Hello. I am working on making a guitar using my 3D CNC router. I need some assistance with blending a head stock I designed to the standard bolt on guitar neck. Either someone to help me make the file or someone I can pay to do the work. Either way.
I need to either: 1. Blend the designed peg head to existing neck stl files for bolt on
or 2. make from scratch a mesh/stl file to incorporate the peg head design to a bolt on style neck.
Hi Tom - it is hard to help without a file to look at…
-Pascal
Yep I would agree! Did not know if I should post the files or send one on request. Here is what I am trying to do.
Thomas Young
Thomas Young, LLC
Custom Wood Creations
832.385.5159
A Texas Veteran Company
Tonanator.3dm (355 KB)
Hi Tom - if there is no surface version of the neck available, I’d be inclined to reproduce enough of it in the area I am working on working so that I could work from surfaces there - otherwise I do not see a good way to build the new surfaces.
Red=New surfaces. No idea what your actual design might be though.
Tonanator_Ex.3dm (432.3 KB)
-Pascal
I will see what I can find thank you…
Do you have a photo of the kind of transition area you want? There are several different styles that are used. It depends on the angle and thickness of the peghead too.
Can you build the surfaces for the neck and peghead and maybe just need some help with the transition?
Yes sir. The transitions. Top side and bottom side. I will send you what I have so far.
I have a stl file for a fender style bolt on neck.
And some work I have done so far.
Rhino tech support was supportive but could not help.
Thanks!!!
Thomas Young
Thomas Young, LLC
Custom Wood Creations
832.385.5159
A Texas Veteran Company
Tonanator.3dm (544 KB)
Hi Tom,
Are you able to model the peghead and neck any farther? Before getting into the transition areas you would need to get the basic peghead and neck and tenon area done much closer to your design intent.
If this is about as far as you can take this project now and you want to devote the time I can try to give you some pointers on how to get close enough with your CNC that you can smooth out the rough spots by hand. Can you model the straight tapered “barrel” of the neck?
Creating a really smooth model might be a stretch right now-this is not a particularly easy job-so if you want to avoid hand work I think you might want to have someone model this for you.
Hello - did I misunderstand the problem, or is the process not going to work for you, or?
-Pascal
Yes sir. I am ready to have someone create what I need. I am willing to pay for services. I just want to get my project completed. I do not have a “need” to do this myself. Thank you for your reply.
Not sure what you are saying. I tried to do this on my own. I asked Rhino tech for assistance and they could not help. I am trying to get my peg head design into a fender style bolt on neck. I have had Rhino for about a week and seems this is a major project just did not seem so when I started. I can get close and do some woodwork to get this done I am thinking someone somewhere can do this. I have store bought necks on my desk so someone is doing this. This is just part of my project I am working on and I can’t move forward with my plan till I can make this work. That is where I am. Can’t back up can’t back down.
Hi Tom - I am a Rhino tech, and I tried to assist, above, including a Rhino file with a possible way to proceed… is that just off the mark or?
-Pascal
Hi Pascal,
-
The mesh model Tom is starting from is not accurate-the neck shape and thickness will not work well. Unfortunately there are many models available online that are not really going to work.
-
The straight line across the end of the peghead Tom drew is OK for front of head next to the nut but will not work well for the back. Even for front the peghead needs scaling, thickness adjustment and maybe some angle to the neck. A Fender style scooped peghead works best for strings with straight pull over the nut but still needs little hooked pieces of metal to hold the strings down.
-
There’s more but it’s technical stuff related to making guitars and has nothing to do with producing smooth 3d transition surfaces. So I’ll help him get a neck he can work with and hopefully he will continue his study of Rhino
Thanks guys! All is appreciated. I did not realize I would be “stepping into it” when I started this but I am not giving up. Onward and upward!
Good morning Golay,
I am proceeding with your advice. Keep you posted. Thanks!!!
Thomas Young
Thomas Young, LLC
Custom Wood Creations
832.385.5159
A Texas Veteran Company
Hi Tom,
Haven’t heard back from you yet - I had already made up a sample neck for you so I’ll post it here. File attached at the end.
