Sample 1

Book 1: Guitar Project
Stratocaster® Style Guitar Project

This project will be built around a pre made template file. The shape of the guitar can be modified to any
profile you wish. Keep the dimensions of the pickup, bridge, neck, and electronics cavity the same. These
will be used with the Stratocaster® Guitar Kit. The template file can be copied from the enclosed DVD:
“Templates and Instruction Files”. For this tutorial we will use the Solids package that is included with all
educational seats of Mastercam.
Section 1 – Design
Step 1 – Select the proper drawing
Level
 Open the guitar template file (Guitar

geometry.mcx)
 Click on the word ‘Level’ at the bottom of
the Mastercam screen
 Ensure that ‘Level 15 – guitar

solid model’ is set to the main
level, and ‘Level 1 – main
guitar body’ is visible
 OK
X in the visible column for Level 1
Level 15 is highlighted in yellow to

indicate that it is the main level.
MyGuitarProjects.com C o p y r i g h t C a t a p u l t I n t e r a c t i v e I n c . 2 0 1 1
Step 2 – Extrude the Guitar Body
 Select – Solids – extrude, the chaining window will appear

 Select the shape of the guitar body, it should turn yellow and the prompt will indicate ‘Select
Chain(s) to be extruded. 2
 Select OK in the chaining window

 The Extrude Chain window will open and the prompt will change to ‘Modify dialog box settings or
Select a chain to reverse the direction’
The green arrow is indicating the direction that the model will be extruded. We want it to extrude down
from the profile. If the arrow is pointing up simply click on the profile again and it will point down.
 Change the ‘Extrude Chain’ settings as shown
 OK
 Use the shading function to shade the model

 The body of the guitar should be extruded as shown
Set the size to the thickness of the

finished guitar
Step 3 – Extrude cut the Pickup cavity
 Select the level manager (click the

word ‘level’ at the bottom of the
Mastercam screen)
 Uncheck Level 1 and make level 2
visible – pickup cavity (X in the visible
column)
 OK
 Unshade the model to make it easier
to see the geometry
 Select – Solids - Extrude
 Select the pickup cavity by clicking here

 The pickup geometry should turn yellow
 Ok (in the chaining window)
Ensure the extrude direction arrow is pointing

down (click on the geometry again if it is
pointing up)
It‟s easiest to see if the „Graphics view‟ is set to Isometric
Extrude direction
arrow
 Change the ‘Extrude Chain’ settings as shown. Ensure that Cut Body is selected
 OK
 Adjust your extrude direction arrow and change the ‘Extrude Chain’ settings as shown
The extrude distance is the total thickness of the guitar minus the thickness of the small lip at the bottom
of the pocket (dimensions taken from the Stratocaster drawing)
At this point the design is a functional guitar body. The following steps will add a curved armrest section
to the top, a carved out section on the back, and a .375 fillet around the top and bottom edges.
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Section 2 – Toolpath creation

To keep things simple the entire guitar body will be cut using one tool (1/4” extended length flat endmill).
We will create 2 CNC programs, one for the top and one for the bottom.
Step 1 – Check that the PRZ is set to the center of the guitar body
Before running a program on a CNC machine the machine datum must be set to 0,0,0 for the x,y, and z
axis. All of the program moves are referenced to this position. This position is sometimes referred to as
the PRZ (program reference zero), Origin, or machine datum.
 Change the Gview to ‘Isometric’

 Select the Level Manager
 Uncheck everything except Level 15 - guitar solid model
 Make sure the model is unshaded

 Select Create – Bounding Box
 Unselect everything except create center point
 OK
 Zoom up on the newly created point (it’ll be right in the
middle of the guitar body )
 Select Analyze – Entity properties..
 Select the newly created point
 The ‘Point Properties’ should indicate a position of 0,0,0
 If they don’t read 0,0,0 then follow these steps:

 Select Level Manager and click the ‘All on’ button
 Select Xform – Move to Origin
 Select the newly created point
 Select Analyze – Entity properties
 Select the newly created point
Step 2 – Select the Machine type and adjust the stock setup
 Select Machine type – Mill or Router – select your machine

