might I suggest shaping the outriggers to suit

Hi Jonathan, I completely agree. This is prototype No1 and I really just wanted to get it spinning so that I could assess access tot he mop and understand where any problems might lay etc. It would be nice to narrow the body down towards the front but I don't want to over complicate the construction and therefore push up the price. I have a couple of different motors on their way to me from China and these may allow the overall width to be somewhat reduced so I'll see what I can do when they arrive. I could also just have a slightly longer shaft, maybe + 100mm, which would also help.

Cheers

Darren

@darrenking I was thinking just chop those outriggers at 45 degrees at the front (not a big deal for the CNC I would have thought) which would then look "right" when you put it on the corner of the bench.

It's a minor thing, but it's one of those touches that makes me as a customer think the designer has thought things through and gives me extra confidence in the product.

Wait for MkII!

Wow @darrenking I need sunglasses 🕶 

Prototype No 2!!

The two motors that I ordered from China weren’t really of the same quality as the original so, for now, I have just ordered a second of the 750w set from the UK supplier. £110 isn’t that bad I guess.

The main aim of the mods was to reduced the width of the entire unit, but especially at the front, in order to increase the space around the polishing mop and therefore access to the entire guitar. It has meant having a couple of extra components but it is still a fairly simple construction. I have done away with the extended tenons and have just employed a 7mm deep channel, top and bottom, into which the upright sections locate. They are then held in place with 5mm x 35mm screws.

A different front bearing block was chosen simply because it was narrower. The fact that is made of green plastic is entirely coincidental and only because this was the only 25mm bearing of this type that I could source locally on Friday. The distance between the motor and the front bearing has been reduced by about 15mm giving a slightly increased protrusion of the shaft.

As with the the first prototype I think that screwing/clamping it to the corner of a bench is the way to go and the reversible spindle means that you can come at the mop from wither side.

I just have to laser engrave the instructions etc tomorrow and I shall box it up and ship it off to our resident forum spraying expert, Boo, so that he can have a play with it over Easter and let me know what he thinks.

Here are the pics of the new version in production and assembled along with a little video of the CNC router doing its stuff.

Cheers

Darren

along with a little video of the CNC router doing its stuff.

What a most wonderful machine!!

Every workshop should have one ....

@darrenking. I'm no expert Darren but it looks great to me. Are you happy with it or have you got other changes you'd like to make? 

Cheers,

Russ

🙏🎸🙂🎶

I just have to laser engrave the instructions etc tomorrow and I shall box it up and ship it off to our resident forum spraying expert, Boo, so that he can have a play with it over Easter and let me know what he thinks.

@darrenking Oh this means I now have to tidy my workshop so I’ve got somewhere to put it. 🤣 

I’m looking forward to receiving this fantastic looking machine and polishing a few things over Easter. 

Cheers Darren. 👍

Hi Russ,

I don’t think there are any major constructional changes to be made. It’s more a case of using it and seeing how it holds up to the kind of demands it is likely to face in the average home guitar building workshop and then either making mechanical changes or not. I certainly think it is perfectly ok to shake it down it in its current configuration and receive comments from the Beta testers.

May be it could go on a GMUK national tour?

Darren

@darrenking. Cheers Darren. Good luck with the road Tests. 

🎶🙂🎸🙏

May be it could go on a GMUK national tour?

@darrenking Yeah definitely but the first thing is to get people painting their guitars and flattening their paint otherwise they won’t have any paint to polish. 🤣

We need to include a polishing section in Mark’s finishing course with a section on flatting paint prior to buffing. 

but the first thing is to get people painting their guitars and flattening their paint otherwise they won’t have any paint to polish

What about polishing an oil/wax finish @boo - would it also work for that?

Ive seen a simple ebony fretboard getting some polisher time, and it made a big difference to the feel of the board (to this day!).

Likewise, getting a good shiny waxed finish is all in the buffing??

What about polishing an oil/wax finish @boo - would it also work for that?

@tv101 Yeah I suppose this machine isn’t just for buffing paint is it? Silly me 🤪 

I’m not sure what compounds/polishes would be needed for woods but I’m sure  the pros at the polishing shop could point us in the right direction. 

A buffer is also great for the final polish on your frets baby...

A buffer is also great for the final polish on your frets baby...

@mattbeels Yeah baby! 🤘😁🤘🎸

when I was at college (83-84) I used to polish small pieces of rosewood on a patch of leather just using jewellers rouge and worked amazingly well. It would be interesting to try polishing a fretboard, either prior to slot cutting, or even after the frets are fitted, using a polishing mop. I don’t think it is a good idea to mix metal and lacquer polishing on the same mop but apart from that I see no reason not to give it a try.

Darren

It would be interesting to try polishing a fretboard, either prior to slot cutting, or even after the frets are fitted, using a polishing mop. I don’t think it is a good idea to mix metal and lacquer polishing on the same mop but apart from that I see no reason not to give it a try.

@darrenking I am clear coating a neck, including fretboard this week so I can try that on the buffer too, I’ll try it before I fit the frets. When I’ve done the fret job, I’ll polish them with metal polish and my dremel with the fretboard masked up. I’ve got a few more things to polish with the buffer too.