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dbeetcher
991 Views, 6 Replies

CAM setup of guitar fretboard longer than CNC table

I have been working on a guitar fretboard drawing for several weeks. The desired outcome was to CNC the fretboard radius, blind fret slots, and the outside perimeter. Eventually, it all came together and I was able to complete the project on some test wood. However, my CNC table is not large enough to fit the fretboard in either the horizontal (X) placement or the vertical (Y) placement. So, I had to make a choice between indexing (doing the fretboard in sections by machining a section, then moving the fretboard to a new position and continuing the machining) or placing the fretboard at a 45 degree angle across the table. I tried the 45 degree angle first, due to simplicity.

Originally, I made the fretboard drawing with the fretboard oriented vertically (up the Y axis). But I couldn't figure out how to rotate the drawing 45 degrees when I went to CAM mode. I ended up just modifying the drawing (in Model mode) so that it was rotated 45 degrees. However, when trying to change my views between ISO view, Front, Right, etc., I could never really get the view positioned the way I wanted to. And it didn't seem like this was the right way to accomplish the desired 45 degree angle in CAM.

 

So, the question comes down to this: Can you make your drawing (in Model mode) with a standard orientation (along X or Y axis), but still be able to rotate that drawing in CAM mode so that you can position and machine the part at an angle on your CNC table (while still leaving the drawing [in Model mode] oriented along the X/Y axes)?

 

I have attached a JPG of the fretboard CNC machining 'in action' during one of my test runs. In this photo, the fretboard is being machined into the top of a pine board. Screws were used (through the fretboard top surface) to attach it to the table top (double-sided tape was not holding due to lubrication I used when machining some aluminum!), but in the future my fretboard blanks will be long enough to put a screw at each end (outside the machining area).

 

Thanks, Dan