 Expand the properties in the toolpath manager and select Stock Setup
 Make the changes to reflect the exact size of the wood block you are cutting your guitar from
These values are the

dimensions taken from the
actual piece of stock that you
are using. They may not be
as indicated
The stock should be planed

and sanded to a final
dimension of 1.75 inches.
Set the Stock Origin Z value

to half the thickness of the
stock
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Step 4 – Create Contour toolpath to cut out guitar body and support with tabs
The order that the toolpaths are executed is sometimes important. In this case it‟s best to cut the outside
shape next so that the wood has already been removed when the armrest and fillet toolpaths are
executed.
 Toggle the toolpath display to off by

holding Alt + T on the keyboard
 Select the Level Manager
 Right Click on main guitar body and
select Make Main or click on the
number 1
 Select the All off button
Since the outside shape of the guitar has been filleted both top and bottom using solid selection methods
would be difficult. For this toolpath we will use the standard wireframe chaining method.
 Select Toolpaths – Contour…

 Select the contour here
 Ensure the chaining direction
is clockwise (indicated with
an arrow). If it’s wrong
select the reverse button
 OK
 Select the Depth Cuts page
and make the changes as shown
 Select the Break Through page and make the changes as shown
Select the Tabs page, make the changes as shown, then click the Position button
Change the Gview to top and position the

tabs as shown. Simply click anywhere on
the shape of the guitar and move the
mouse to position the tab, click again and
repeat, when the last one has been
positioned, press [Enter]. Try to position
your tabs on relatively straight sections and
stay away from the start location (indicated
by the arrows) as the lead in lead out will
cut into your tab
 Select the Linking Parameters page and make the changes as shown
 OK
 Select the Verify button to
simulate your toolpath
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Step 6 – Create toolpath for top fillet
Tip - As with the design of the fillets, take your time with this step. The filleted edge is made up of
over 60 separate surfaces and must be selected individually. If you miss a couple of the smaller
ones you may end up with a small bump that will need to be sanded away.
 Select the level manager and ensure only the solid model is visible
 Alt + T to toggle any toolpath displays off
 Select Toolpaths – Surface finish – Flowline…
 Select the Activate Solid selection button from the General selection toolbar
 Select only Faces
 Begin selecting the fillet faces at the neck pocket and continue until you reach the other side of
the neck pocket
Start here
End here
 Click End Selection or hit [Enter] on the keyboard

 There should be 62 surfaces selected (if you’ve been using the exact geometry from the template
file)
 Select the Show button and you should see one continuous fillet
 If you have less than 62 surfaces or you see gaps in the

displayed surfaces simply select the Select button and
select the missing surfaces
 Select the Surface parameters tab and make the changes as shown
 Select the Finish flowline parameters tab and make the changes as shown
Lowering this value will create a smoother finish on

the fillet but will result in a longer machining time
due to the increase in the number of cuts needed
 OK
 Select the Select All button

 Select Verify to simulate the
toolpaths
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The save dialogue will be open again to save the Bottom NC program
 OK
 The Mastercam Editor will open again
 Select the Restore down (top right corner)
 You should have 2 NC programs, one for the top of the
guitar and one for the bottom

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Book 1: Guitar Project

Stratocaster® Style Guitar Project

 Open the guitar template file (Guitar

 Ensure that ‘Level 15 – guitar

X in the visible column for Level 1

Level 15 is highlighted in yellow to

Step 2 – Extrude the Guitar Body

 Select – Solids – extrude, the chaining window will appear

 Select OK in the chaining window

 Change the ‘Extrude Chain’ settings as shown

 Use the shading function to shade the model

Set the size to the thickness of the

Step 3 – Extrude cut the Pickup cavity

 Select the level manager (click the

to see the geometry

 Select – Solids - Extrude

 Select the pickup cavity by clicking here

Ensure the extrude direction arrow is pointing

It‟s easiest to see if the „Graphics view‟ is set to Isometric

Section 2 – Toolpath creation

 Change the Gview to ‘Isometric’

 Make sure the model is unshaded

 The ‘Point Properties’ should indicate a position of 0,0,0

 If they don’t read 0,0,0 then follow these steps:

 Select Machine type – Mill or Router – select your machine

These values are the

The stock should be planed

Set the Stock Origin Z value

 Toggle the toolpath display to off by

 Select the All off button

 Select Toolpaths – Contour…

Change the Gview to top and position the

 Select only Faces

 Click End Selection or hit [Enter] on the keyboard

 If you have less than 62 surfaces or you see gaps in the

Lowering this value will create a smoother finish on

 Select the Select All button

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