Making a 3D mandolin

I am starting a new build and I thought i post a few pictures as I go.. The software I am using is Lightwave but any solid modeler will work.

I start off making my mandolin model as a flat shape, notice the quads wrap around the model horns.


http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR005.jpg



next I use a simple option called extrude to make it 3D.



http://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...olinR005-a.jpg


http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR004.jpg


keeping a idea of the finished size I need when carved, the shape can be a little bigger than needed allowing for the carving bit.


http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR003.jpg


Solid surfaces and subdivide. This gets the model ready to export.
you will notice the model looks dense this is due to the fact that STL will not shade so the polys need to be high and organically tessellated.

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR007.jpg

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR013.jpg

I like to go from LW to Designer as Designer's voxels show more imperfections in the cad cam surface.




once I get the model into Designer it time for a test carve..

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR012.jpg

Nice. Keep those LW tutorials coming. :)

that was impressive, if i did not have a new "stinger coming i would go get my carvewright out !!

keep it up

jim

Nice job, what wood do you plan on using, what is your expected machining time .... great tutorial,

Very cool!!! Thanks for posting that.

Very nice. I want to be just like you. Only with ukuleles. And Rhino.

Thanks all!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Matt Clara

Very nice. I want to be just like you. Only with ukuleles. And Rhino.

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I love to make a ukulele soon I think i be able to use the mandolin neck and scale it up for the job.

Picked up some hardware yesterday for the mandolin, looks like i will need to add a block under the fingerboard to raise the strings for the bridge typically for archtop guitars...

speaking of neck here are a few photos..

I am checking the overall size in my LW 3D model..

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...inNeckR011.jpg


Now into Designer's STL program and scaled up 40% for 1:1 size translation.

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...inNeckR012.jpg

After fixing the neck by adding some thickness under the 9th fret " like in a jazz guitars" I finally decided to assemble, glue up and string the mandolin i been working on.

i will need to do a lot of sanding but it sounds fantastic..

Here is the new neck shape inported into Designer:
http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR015.jpg
I will include some photos of the jigs i make for the head stock triming, frets and tunners later if folks are interested but its geared to the CW..

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/images/MandolinR014.jpg
Here is the back side of the mandolin looks just like the 3D model :)

http://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...olinR014-b.jpg

Here is a small animation of the mandolin top plate in 3D via a stl viewer " thanks Jim" it has a thickness of about .20" front to back..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz0WGfg3MWk

Here is a picture of my "e mandolin" for you guys, I used violin varnish/shellac and some lacquer mixed with a water base mahogany stain.

I'll upload some sounds bytes hopefully in a few days.. Have a good weekend and say a small prayer for the gulf coast to stop the oil and cap the well :(


http://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...nFirstR001.jpg

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Originally Posted by Mick A Martin

Nice job, what wood do you plan on using, what is your expected machining time .... great tutorial,

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Hi Mick,
The top and back plates takes about 3.30 hrs each for a 2 sided carve milled to about 3/16" finished. The center part take 17 mins. The neck takes about 1.50 hrs, headstock program and fingerboard about 7 Min's. so in little under a day I have the parts i need using 3 hobby cnc's

For the mandolin I using Canadian ceder and reclaimed flamed maple from the Oregon coast, reclaimed rosewood fingerboard from the 50's.

Tune I reordered " with the new e mandolin" for the Gulf fishermen. :mad:

It's based on a early American Folk Song called "up she rises".

Enjoy!

BP's Oil spill of 2010

Here is my second 3D Mandolin # 2 of 3 " not varnished yet " playing in "somewhere over the rainbow" by Harold Arlen.

one thing nice I noticed about making the parts in 3D first is controlling the sound quality, so each one seems to play and sound consistently nice..

Somewhere over the rainbow :)

I got most of the bugs out of the design so just add water and bake at 320 degrees. ;)


more photos..




http://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...GoldenR003.jpghttp://liquidguitars.com/assets/imag...GoldenR004.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4p0CmZBoxJM

Very nice work Brandon. Beautiful wood selection & color. I like how you opened up the aperture on this one.

Thanks Bruce,

At first I thought i did not need it, I did a little Internet surfing and noticed the mandolin strap threads through it so I set the cut deeper on the new patterns.

Looks so awesome. Great job!

Brandon, your work simply blows me away. It's beautifully designed, expertly executed and finished - wow! You must play too, so you're a very well rounded guy. Thanks for posting!

cheers, dee

Brandon, your work is fantastic, you are very talented.

Mick

Thanks everyone!

I was asked to build a mandolin with a splat maple top and back with a oil finish. Here it is, now it's off to the Gloucester island city in Massachusetts USA.

http://www.liquidguitars.com/assets/...ndolinR003.jpg

Beautifully done and excellent finishes!

Thanks!

A few new electric mandolins to see:

http://www.liquidguitars.com/assets/...olinMaR001.jpg

Brandon

That is true craftsmenship I can tell you really enjoyed the journey...thanks for sharing john

Thanks guys!

little update, we Just sold this set last week BTW I realy like this combo case made by Guardian I ordered one more for the next set!

http://www.liquidguitars.com/assets/.../VmadoR002.jpg

do you cut the profile on the front and the back before cutting it all the way through to keep the square stock? Or do these have a flat back?

Carved out like a clam shell to about .20" to .15" thick overall. I keep the parts in the wood until the carving is finished top and inside then cut out the tabs to remove.

Thanks guy!

Some new projects demands have come up this month and I been pondering dumping my old CNC's and upgrading to a new system. Seeing what i do with mandolins any idea on a make of CNC? I like to mill les Paul necks so i need around 38" x 24" table base cutting about 3" deep, all the STL's are made and will be probably using VisualMill as my Cam software. I like to keep the price down under 10k?

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do you cut the profile on the front and the back before cutting it all the
way through to keep the square stock? Or do these have a flat
back?

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I keep the stock square and filp...

naturally i am gonna reccomend a CAMaster, get joey to show you the ones for fender guitar, with a four x4 stinger dual head you could cut two at a time. are you trying tp produce faster, or larger ?

" my big shop days are over" :) could CAMaster build me a custom size unit just for instruments? also do you know if they have drivers for VisualMill?

we have several users of visual mill, call joey at camaster. i told him to watch for you as i admire your work!!

Thanks, I will give him a call.

I ended up bidding on a used CW to keep me working , but I still will call him to see how long it will take to integrate..