Hope you stick with Rhino. Takes a little time to get more comfortable with it but it’s worth it.
Some pointers for your construction:
-
I shortened the peghead on one of the models and showed my suggestion for tuner location. You want to make sure you have the right peghead thickness and string clearance. The longer one is your original.
-
I suggest you glue the fingerboard on first and cut the back of neck radius up to the top edge of the fingerboard. You will have less trouble with chipping the neck and the feel is much better.
Tonerator2.3dm (3.9 MB)
1 Like
Good morning Abraham!
Looks like some amazing work! Sorry I thought I had responded to you my bad.
This is looking like what I am wanting to do. I have a blank for the neck but the blank I have is 1 x 4 (exact measurements) and will not be think enough to make the neck with the angle. I have seen spliced peg heads. I would prefer to make the whole thing in the router if possible.
Thanks for the encouragement with Rhino. Its like any other software, like Excel, I only need to know what I need to know for what I want to do with it and not everything the software will do. I am still processing through the 2 stages of trainings within the program and I am ready to start with tool pathing. In many ways Enroute is easier. But it will not do what Rhino will do. I do have cuttings for signs and such done in Enroute but nothing yet in Rhino. Between now and Monday I will produce at least 2 project files for carving on Monday made in Rhino and Mill. Not ready to do the neck you have created yet but would like to getterdone in the next two weeks.
I appreciate your assistance and I can compensate you for your time and knowledge. And if you want to take me on as a student, I have other things I want to do. It is not my plan right now to be a guitar manufacturer or luthier. I have a design I am working on and if anyone likes it I would like to sell it, with a few possible variations. I want to use first class top of the line hardware and electronics. I am hoping to get a fully painted working copy done by the end of February. (just the painting alone is a job all by itself as you well know)
I bought 2 kits from StewMac to build and at least see what a guitar looks like in pieces. The first was the LP style. That is way more work than I want to deal with. ( I completed the kit, took it to my local guitar store for adjustments, got a passing grade from the guitar store, then gave that one to one of my sons) The solid body and bolt on neck Fender style will work best as a bass model, but I wanted the LP style type peg head to make my own design of a peg head. (my second kit build the Fender style is in the painting process and will go to another son when I am done with it)
I now understand and appreciate all the aspects of what makes a guitar. ( I do understand I have not discovered ALL the details, calculations, nuances and such and may never)
You suggested attaching the fingerboard but what about the adjusting hardware? I do have hand routers and sanders so I can do some work off the machine when it makes sense. I know you are correct about the shorter peg head and I will use that version.
FYI: In my real life, I am a metal bender/fabricator and own Bend-IT, Inc. We have serviced petro chem and oil field for over 30 years (www.benditinc.com) providing metal bending as well as fabrication of heating and cooling coils. I plan to sell the business in a couple of years keeping my building and using the CNC router to make beer money. (or what ever money) I have a section in my building I use for my personal projects of metal and wood.
Thomas Young
Thomas Young, LLC
Custom Wood Creations
832.385.5159
A Texas Veteran Company
Much better for string pressure across the nut to make the 14 degree cut and glue the peghead back on at an angle. Otherwise you’ll need the little metal string guides that Fender uses. The scoop cut peghead is a time saver but unless you want to channel Leo I suggest you use an angled head.
You’ll also have to stack the heel to get the required depth.
Thanks but not necessary. I’m glad to help.
Just the wood of the fingerboard, no other parts. After carving and light cleanup sanding when you look at the neck from the back you want to see the sides of the fingerboard curving away.
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Thanks!
I get the angle peg head concept and I will work with that.
I am still confused about attaching the fingerboard and incorporating the bow adjustment rod. Don’t we need to install the adjusting rod before placing the fingerboard?
And I need to add thickness to the heal? More than the 1’’ thick board I have now?
How do I take what you sent me and make it into a cut file?
Thomas Young
Thomas Young, LLC
Custom Wood Creations
832.385.5159
A Texas Veteran Company