CNC self build bass

[budget bassist]

The polystyrene guitar body was finished being routed today, here are some photos.
The next stage will be to get the stingray body routed in some sort of wood.

[url="http://s4.photobucket.com/user/metallica_rock/media/IMG_1507.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s4.photobucket.com/user/metallica_rock/media/IMG_1508.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s4.photobucket.com/user/metallica_rock/media/IMG_1509.jpg.html"][/url]

[Owen]

I am totally going to build a solid bodied Ukebass with Pyramid metal strings with a body which will look like the fat baby of a Les Paul and a Ritter single cut. All lush curves made from a piece of Burr Elm. I have actually designed it in my head a few years ago but knew I would never have the skills. Excited I am.

[budget bassist]

Haha awesome. Download Google Sketchup and give it a go! The basic version is free, albeit slightly limited in use.

[rubis]

[quote]
Posted Yesterday, 12:26 PM
I just spent the morning finishing off the Stingray body, making sure all the dimensions were correct, neatening it up and adding the stomach contour and control cavity route etc. Just rendered it, and I know the body shape is a little off, but I kind of like it! It's not going to have a pickguard by the way, and the control cavity, as you can see, is rear route. So it's not really a traditional stingray. In fact I'm tempted to have another fiddle with the body shape and make it more sterling-y.


[url="http://basschat.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2014/post-2818-0-00803500-1409657073.jpg"][/url]

<a title="monthly_09_2014/post-2818-0-23686700-1409657164.jpg - Size 1.17MB, Downloads: 0" class="resized_img" id="ipb-attach-url-170702-0-00551700-1409763154" href="http://basschat.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2014/post-2818-0-23686700-1409657164.jpg" rel="lightbox[2541876]" }"="" base="public">[/quote] This looks rather like the G&L L2500 body I am transforming into a Stingray/Sandberg/Modulus 5 string at the moment ....................................excellent thread by the way, very inspiring

[budget bassist]

Sounds cool! You got a build thread for that? I really liked my old g&l tribute.

Also
Update: ordered a 3-piece slab of ash from Tonetech. Hoping to get machining the body next weekend.

[DarkHeart]

How you holding the polystyrene/wood to the table? about 18 years ago I was a CNC router programmer operator and we had vacuum tables, I've progressed to CNC lathe operative now ;-)

Edited September 3, 2014 by DarkHeart

[budget bassist]

Ah sweet, any tips?!
We used the router to cut the polystyrene down square, then cut an offcut of plywood with a square hole the same size as the polystyrene and just wedged it in with the ply screwed to the bed, then zeroed the router to the edge of the polystyrene. Not quite sure how it's going to work with the wood, as it won't be perfectly square. Perhaps get the router to cut some holes in the corners to line up with some dowels in the bed...

Edited September 4, 2014 by budget bassist

[DorsetBlue]

Worth noting for us South Westerners that Exeter Library seems to have one of these Fab Labs too:

http://fablabdevon.org

[budget bassist]

[quote name='DorsetBlue' timestamp='1409820176' post='2543576']
Worth noting for us South Westerners that Exeter Library seems to have one of these Fab Labs too:

[url="http://fablabdevon.org"]http://fablabdevon.org[/url]
[/quote]
Seems relatively well equipped that one, too!

[6v6]

Is there a list of where the various fablab locations are? The fablab uk site has a lot of information on it, but I couldn't find a location list anywhere (I'm probably missing something obvious...)

[HowieBass]

There's a map here http://www.fablabsuk.co.uk/category/maker-places/

[budget bassist]

Sorry, I thought I posted a link. That map looks up to date, though how you found it I've no idea, that website is rubbish!

[budget bassist]

Nice lump of wood turned up a minute ago!

[rubis]

Exeter?......mmmmmmn!

[DorsetBlue]

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1409931629' post='2544746']
Exeter?......mmmmmmn!
[/quote]

They are on about having one in Totnes shortly too.

[DarkHeart]

can i just ask why you dug out all the polystyrene out from the corners and not just did the profile? I would have thought A, it would be easier to program and B, loads quicker. Does the router use Fanuc?

[budget bassist]

That was just what the router software decided to do. As I said, the guy who works there helped me set it up as I'm not familiar with the software, and I get the feeling he isn't either. I need to have a proper play with it, but unfortunately I've not really had time yet.
I've no idea what Fanuc is.

[budget bassist]

Started cutting the body today, managed to save lots of time due to the router following the sillhouette of the body rather than cutting out loads of dead space, as a few of you recommended, so estimated total time for the front half is now 3:11. I'll get it finished tomorrow probably, so around 6 hours total, which isn't too bad. Previous estimate for one side only was 8 hours!
Photos coming shortly

[HowieBass]

Yeah I thought that decision might save you a fair bit of time! Any idea how much hand finishing you'll need?

[budget bassist]

So here's a photo during the roughing pass of the front of the body:

[attachment=172082:IMG_4302.jpg]

This took about an hour in the end, saving about half an hour off last time.

And here's the polystyrene guitar body:

[attachment=172081:IMG_4301.jpg]

[budget bassist]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1411123832' post='2556659']
Yeah I thought that decision might save you a fair bit of time! Any idea how much hand finishing you'll need?
[/quote]
Hopefully not much more than a couple of hours with some sandpaper. It's started the finishing pass now, and you can see the cuts, but they're fairly fine. It's mostly just the sides of the body that will be a little rough I think. I'll try and get some close-up photos when it's done.

[budget bassist]

Some more porn:

Edited September 19, 2014 by budget bassist

[rubis]

proper lush that is

[HowieBass]

Looks great

[budget bassist]

Cheers guys! It's a lot rougher than it looks, some of the edges are very well finished, but some are quite fuzzy, for want of a better word. I think this is mostly down to the grain pattern. It'll take a lot of hand finishing I think, but still much better/faster than if I had done the whole thing by hand!