Great video. I was looking forward to this video. I kind of suspected that the CNC router would be either number one or number two on your list of favorites. My CNC vertical mill is definitely in my top two or three tools in my shop, depending on what task I'm doing and how my day is going... I found a Chevalier vertical knee mill (very similar to a Bridgeport Vertical Mill) that was owned by an instructor, and program director, at a technical college, so it was rarely used because he could use the machines at the Technical College. It was a manual machine that was designed and built to be upgraded to a CNC mill, with the installation of a CNC retrofit kit, consisting of the CNC controller all the cabling, the scales servos, and the preloaded ball screws. It had just been through a complete rebuild of all of the mechanical components, like the ball screws, the 3.3 hp motor, and these spindle bearings. Also it had the controller upgraded with new USB ports, a new solid-state hard drive, though not a very big one, and the newest version of the software, and all the drivers, just a year earlier. The owner had a little difficulty selling it, as he was unwilling to participate in any of the shipping arrangements, and had a couple conditions to the sale oh, so I ended up being able to purchase what is about an 18000 to $22,000 machine for just over $5,000. That's CNC is substantially more rigid and more powerful than a CNC router so I'm able to cut not only all of the woods that I need to cut in an extremely stable precise cutting process oh, but I can also cut any kind of metal that I may need to cut. It has allowed usbtoo create our own proprietary guitar and bass components like the bridge, completely with adjustable and/or roller saddles, or custom knobs for pots or tips for switches that's can satisfy any customers wishes, or designs for the guitar or bass in their dreams. We can also cuts tuner Keys, and with the presence of three professional artists in my own family, I can use this machine to cut various types of stone, or fused glass, or other unusual materials for a customer's custom design. A CNC is a wonderful tool that opens up a world of possibilities, but it is far from what some on the believe it to be. These are people who have no idea what they're talking about, and have likely never programmed, set up, and run a CNC machine of any type, and certainly have not spent enough time with these tools to understand that they are just that, tools. I'm just like any other tool they are only as good or bad as the person who is using the tool
Good Video. Got most of those myself. Saw a few HF tools, got several of those myself also. Find alot of their tools are pretty decent, despite the bad reps. Thanks for sharing.
Awesome video, and nice run down. I ended up building a Drum Sander based off your design, but powered by and mounted on a Shop Smith. Works awesome, and I definitely would not have wanted to try and dimension raw lumber without it. Only tool I don't have some version of is the Jointer, well and my bandsaw only has a max resaw capacity of 6".
Another excellent video, Chris. All valid choices. I learned the hard way that you should not go cheap (or too fancy) on any tool. Patience and research in spending is the key. What do you think the total expense would be for commercial tools? I know I've spent well over $10k as just an occasional hobby builder. Of course, no regrets!
Awesome vids as per usual!! Question ... are these machines needed seeing as though the CNC can do 99% of all the work? eg. cutting/routing entire body/neck and also drilling all holes.
One idea most people don't think of, but many Technical Colleges with a halfway decent machine shop will have a surface grinder or two, which is the ideal machine for sharpening straight blades found on a jointer or planer. Often the machine shop at the technical college will have a machine tool club, sometimes they will even have small side business projects for advanced students, and either of these groups will do these types of jobs for a very reasonable cost. They do this to generate funding (sometimes badly needed funding) for some aspect of the program taught in the shop, or. To replace "disposable" tooling that they go through very quickly, especially with newbs in the shop burning up tooling, or for prizes for exceptional students and community service, or field trips for the students to see some of the local machine shops or tool and die shops in the area. Generally they only take on very small jobs so that they aren't taking away from local businesses, of course. Sometimes the wood shop can do it, but it's usually farmed out to the machine shop, where they can set it up on a surface grinder and do a high quality job of it. Another student in the program, and I, we took a lot of pride in getting feedback from people saying that the blades actually are cutting better and quieter than when they were brand new. The work is almost always supervised by an instructor and inspected by one of the instructors before they returned it to you. One other possibility, is when taking those blades in to inquire about getting them sharpened, giving some experience and work to a student trying to learn the trade, is that you may find out they offer a shop class, maybe one day or night a week that fits your schedule , and and you may learn to perform these tasks and use these types of machines on your own.
@@HighlineGuitars In the video you mention straight blade planers being risky with figured wood. I want to get into guitar making but don’t want to get a drum sander just yet.
