 6050. I was wondering about cutting those diagonally. Would that be a problem?


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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I would check out PreciseBits as they have a section dedicated to luthiery - https://www.precisebits.com/application ... rtools.htm

I use the bits from them for most things but I also use these for fret slots which have worked well - https://www.ebay.com/itm/384573895741?m ... media=COPY

I think you’re still trying to decide on a machine to buy. Something to keep in mind - cheaper machines with poor quality spindles, collets, etc… means more runout in the system. Tiny bits and runout don’t mix.


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No, the 6050 is on it's way. I'll check out those bits, thank you.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

My CNC arrives today. I had to make little shelf unit to put some thing in. My next shelf like this will have adjustable shelf pins. Ill use the cnc for that. Plus the safety lip on the front will be milled into the shelf, saving an extra step.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

There's a lot to learn in Fusion 360. I'm glad I've got the time to put in. This is ready to use to shape my fretboard that is already slotted. I've run the simulations and it seems good enough. Of course I'll test on scrap.

Once I use up my slotted boards, I'll include fret slots and use the CNC instead of my TS. If it all works well, I'll be selling my blade and my steel SM templates. I won't be needing them ever again.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Just a suggestion: I would not get rid of analog tools for special tasks like slotting fingerboards, once you already have them. The thing about doing these tasks on a CNC is that they often take a lot of time on the machine. You might find yourself in a situation where you need to crank one out in a hurry. I can probably slot, taper, and profile a fingerboard faster using my table saw and hand methods than a CNC machine can do it pursuant to the program (echoes of John Henry, that steel driving man), especially when you consider that you will have at least one tool change during the process, maybe two if you use a different bit for surfacing the fingerboard from the one that cuts out the profile. CNC work is cool and useful, and I'm glad to be dabbling in it myself, but there are going to be times when you would rather use other tools. That's my $0.02.

You have a good point but i don't see myself ever being in a hurry. Its a hobby so far. If that ever changes, its doubtful, then I might be concerned. Its a little late in life to worry about such things. I'll be happy to watch the machine do my work for me, precisely every time.



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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Im getting there.

https://youtube.com/shorts/OKkNK0kFFOM?feature=share

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

Where can i get a ballnose bit long enough to cut the heel of an acoustic neck?

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

This is where the limitations of the machine can come into play. What is the largest diameter bit your spindle can take? 1/4”? You can look on Tools Today’s website. They have some long bits in that diameter. But if you are trying to carve the heel with the neck’s fingerboard mating surface down, and the heel sticking up, it is likely that the machine won’t have enough Z clearance or travel to allow you to carve in that orientation. An alternative is to carve with the neck on its side, and do one side at a time. You can make that work on a machine with more limited Z clearance and travel. Or, carve the neck like an electric guitar neck, then glue the heel on afterwards and do the heel by hand. Or, I think some folks carve the heel separately on the CNC, then glue the neck and heel together. All I know is that this is the thing about CNC work and acoustic guitars that gets pretty challenging for folks with a smaller machine. The heel of the neck sticks out pretty darn far.

Thank you very much. I guess I'll have to choose one of thesr options. I'm leaning towards milling on the sides. I think ill need to make a fixture for locating off of the truss rod pocket to accomplish this. Plus a way to accurately flip the fixture on a centerline.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

I'm working on plans for a fixture like that, so let me share a thought that guides how I am going to approach it. Index pins are good for workpiece location on CNC routers. Well, you are probably going to use index pins to mate the neck to the bottom of the fingerboard. Why not use those same holes to index where the neck sits on the fixture for side-orientation routing? If you use two index pins, a specific distance from the center line, with one near the first fret on one side of the truss rod slot, and the other near the 12th fret on the other side of the truss rod slot, and you use the CNC to cut those pin holes, then you should be able to flip the neck end for end and the neck will wind up the same vertical distance from the work table. Also, if you leave a "tail" as part of the neck at the soundboard end for a while, you can clamp the neck to the fixture using the headstock (and an angled shim) and the tail as your clamping points. Having two clamping points, and two index holes, should make the neck pretty secure. Just an idea I'm cooking right now.

I'm about done trying to draw a neck in Fusion 360. Does any here have the gcode they would like to share? I'll gladly pay for it.

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Hutch

Get the heck off the couch and go build a guitar!!!!

gcode is unlikely to be much use to you as its highly custom to the builders setup.

I have a job that roughs the neck from the 12th fret to the 1st fret. I plan to work on a job that works on the heel and transition area. I am working in Fusion360 too, if I can save that file out for you, I will let you know.

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-Marcus
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