CNC router for acoustic guitar building

[Alalush]

Hi all, thinking of buying a CNC router for my hobby shop.
But I see so many brands and sizes. Any advice? I know it depends a lot on budget which would be around 5-8k tops.

[mirwa]

Cnc router is good, however it is also a steep learning curve. Cad, stls etc

The hardest part is the budget, with your budget you will get a decent unit but with only 1 tool capability, most jobs I do require at lest 5-6 different tools to achieve the finished job

You can change tools over manually but that makes the job longer and more prone to risks as you recalibrate each tool and its position.

Example if you cnc manufacture a bridge with a 1 tool cnc router it will likely take you 1hr 30 to achieve with you being present at the machine for at least 1/3 of that time calibrating, adjusting setting up.

If you cnc a bridge with an 8 tool unit it will take less than 15 minutes to make the part and your present only for the first couple of minutes just to calibrate the block of wood in, so you can go do other work

For note I have 3 cnc routers, 1 is an 8 tool unit the other two are single tool units, I make guitar kits and necks for stores to onsell

Steve

[Fathand]

I don't have a cnc but most jobs that you might want to repeat are 2D and can be done with a router and a template in the hobbiest shop. In the example of a bridge, I make one in an hour with a bandsaw and belt sander or sometimes router and template and belt sander.

The only job I really would be interested in a cnc machine for might be carving an arch top for a guitar or mandolin and many of those have been done other ways.

A $5or 8k machine is going to take most hobbiests 100-300 hours of work at their day job to pay for and will still require some hours to make your projects. That's fine if you are going to make money with it.

[peter.coombe]

I have a CNC router. Before buying a CNC router you need to think about what you are going to use it for. What these machines do very well are things that require accuracy and/or repeatabilty. Some things are just quicker and easier to do by hand. By the time you program the thing you might have been able to make more than you need by hand in the time spent programming and debugging. However, once programmed you can run the same job as many times as you like and get exactly the same result. There is a steep learning curve, the software will seem quite daunting at first, and 3D is a lot more difficult than 2D. So far I have only been doing 2D stuff, but then the vast majority of things I want to do are 2D. Many people starting out have dreams of carving 3D (e.g. carve a neck) and end up frustrated with the difficulty and give up. I have a Stepcraft M700 with the ballscrew option, chosen because of the space available and excellent local (Australian) support. It does have very impressive specs on repeatability so is very accurate. It also is very versatile, with support for an additional axis, touch probe, tool changer or laser etc. I started with a small Chinese CNC that had a long list of problems and zero support from the supplier, so wanted to avoid that scenario again, especially since the cost was so much more. You get what you pay for. Pay more and you get a heavier and bigger machine that can cut faster, that can cut metals, that has a tool changer etc. So far I am very happy with the decision. Does it save time? No not really for most things, but the end result when precision is required is far better. Some things it does I can't do by hand, e.g. cutting perfect oval soundholes and rosettes.

[Howard Klepper]

What do you get out of what you called a hobby? Is it more the product or the process?

I see things such as the CNC router as ways of speeding production for economic reasons in a professional shop. The cost, besides the price of the machine and the time spent learning to program it, is a portion of the satisfaction of crafting with your hands.

[difalkner]

I built a CNC router about 6 or 7 years ago and it's been a game changer for me. I have been doing high-end custom woodworking but am no focused on building acoustic guitars only.

On my first guitar the only thing I did on the CNC was a little work on the bridge. I'm on my second guitar and plan to do as much as possible on the CNC.

For me, the CNC is just another tool in the shop. It might be the coolest tool but I don't go out of my way to use it. If the tablesaw/bandsaw/planer etc. are better choices for a particular cut then that's what I use.

You can get to my YouTube channel with the link in my signature and see some of the work I've done with the CNC.

A friend has the OneFinity and really likes it and it fits your budget.

Here's a simple shot of the CNC I built - It's got a 3kW water cooled spindle and the entire machine weighs in at around 600 lbs.

[zeeway]

I also have a self-built CNC…built some Maloof chairs/rockers and some guitars and many signs. It is a fun hobby, but as someone mentioned a formidable learning curve. If you have the $, and do not prefer the self-built approach, suggest you consider Camaster.