Luthier programs

[byoc]

anybody know of any programs, shareware or otherwise, to use with the shopbot to make guitars?

[rcnewcomb]

Art Cam Pro is quite powerful:
http://www.artcampro.com/

A program like Cut3D from Vectric might be handy for carving necks, bridges, and electric guitar bodies. Here is a link to their site:
http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/cut3d/c3d_index.htm

[patricktoomey]

I made an electric guitar body using ArtCam Pro. It could definitely be done in Cut3D as well if you have a 3D modeling package with which to design the shape. It would be far cheaper to buy a decent 3D modeling program like Rhino and Cut3D than it would to go with ArtCam.

[byoc]

What I was asking more specifically was are there any predesigned tool paths in Cut3D or ArtCam Pro to be used with the shopbot?

[Brady Watson]

Keith,
I'm not sure what you mean 'predesigned toolpaths'...If you are asking if there are already made files of a guitar, you'll have to ask around. If you have an existing guitar, it can be digitized, or drawn in a CAD program and then the appropriate toolpaths generated to cut the guitar body, neck and other parts out.

There are 3 basic steps going from idea to part: 1) Model the part in CAD to create the shapes of the guitar 2) Toolpath the shapes you have created in a CAM program 3) Cut out the parts using the toolpaths you made on a CNC.

What kind of guitar is it? Electric, acoustic, classical?

-B

[byoc]

Nothing in particular. Was just wondering if someone sold ready to go programs for any sort of guitar stuff. I figured strats and teles would be the easiest to start with.