Making guitar hardware

Well the title pretty much says it. I'm thinking about making guitar hardware, mostly bridges, for myself and maybe sell it. At this point I'm building a CNC machine with this purpose (standard 3 axis machine) and maybe use it for small woodworking jobs.
I plan to make aluminum and brass parts, but I guess that it would be necessary to make some steel parts too. My question is if anyone has experience making bridges and so, what type of machine is the most adecuate to do so. I haven't found any info on this topic.. something like a "gotoh factory tour" would be like a holly grail.

Thanks!

Just for giggles, I Googled "Gotoh Factory Tour" and actually came up with some pretty cool photos of the Gotoh factory in China!

http://www.g-gotoh.com/international/?page_id=293

Not what you're looking for, but interesting nonetheless!

Just for giggles, I Googled "Gotoh Factory Tour" and actually came up with some pretty cool photos of the Gotoh factory in China!

http://www.g-gotoh.com/international/?page_id=293

Not what you're looking for, but interesting nonetheless!

Thanks! I'd already seen those, they just show some random huge machines, not much of the process. I'm starting to think that if there's not much on the web it might not be an easy task.. :S

Thanks again!

I wouldn't expect the results on brass or aluminum cut on a home made wood routing machine to be as fine and accurate as a commercial vertical mill. I'd expect that there would be considerable hand work involved. You might be better off investing in a small cnc milling machine if you are serious in this venture.

This one is affordable by some
http://www.tormach.com/

I want to build some Fender style bridges as well. I have acess to a cnc plasma cutter and sheet metal brake capable of doing 16 gauge steel. I should get around to it by fall ar winter. I tinker around with CAD at my lunch breaks at work so that I will have a few ideas to cut out when I get time.

here is a guy that makes his own bridge from steel ,he does not use CNC machine ,he make it the old fashion way, maybe he has information he want to share with you ,just send him a pm and let us know .
http://www.angelfire.com/music2/construct/page1E.html

I wouldn't expect the results on brass or aluminum cut on a home made wood routing machine to be as fine and accurate as a commercial vertical mill. I'd expect that there would be considerable hand work involved. You might be better off investing in a small cnc milling machine if you are serious in this venture.

This one is affordable by some
http://www.tormach.com/

Thanks! those machines are waaaayy out of my reach. I'm planning on building the whole thing with a steel base and fixed steel frame, with a movil bed. I'm pretty sure it'll be stiff enough. I think the catch is in the power and speed of the spindle. (sharp cutters too)

Kinda like this one.. (not so pro-looking i'm sure.. )

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00pBUtgzEaBecu/Mini-Small-CNC-Routers-Engraver-Engraving-Machine-with-Wide-Application-TR-3030.jpg

Just for giggles, I Googled "Gotoh Factory Tour" and actually came up with some pretty cool photos of the Gotoh factory in China!

http://www.g-gotoh.com/international/?page_id=293

Not what you're looking for, but interesting nonetheless!

The Gotoh factory is actually in Japan and their stuff is of the highest quality.

Making a bridge is something that has crossed my mind too on occassions and I was wondering if you need any special quality of steel, such as getting up there towards 100 in the Rockwell scale? Do you get much benefit from better quality material or would any kind of stainless or alloy be sufficient?

Good topic, good luck with the venture..

This is probably up to the task for bridges and such.
http://www.taigtools.com/cmill.html

I assume this is more about a cool project than a perfect bridge, i think a tele bridge could be made fairly simply with vey little tooling. Brass rod, a steel plate, threading kit, etc.

Sent from my iPhone using TDPRI

Follow the exploits of Hoss as he converts a vertical mill to CNC. It's an "inexpensive" mill from Grizzly

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop_machines/111863-hosss_g0704.html

Y'know, it's not totally inconceivable that Paul will throw us a BIG curve for next years' challenge and require some homebuilt hardware--maybe in addition to home wound pickups, maybe instead-- who knows? If so, you'll be ahead of the curve.

Making a bridge is something that has crossed my mind too on occassions and I was wondering if you need any special quality of steel, such as getting up there towards 100 in the Rockwell scale? Do you get much benefit from better quality material or would any kind of stainless or alloy be sufficient?

Good topic, good luck with the venture..

Thanks! You can use pretty much any type of metal you can machine. Most fender type are flat low carbon steel or cast iron. Most saddles and Gisbon type of bridges are nickel plated brass that's way more easy to process and has that sparkly sound to it.

This is probably up to the task for bridges and such.
http://www.taigtools.com/cmill.html

That looks like a simple enough machine. I'll look into it.. thanks man!


Follow the exploits of Hoss as he converts a vertical mill to CNC. It's an "inexpensive" mill from Grizzly

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/benchtop_machines/111863-hosss_g0704.html

Over 200 pages!! man, I better make some fresh coffee.. Thanks!


Y'know, it's not totally inconceivable that Paul will throw us a BIG curve for next years' challenge and require some homebuilt hardware--maybe in addition to home wound pickups, maybe instead-- who knows? If so, you'll be ahead of the curve.

C'mon.. That's no challenge!! making a tele bridge aint that hard.. :wink:

Check this out... first class DIY bridge, plus he even did his own chrome plating.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/306340-sssssssnakehead-5.html#post3852624

Start reading at around post #163.

Check this out... first class DIY bridge, plus he even did his own chrome plating.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/306340-sssssssnakehead-5.html#post3852624

Start reading at around post #163.

Thank you, I'm familiar with Herb's work.

Maybe the topic isn't clear, but I know that you don't need a CNC to make a tele bridge. I'm looking to be able to make something like these

http://www.stewmac.com/catalog/images_1lg/4507_1lg.jpg

http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/images/30N/CUST177_bridge-tailpiece.jpg

Y'know, it's not totally inconceivable that Paul will throw us a BIG curve for next years' challenge and require some homebuilt hardware--maybe in addition to home wound pickups, maybe instead-- who knows? If so, you'll be ahead of the curve.

I have a funny feeling that you might be pretty close to the mark with that statement. He is seeing we are all preparing to do our own pickups, so he may well feel there needs to be something else.

A Fender Vintage style bridge is not milled out on a CNC mill... it is stamped on a punch press. The amount of energy/size required to cut the oval hole for the pu and then in a second step bend the bridge from a flat plate into a bridge can be calculated. Thickness of material and the length of throw to achieve the bend dictate the size of the press and punch. Dies are spendy and require a lot of $ and time.

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To do many precise holes in a big sheet for a big production shop, sure CNC is the modern way but you control a punch press not a mill... in 1952 this is how it was done. Cost... for a press like that WITH dies... $30-50K approx well used.

Also, it is one of the most dangerous machines anywhere. This example is of a guy who is begging to loose a finger. Hands are not clamp down tools. Fingers get lost just looking at these things. A finger cut off looks like a chunck of meatloaf with some chalk in it... we won't yak about where I saw that.

"Over 200 pages!! man, I better make some fresh coffee.. Thanks!"


That's only the second thread on his build. There's another on just as long. He is also into 3D printers. Some amazing stuff.