Making a template

[JJW]

I was wondering how to make a template like the one in the picture?

[URL=http://s1359.photobucket.com/user/JJW5/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpswhdbbmg3.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q786/JJW5/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpswhdbbmg3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Maude]

My extremely low tech approach, as I have no software or the ability to use such stuff, would be to get that image up on your TV screen, either plug your phone into the TV or load up this website if you have a smart TV, zoom in until the image is the size you want and simply trace the outline.

[3below]

Following on from the trace image method on screen: large sheet of paper, stick on wall. Use pc projector at a suitable distance to project image on paper. Draw round image . Stick paper on mdf or ply, bandsaw and file away till happy.

I would recommend carrying out a full written risk assessment and then wearing personal protective equipment when playing the guitar, could take someone's eye with those points Good luck with the build.

Edited September 6, 2015 by 3below

[JJW]

That sounds fine but I'm not very knowledgable on my TVs uses, I have a smart TV, so I will do the website option, how can I zoom?

[JJW]

I don't think I can get access to a projector.

[Slipperydick]

Save the picture, crop and re size it in paintbox, save that on a stick, take stick to a decent high stationery shop and as them to print it on A2 paper.

Low tech solution like that should cost you about a quid.

[3below]

On the well known auction site you will find pantographs for about £8. Use one of these to trace round and enlarge the image directly onto mdf or plywood.

[3below]

[quote name='Slipperydick' timestamp='1441569842' post='2859957']
Save the picture, crop and re size it in paintbox, save that on a stick, take stick to a decent high stationery shop and as them to print it on A2 paper.

Low tech solution like that should cost you about a quid.
[/quote]

+1 for the obvious

[JJW]

I've been doing that on my computer and printing on 6 different pages and sticking them together, but I would prefer just an outline like in the picture. Also that's not as accurate as I wanted.

[3below]

Print image as large as possible onto A4 graph paper. Find big squared paper. Use the original A4 print to give coordinates and just scale up onto the big squared paper. Another easy way is to find a friend / colleague who has IT skill and a big printer. Provide suitable incentive and you will get a template printed out.

[Maude]

I'm sorry, I can't let the word 'pantograph' slip by without a little snigger.

Axis y = days of the week
Axis x = amount of soiling

Pantograph.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='JJW' timestamp='1441539940' post='2859598']
I was wondering how to make a template like the one in the picture?[/quote]

Depends how big your original drawing is. Kind of place you'd be looking for is one that reproduces artwork and architects plans etc. Problem is if your drawing isn't fairly big to start with the outlines will go hairy as hell and inaccurate by the time it's blown up to full size.
They can then print it out on a wide format printer on thick card.
You'll still need to stick that onto a sheet of mdf and cut around it though, which goes back to the skills and tools thing.

Off the top of my head the only other thing I can think of is you do your enlargement roughly in patches as you have - and then get to a decent art supplies shop & get a few sheets of large tracing paper or drafting film and a set of French Curves.



Then redraw it by tracing through onto the film using the curves.

It's worth a go for the sheer hell of it, but in all honesty it's why custom shapes are either a fortune done well as a one-off, or comparatively cheap and mass produced in the far east.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Big_Stu

[TrevorR]

Or there is the old kiddies drawing book "copy this picture" method. Print out the plan, draw a grid, say 1cm square over it. On a large sheet of paper draw a bigger grid, say 2.5 cm square or what ever is needed for the scale up. On the big grid mark the point in any square where each line crosses the smaller grid on the original plan. Then you can join the dots on the big sheet either freehand or with French Curves.

[Norris]

Another option would be to trace it using a CAD computer program then find a print shop with a plotter. There are quite a few free CAD packages available on t'Internet. Inkscape is quite a good vector drawing program that would probably do the job - and is not too complicated to fly

[Norris]

Or you could print them on A4, tape them together then use a large sheet of tracing paper (or a roll of baking paper) to trace onto

[yorks5stringer]

That headstock looks a bit sharp, you'll need to put a cork on the end to stop you stabbing the drummer....

[BigRedX]

Which ever method you go for make sure that you print out a ruler with the image so that you can check that it has been printed out at the correct size. IME very few printers are 100% accurate when it comes to outputting images. Also make sure that you check both the X and Y axis as even few printers manage to scale both horizontally and vertically the same. You'll probably need to do a couple of test prints before you find the optimum X and Y scaling to get a decent template.

[JJW]

That's what I am struggling with, the fact that the printer is fully accurate.

[BigRedX]

For the x axis it's simple. You know the scale length of the bass, so when the measurement on the print out matches the scale length then that is correct. For the y axis you'll probably have to add a known measurement to your drawing and measure that on the print out and adjust accordingly. Don't assume that because it's correct on one axis it will be correct on the other one. Every printer uses two different mechanisms for the two axis on large format prints discrepancies between the two becomes more obvious.

[ColinB]

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1441641851' post='2860516']
That headstock looks a bit sharp, you'll need to put a cork on the end to stop you stabbing the drummer....
[/quote]

Why would you not want to stab the drummer?

[tauzero]

[quote name='ColinB' timestamp='1441658991' post='2860729']
Why would you not want to stab the drummer?
[/quote]

I think the missing word was "unintentionally".

[pfretrock]

[quote name='JJW' timestamp='1441652844' post='2860641']
That's what I am struggling with, the fact that the printer is fully accurate.
[/quote]
Not sure why you have little faith in modern printers. How are you producing the original artwork? Someone already suggested taking a file to a print shop. I've printed a HH Telecaster body on a laser plotter on A0 paper (from a PDF file) , came out perfect. I'v also used Adobe Reader (Free) to print out bodies in Poster mode on multiple A4 (or A3) sheets which you then stick together with magic tape, Every page lined up accurately. If the scale is out, Adobe allows the scale factor to be specified. If you can get an accurate pdf file from your artwork, you should be able to get an accurate print using the first suggestion.

[BigRedX]

IME modern printers (unless they are very expensive) are not accurate enough to produce a production template for a guitar or bass. You will need to output from an application that allows you to specify separate scaling values for the X and Y axis (and one that lets you specify the scaling in 0.1% increments or smaller). You will probably need to produce several prints before you arrive at the correct scaling values.

It can be done. The most efficient way would be to make sure that the file for the template is at 100% actual size, add a scale/ruler onto the drawing and then get a good copy shop with a large format printer to output the file at actual size. You can check the scale on the print out against a ruler and if they don't match up get it output again FoC as it has been done wrong.

[JJW]

Thanks for all the help but you're getting a bit technical for me, I don't understand all these computer programmes.

[pfretrock]

[quote name='JJW' timestamp='1441539940' post='2859598']
I was wondering how to make a template like the one in the picture?
[/quote]

Does it have to be exactly like that? There are some pdf plans [url="http://www.gitarrebassbau.de/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6"]here[/url] easily capable of killing drummers. Dean and BC Rich look sharp.
PDFs files will print 100% accurate on a copy shop plotter.