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> OT: Does anyone here do laser cutting?
chunger
post Jul 9 2004, 03:28 AM
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Hello,

I was wondering if anyone on list has or has access to laser cutting equipment. I am trying to cut inlay material for electric bass guitar headstocks.

The material I need to cut is .050" thick composed of an abalone shell face bonded to a composite backing. I do not know what kind of graphics files I would need to provide for the cutting process. I'm clueless. Thought I'd ask to see if someone can set me up to cut about 10 inlay pieces roughly the size of a quarter out of sheet material that is roughly 2"x4".

This way, I would be set for quite a while as I don't make very many instruments. This one crept up on me because it's a wedding present for a friend. Thought I'd go ahead and make it real purrrrty.

-'Chung
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Jeroen
post Jul 9 2004, 05:06 AM
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You could try Patrick Pickerell. His board name is ppickerell

Oh, and post some pics and details of the basses you build!

cheers,

Jeroen
(who hasn't picked up his bass in years (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) )
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Phoenix-MN
post Jul 9 2004, 07:51 AM
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hey Chung,

I also do a lot of guitar work as a hobby and have wondered about laser cutting too. The only thing I don't know is what the edge burning of the inlay would look like after being cut. If used on ebony it would blend in but if used on a maple neck might not be so good. I'm currently building a 3 axis cnc router to do guitar work and a bbs that I read has a member that CNC cuts inlay with good results.

http://cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=145
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Engman
post Jul 9 2004, 08:41 AM
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You want a water jet cutter. If you cut wood on a laser it will burn the edges and it smells like smoke. Years ago we did some intricate cutouts for a local gun safe company (Fire King). Great idea but it smelled so bad they were unusable.

M
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RON S.
post Jul 9 2004, 09:13 AM
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I have a laser here at work,and USED to cut some wood parts for customers.
Don't do it anymore cause it is very hard on the machine.
The smoke gets into everything,and begins leaving soot all over the machines internals & optics.
Waterjetting is the best bet.I don't have one,but I've used'm here locally,and the cuts on wood are nice.Just don't try to have a waterjetter cut plywood type wood.It is a laminate(sheets glued together)and it'll begin to separate during the cutting process,especially small parts.

Ron
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peridotian
post Jul 9 2004, 10:48 AM
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I can try it on the laser for you. You never know what wil happen until you flip the switch! As long as the material does not give off toxic fumes, I am willing to give it a try. Or Jetstream in Hayward will do it on their waterjet but they will charge you.
Thanks,
Patrick
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chunger
post Jul 10 2004, 02:25 AM
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Hey Patrick,

I'm going to PM you and perhaps take you up on the offer to try. . .

I'm not cutting wood. . . .it's abalone shell that has been bonded to a composite back. Total width .050".

Would you want a piece of material just to run a test cut on? Or should I send you an image file or something of the shape I desire? Ah, I'll just PM you w/ details. And let you know when my material arrives in the mail.

Thanks,
'Chung
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rick 918-S
post Jul 10 2004, 07:21 AM
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Sounds like we have some musicians and craftsman here. My 15 yr old is a electric bass player in the 9th grade jazz band, he plays a stand up type bass for the 10th grade band, and he is a drummer in a hard rock band after school. He is also taking piano lessons. He just told us he wants to take jazz drum lessons as well. It would be cool to have a band assembled from all corners of the planet for a performance at one of the 914 Classic events.
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street legal go-kart
post Jul 10 2004, 08:58 AM
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Hey Chung,
The guy you want is Dave Patterson @ Fresno Waterjet. He's in the phone book . If you can't find him email me and i'll get his cell for you.
We have a waterjet at our facility in SanLeandro but what you are cutting is going to require someone with a lot of experience. Dave is ecentric as hell but when our tech's need help he's the guy they call.Fresno Waterjet does work for people all over the world including people like GE , Raytheon ect. Anyone can cut metal with a jet but it takes a special touch to do composites.
Tell Dave I refered you and his price will drop 25-50%.

Jonathan T.
Fresno Intertile
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street legal go-kart
post Jul 10 2004, 09:01 AM
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I also would like to see the finished product.
I currently play a Gibson EB-3 hollow body and a Rickenbacker but I am always looking for something new.

JT
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chunger
post Jul 10 2004, 10:38 PM
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ok, it's not a very complete picture, but it's what I had in my computer at the time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

This one's #2. The one I tote around with me. An unusual tonal experiment. Purpleheart neck through w/ ebony fretboard. Solid Flame Koa body with 1/4" bookmatched flamed mapel top. (no inlays)

Mabe when I get my digi cam back, I can take a more complete picture.

I'm working on 5 bolt-on ones presently. 4 5 strings. 2 purple-heart necked ones and 2 3 piece birdseye maple w/ ebony fretboard and 2 graphite reinforecement rods. And one purpleheart-necked 4 string fetless. . . (IMG:style_emoticons/default/monkeydance.gif)

-'Chung


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chunger
post Sep 9 2004, 01:01 AM
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Hello Folks,

I was wondering if anyone has the capacity to change an image file into a DWG or DXF file for laser cutting.

-'Chung
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chunger
post Sep 9 2004, 01:17 AM
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here's the image. . . need to convert to vector format in order to get laser cuts in abalone.


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RON S.
post Sep 9 2004, 04:56 AM
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You need to take your image to someone who is in the sign business.
Guys who make signs & banners for a living use CNC vinyl cutters to make all those signs so quickly.The vinyl cutters usually need the same vectored format dwg's that lasers need so,these guys have already spent the big bucks on the software to cleanly make it and convert it.
One software program I know that some sign guys use is Casmate,but I assume there are others.
I would assume you'd expect to pay about $25-50.00 for a disc with a good clean .dxf file.Then just take it to anyone you want to cut it.
Doing that profile on Autocad,and then cleaning it up to get a small file size(i.e.less that 200k bits)would be several hours of work and then more trial&error to get the program to run.


Just my 2cw.
Ron
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Jeroen
post Sep 9 2004, 05:29 AM
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I just did it...
Is this close enuf for you?

If so, send me an e-mail to jeroen@berloth.nl and I'll reply with the vector file (let me know which format)

cheers,

Jeroen


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peridotian
post Sep 9 2004, 09:21 AM
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Jeroen,
Can you email me the file in dxf format? I will run it through the software and see if I can code it.
email pat@peridotcorp.com
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Jeroen
post Sep 9 2004, 02:58 PM
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Hey Patrick,

I'll send it to you when I get into the office tomorrow
(it's on my office computer)

cheers,

Jeroen
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chunger
post Sep 10 2004, 03:57 AM
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Jeroen,

You rock! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/clap56.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mueba.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mueba.gif)

I'll post pics, the bass is close to done. I found an abalone piece that's thin enough to bury in the coats of lacquer so I don't have to route for the inlay.

-'Chung
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Jeroen
post Sep 10 2004, 04:45 AM
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QUOTE(chunger @ Sep 10 2004, 11:57 AM)
I found an abalone piece that's thin enough to bury in the coats of lacquer so I don't have to route for the inlay.

I was just thinking when I was converting your picture...
"you're gonna have one hell of a time making cutouts in your fretboard"

So, smart move (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I mailed the .dxf file to both you and Patrick

And yeah, post pics of the bass once it's finished!!!

Good luck
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rhaas
post Sep 10 2004, 08:22 AM
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I have a 5 axis waterjet machine in our shop let me know if I can help you out. We cut only composites on this machine, so I think that the material you have in mind should be easy enough to cut.

Robin
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