@@Davesmusic86 A straight blade planer is risky if you don't feed the wood correctly or try to take too much off. A helical planer is double the price and you can make your own drum sander from my plans for less than $500. Also, do some research on what it takes to maintain a helical planer head.
@@HighlineGuitars thanks for the insight. I got a planer a while back for a few furniture projects but haven’t upgraded the head. I’ll have to dig in deeper on that now. Thanks again.
I just bought a planer and will begin my guitar making journey. Now I just need a 2 car garage and $50,000 for tools to make a few $500 guitars. Thanks
It can actually do everything the cnc, just manually. It's my personal preference, because I don't want to be a software tech, I want to build guitars.
I'm about to retool my workshop after a burglary and this is helpful in deciding what I want to replace and what changes to make.
Great video. I was looking forward to this video. I kind of suspected that the CNC router would be either number one or number two on your list of favorites. My CNC vertical mill is definitely in my top two or three tools in my shop, depending on what task I'm doing and how my day is going...
I found a Chevalier vertical knee mill (very similar to a Bridgeport Vertical Mill) that was owned by an instructor, and program director, at a technical college, so it was rarely used because he could use the machines at the Technical College.
It was a manual machine that was designed and built to be upgraded to a CNC mill, with the installation of a CNC retrofit kit, consisting of the CNC controller all the cabling, the scales servos, and the preloaded ball screws.
It had just been through a complete rebuild of all of the mechanical components, like the ball screws, the 3.3 hp motor, and these spindle bearings. Also it had the controller upgraded with new USB ports, a new solid-state hard drive, though not a very big one, and the newest version of the software, and all the drivers, just a year earlier.
The owner had a little difficulty selling it, as he was unwilling to participate in any of the shipping arrangements, and had a couple conditions to the sale oh, so I ended up being able to purchase what is about an 18000 to $22,000 machine for just over $5,000.
That's CNC is substantially more rigid and more powerful than a CNC router so I'm able to cut not only all of the woods that I need to cut in an extremely stable precise cutting process oh, but I can also cut any kind of metal that I may need to cut. It has allowed usbtoo create our own proprietary guitar and bass components like the bridge, completely with adjustable and/or roller saddles, or custom knobs for pots or tips for switches that's can satisfy any customers wishes, or designs for the guitar or bass in their dreams. We can also cuts tuner Keys, and with the presence of three professional artists in my own family, I can use this machine to cut various types of stone, or fused glass, or other unusual materials for a customer's custom design.
A CNC is a wonderful tool that opens up a world of possibilities, but it is far from what some on the believe it to be. These are people who have no idea what they're talking about, and have likely never programmed, set up, and run a CNC machine of any type, and certainly have not spent enough time with these tools to understand that they are just that, tools. I'm just like any other tool they are only as good or bad as the person who is using the tool
Absolutely fantastic video! Thank you so much for clearing up so many things!
I'm glad you mentioned dust. A video on dust collection would be helpful - mainly, what system work and don't work with guitar building.
I only can comment on my system which I briefly touched on in this video: ua-cam.com/video/Q1uFXwn1sPs/v-deo.html
very useful! thank you.
I immediately gave a thumbs after you said I went from 5 to 15.
Thanks Chris! Your videos are always so helpful, especially for a luthier-newbie like myself!
I totally agree with your choices Chris!
Good Video. Got most of those myself. Saw a few HF tools, got several of those myself also. Find alot of their tools are pretty decent, despite the bad reps. Thanks for sharing.
i saw how you maked your fret radius jig & i make same.... thank you so much...
salam from Kazaqstan
Very useful to decide what to get next. I need a good drill press-.-
I'd love to have one that I can always rely on, one that outlive me.
Awesome video, and nice run down. I ended up building a Drum Sander based off your design, but powered by and mounted on a Shop Smith. Works awesome, and I definitely would not have wanted to try and dimension raw lumber without it. Only tool I don't have some version of is the Jointer, well and my bandsaw only has a max resaw capacity of 6".
I love your videos. Very helpfull and well explained !
Thank you very much. Love your videos.
I really liked this into better.
Been waiting for this one! Thanks!
Another excellent video, Chris. All valid choices. I learned the hard way that you should not go cheap (or too fancy) on any tool. Patience and research in spending is the key. What do you think the total expense would be for commercial tools? I know I've spent well over $10k as just an occasional hobby builder. Of course, no regrets!
$15k if you include the CNC machine. You can spend a lot less and you don't have to buy everything or all at once.
Amazing video as always!
So interesting. Thanks so much!
