CNC Routing Guitars

[Dan]

Hi There!
You are off to a great start.

A question, are you wanting to do full 3d cutting? or is this more of a 2.5 axis (cutting x & y but the z depth is flat)?

I suspect you are doing 2.5 axis (which is much easier) You are correct Vcarve is the software we use, and it looks like it is windows only.
However, if you have export your 2d faces into DXF it is very easy to setup the cutting process here in the shop.

Our machine is rather capable, we can take full sheets of 4'x8' (however these can be difficult to hold down).
What material are you wanting to cut? (species and thickness)

The cutting bit is based on the material and thickness, we do have some bits, but possibly not what you need, in which case you can purchase those online easily and bring with you.
I recommend the largest bit you can fit, this allows for cleaner cutting at a faster rate. you can always "etch" with say 1/8" and then do a tool change to cut out the profile with a 3/8".

For a good starter, I would stop by the space on a Wednesday with:
1. Laptop (not required, but makes it easier to make changes to your design)
2. USB key (transferring files)
3. Sample wood (a piece of your material, large enough to make test cuts)

You won't cut your finished product the first night, but you should leave with a far greater understanding of what is required for the process and any tweaks you need to make.