'53 CNC build

[ehawley]

OK! Here's the 53 replica CNC build that I was talking about in other posts. I finally got my pictures together to start posting. I've built 9 teles so far using allparts necks and purchased pickups. I've built the bodies and pickguards myself on a webb CNC. This is my first build were I'm manufacturing ALL parts from scratch. Neck, truss rod, Body, Bakelite pickguard, and pickups. All parts will be as close to a 53 as I can get. Nail holes in the body, pin router templet dowel plugs in body and templet screw holes in the neck. I drew all cad drawings and solid models for the neck and body myself using a 66' body and a friends neck. I should have used one of my necks because the "friends" tuner holes were abit out of spec!! All is now corrected. Let the fun begin!

Lets start with the cad drawings of the body



The classic 53 routes are there. Flattend control cavity, No flat on body input(output?) ,nail holes on front, dowel plugs on back.

Next, the neck (correct one!)






Im off for a beer before I start the next post



cheers
ED

[ehawley]

Blue Moon good beer!

I purchased the Garolite(bakelite) for the pickguard from McMaster Carr



All the wood, ash for body, hard maple for necks, from Willard Bros.





Now with all the raw materials in house I'm ready to start machining!

[ehawley]

Pickguard.....1/16 Garolite sheet 12X12. There is a grain to the Garolite and if you cut the guard from the right angle you will get the "Wave pattern" that you see on the old 50's after the lacquer wears through!







Ready for the spray booth!

[ehawley]

Truss rod is made from 3/16 drillrod. I varied from the true 50's thread size of 8-32. I think the 10-32 is a safer bet when it come to stripping the thread. The truss rod nut is made from leaded stock so it will strip before the rod does!



Threading the rod



Cutting slots in truss rod nut



Finished parts



Finished truss rod


Tomorrow I'll post the machining of the neck. Hope you guys have questions??
Cheers
ED

[eyema_believer]

Originally Posted by ehawley

. Hope you guys have questions??
Cheers
ED

Questions? My fingers would be sore ifn I asked 'em all!!
Please, slow down a bit and tell us hillbillies what ur a doin', if you don't mind! (beg anyone's pardon, I 'spose I could be the only hillbilly here)
What machines are you working with? Is there more than one? How does it work? How much does it cost to buy one?
I think this is going to be a sweet thread! I'm looking forward to it, for sure!

Peace!

~Shawn

[Jack Wells]

I feel so inadequate with my templates, homebuilt router table and purchased hardware.

Seriously, I would like to see a closeup of your truss rod anchor.

Looking forward to further installments.

[mellecaster]

Jest when you think you've seen it all !....I'm Diggin this Thread......

[Buckocaster51]

Wilma!

Come look see what's on the computer!

[jaydawg]

Ed, great project. I'll ask the same question as Jack, what did you use for an anchor on the truss rod?

[Maestro]

this going to be a fun thread.

[tjalla]

Wow! This is DIY on a whole new level. I'll be watching the progress on this one for sure. Nice work Ed, keep it coming.

[Vole]

Mastercam 9? Hurco CNC?

Are those the drawings from the .PDF manuals on the Fender site? I only ask because that scratchplate drawing isn't entirely accurate.

I have an accurate drawing. I was about to ask if you wanted it but it looks like it's too late!

Looking forward to watching this thread.

[maestrovert]

whoa......waaaay outta my league....
perhaps a photo or two of your shop/machinery please ?

an Thanx Ed !

[Atrox]

I knew I wouldn't regret joining this place! Great thread!

[japasul]

!!!!

You could at least wait for me to finish mine first... Guys, ill be dropping my construction diary! :P

Great stuff!

And you have one of these toys at home?!?!?!

[Redd Volkaert]

Thats incredible!!!
Please keep on with it it all, the pictures are fantastic!
Redd

[Jack Wells]

Andre ............It looks like you and Ed are at the extreme opposite ends of the Telecaster building spectrum. It's great to see that our favorite guitar can be built with a wide range of tools and techniques.

[tonewoods]

Great thread, Ed...

Nice ash selection grain-wise....
Reminds me of some of the crazy graining in a few of those Blackguard Book Teles/Esquires....
Hope you got some light-weight stuff?

OK, if I had a '53 Blackguard, I'd try to get it into your hands so that you could indeed build a "bench copy"...

How does this work? You put the '66 body and your friend's neck on the CNC machine and it scans it, right?

Man, surely someone on the Right Coast could get a real '53 in your hands for a project like this so that all the early-50's quirks translate...?

Looking forward to future posts....

[ehawley]

Hi guys,

Thank you all!! First let me say that what I'm doing here is actually EASY compaired to what you builders do by templates and hand work! The only hard part is making the drawings, solid models for CNCing, and figuring out how to hold stuff for cutting. (where would we be without double sided tape!)
My shop is my workplace. I'm a Bio/Mechanical engineer. A partner in a three man company in the design and development of medical devices and surgical instruments. The business purchases all equipment. My home shop is a modest wood shop consisting of a table saw ,radial arm saw, an OLD E9 Shopsmith and various hand stuff. My WORKPLACE is a dream! Webb CNC knee mill, Hardinge CNC lathe and toolroom lathe. Software we work in is Solidworks, Mastercam 9 and X2. Not stuff that you would have in a home shop. Webb CNC we bought in 99' for $38,000. Solidworks software around $5,000 and Mastercam level3 with solids around $16,000. Not your typical home stuff! I'll post pics of the shop when I get home tonight. Eyema Believer, I hope that answers your shop questions.

JWELLS... You sir are one of the reasons I started building teles! Thank you. The truss rod anchor is a .36 dia. threaded slug. The contact end is slightly convex to allow for seating in the neck. It is threaded onto the rod and then peened and turned flat on to backside. I'll show a closeup when I get home tonight. I hope this helps you too Jaydawg..

ReVintage... The pickguard drawing was CMMed from a Warmoth guard that was on the 66'. Those pics were 3 weeks old and since then I've altered the lower lefthand outer radius to much less. More to what is seen in Nachos book. Which by the way I,ve used a HECK of alot in designing the body. Thanks Nacho!! If you have a drawing of a 50's guard I would love it! It's never too late!Thank you! You sound like you know what I,m working with. If you ,or anyone else would like the drawings I did in DXF,DWG,Mastercam or Solidworks, PM me and I,ll send them off!

I cut the back half of the neck lastnight. Those pics will be posted tonight when I get home from work.

Again thank you all!! this is a great place! And Andre...If you drop your thread I'll make a trip to Carnivale and hunt you down...

Cheers
ED

[ehawley]

Originally Posted by tonewoods

Great thread, Ed...


OK, if I had a '53 Blackguard, I'd try to get it into your hands so that you could indeed build a "bench copy"...

How does this work? You put the '66 body and your friend's neck on the CNC machine and it scans it, right?

Man, surely someone on the Right Coast could get a real '53 in your hands for a project like this so that all the early-50's quirks translate...?

Looking forward to future posts....

Hi,
The bodies are "scanned" on a CMM machine. Coordinate Measuring Machine. Granite base with framework above and a stylus that you trace around the body. Measurments are sent to the computer in ascii formate and translated to a readable dwg. A REAL 53!!?? Where...Who...
Cheers
ED