Nice video, very informative. Can you make a video on how to recharge a barmagnet for a P90 ore a hummbucker?
excellent video chris !!
Awesome vids as per usual!!
Question ... are these machines needed seeing as though the CNC can do 99% of all the work? eg. cutting/routing entire body/neck and also drilling all holes.
CNC machines are great, but some operations can be done much faster with other tools.
@@HighlineGuitars thanks for your reply. Maybe the neck carve would be better suited to using the CNC.
Great list, but now I realize I need to spend more money :p Thanks yet again Chris!
Is it difficult to resharpen the blades on the planer and the jointer? Just wondering how do you do that.
One idea most people don't think of, but many Technical Colleges with a halfway decent machine shop will have a surface grinder or two, which is the ideal machine for sharpening straight blades found on a jointer or planer.
Often the machine shop at the technical college will have a machine tool club, sometimes they will even have small side business projects for advanced students, and either of these groups will do these types of jobs for a very reasonable cost.
They do this to generate funding (sometimes badly needed funding) for some aspect of the program taught in the shop, or. To replace "disposable" tooling that they go through very quickly, especially with newbs in the shop burning up tooling, or for prizes for exceptional students and community service, or field trips for the students to see some of the local machine shops or tool and die shops in the area.
Generally they only take on very small jobs so that they aren't taking away from local businesses, of course.
Sometimes the wood shop can do it, but it's usually farmed out to the machine shop, where they can set it up on a surface grinder and do a high quality job of it.
Another student in the program, and I, we took a lot of pride in getting feedback from people saying that the blades actually are cutting better and quieter than when they were brand new.
The work is almost always supervised by an instructor and inspected by one of the instructors before they returned it to you.
One other possibility, is when taking those blades in to inquire about getting them sharpened, giving some experience and work to a student trying to learn the trade, is that you may find out they offer a shop class, maybe one day or night a week that fits your schedule , and and you may learn to perform these tasks and use these types of machines on your own.
Great information Chris. Are plans ever coming for #13,12 and 1?
Don't hold your breath
Yes. They are done. I just have to figure out where to sell them.
I thought your guitar plan site was the plan- lol.
Matt Meyer maybe, or maybe not.
Is there a particular gcode CNC software that you use or prefer? Awesome video.
MeshCam
@@HighlineGuitars Thanks Chris
very very helpful!
Would a planer with helical head eliminate the risk of tearing up figured wood?
Allegedly. I have a straight blade planer and have never had a problem with tear out.
@@HighlineGuitars In the video you mention straight blade planers being risky with figured wood. I want to get into guitar making but don’t want to get a drum sander just yet.
@@Davesmusic86 A straight blade planer is risky if you don't feed the wood correctly or try to take too much off. A helical planer is double the price and you can make your own drum sander from my plans for less than $500. Also, do some research on what it takes to maintain a helical planer head.
@@HighlineGuitars thanks for the insight. I got a planer a while back for a few furniture projects but haven’t upgraded the head. I’ll have to dig in deeper on that now. Thanks again.
what is meant by "resaw capacity" of a bandsaw?
sorry I am very new to woodworking (have not even started)
Resaw capacity is the ability to run a wide board vertically into the blade.
@@HighlineGuitars thank you!
good
Hey Chris, in the market for a bandsaw. Is that the Harbor Freight bandsaw with a resaw kit?
Mad Haus Guitars my HF band saw is over 10 years old, so I can’t really comment the current model.
I just bought a planer and will begin my guitar making journey. Now I just need a 2 car garage and $50,000 for tools to make a few $500 guitars. Thanks
Or start a UA-cam channel, get a lot of subscribers, and companies will give you tools.
@@HighlineGuitars great idea!
Assuming it’s all about money, then yes.
What bandsaw riser block did you purchase?
I called Harbor Freight and ordered the one listed as an option in the manual. I don't remember the PN.
what's your preferred blade for resawing those tops?
I use a 4 tpi (teeth per inch) blade. Any width above 3/16"
What, no table saw?
Doug Jones I had one, but it broke and I never felt the need to replace it.
Build a duplicarver and you don't have to worry about the software
Yeah, but my CNC can do way more than a duplicarver.
It can actually do everything the cnc, just manually. It's my personal preference, because I don't want to be a software tech, I want to build guitars.
@@andrewgrossman6066 I'm not a software tech either. I had a very good duplicarver years ago. It could not do what my CNC can do. Not even close.
👍 cool story