Guitar Neck

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dickelec
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2022 7:13 pm

Guitar Neck

Post by dickelec »

I have created this Telecaster style neck in FreeCAD, generated the gcode and machined it on my CNC router. It is not perfect, particularly around the upper reaches of the neck to head transition, but nothing that cannot be rectified with a little sanding.

It is my first proper project and it has taken me a while to reach this stage and I'm sure my FreeCAD files contain numerous inefficiencies and school-boy errors nevertheless I am delighted with the result. I have machined several necks in cheap wood before getting to this stage and I am about to commit the design to moderately expensive maple.

The design is spread over three files, NeckMaster has the basic shapes along with partly formed head and heel. NeckBack links elements of the NeckMaster and develops the shaft and head and heal transitions to create the shape in the image above. The gcode is generated here for the back shaping. The last file, imaginatively named NeckOther links the NeckBack component, adds the truss rod slot and generates all the remaining gcode.

In the process of modelling, I suffered numerous frustrations from the topological naming problem. Making even a minor dimensional change often resulted in hours of corrective work. However, I cannot praise FreeCAD enough. It is simply remarkable.

Code: Select all

OS: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS (KDE/plasma)
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.21.0.31709 (Git) AppImage
Build type: Release
Branch: master
Hash: e188802ca6997d2564e7570ab648462e6a059f87
Python 3.10.8, Qt 5.15.6, Coin 4.0.0, Vtk 9.1.0, OCC 7.6.3
Locale: English/United Kingdom (en_GB)
Installed mods: 
  * Curves 0.6.5
Attachments
NeckMast.FCStd
(50.92 KiB) Downloaded 99 times
Neck_FBackShape.FCStd
(890.75 KiB) Downloaded 82 times
NeckOther.FCStd
(976.23 KiB) Downloaded 83 times
GuitarNeck.png
GuitarNeck.png (20.43 KiB) Viewed 2674 times
dickelec
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2022 7:13 pm

Re: Guitar Neck

Post by dickelec »

I just realised: I broke the link between the second and last files. Here is the correct Neck_Back file. Apologies for that.
Attachments
Neck_FBackShapeExp3P.FCStd
(890.75 KiB) Downloaded 98 times
LittleGreyAliens
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2023 7:01 am

Re: Guitar Neck

Post by LittleGreyAliens »

Very cool! I would like to see an example photograph once you've machined a neck.
dickelec
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2022 7:13 pm

Re: Guitar Neck

Post by dickelec »

Here are some photos of the neck, straight off the CNC router. I could not be more pleased.
Attachments
Neck.jpg
Neck.jpg (545.05 KiB) Viewed 2184 times
NeckHeadTransition.jpg
NeckHeadTransition.jpg (423.81 KiB) Viewed 2184 times
NeckHeel.jpg
NeckHeel.jpg (291.46 KiB) Viewed 2184 times
NCG
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2022 3:47 pm

Re: Guitar Neck

Post by NCG »

Very Nice! Thank you so much for sharing - I've been working on a neck design in FreeCAD for way too long. Cannot figure out what I'm doing wrong. Perhaps studying your examples will put me on the right path.
mshaynerush
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Sep 20, 2023 9:31 pm
Contact:

Re: Guitar Neck

Post by mshaynerush »

Okay, I need to know what path tool you used. I probably need to also know what version of FreeCAD because the latest version has no path operation that will cut the back of the neck, or for that matter, any convex curve where the Z axis has to change in an arc path.

Looks great to me.
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