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Laser Cut Radius Gauge

2.6K views 11 replies 3 participants last post by  Mark Brown  
#1 ·
So, I was on StewMac last night looking for a radius gauge to set up my guitar. Never took a "professional" approach and thought it might be fun to learn, problem is I am cheap... unless it comes to gear, cars or computers. Then I got to thinking.... I have a laser cutter and some pretty decent software.

Mocked up a junky piece of mdf and voila $0.04 accurate gage complete. Now I'm off to make a detented gauge for string height. Once prototypes are complete ill make them out of 1/8 acrylic and paint the engraves.... might work

Don't mind that I didn't center the radius to the block.. its just a prototype :)


Anyone else into making odd things out of ingenuity?
 
#6 ·
So it turns out... even more useful than a radius gauge is an indent marker. I have been fiddling with this strat for days running blind in the dark making adjustments that just made no sense.... then voila.
Set the step at 0.01 inches and nailed in that E to e and now I'm off to make radius gague 2.0 as was suggested above.

I was too lazy on round one to make markers but the pen lines are 0.04/0.08/0.12
I checked them with my automotive feeler gauges and they are spot on!

Nothing like precision instruments made from scrap ;) oh and I suppose scratch too.
 
#7 ·
So it turns out... even more useful than a radius gauge is an indent marker. I have been fiddling with this strat for days running blind in the dark making adjustments that just made no sense.... then voila.
Set the step at 0.01 inches and nailed in that E to e and now I'm off to make radius gague 2.0 as was suggested above.
View attachment 396537
I was too lazy on round one to make markers but the pen lines are 0.04/0.08/0.12
I checked them with my automotive feeler gauges and they are spot on!

Nothing like precision instruments made from scrap ;) oh and I suppose scratch too.
You did a great job but I don't agree with you
 
#8 ·
If you weren't sure about that one... how about this :) As per your suggestion, I made a differnt model. This is, as you said, much more useful.

I know it sounds crazy, but it is the same way every other manufacturer makes them. Im gonna work now on a final run, indents on the top of the handle, wider neck on the radius gague and then make it in clear 3/16 acrylic.

I also welcome you criticism, that is the only way to get better.
Image
 
#10 ·
It 100% is not better in any way shape form or fashion, other than maybe it is here lol. I would never argue with that at all. I would even very quickly order the metal StewMac ones if I was doing this on any kind of professional basis. For me it was more just to have the ability to baseline my set up seeing as I was running blind and had nary a clue what to do.

Thanks again for the advice on round 2, it is a much more useful tool and is nimble enough to not weigh the strings down from the top and you can check from the bottom.
 
#12 ·
100%. Cut it on a laser with CAD style software and then measured it with a compass. It passed the test.
I have a problem with things that measure things, I never trust that they do what they are saying they do. Me and my laser thermometer get angry at one another from time to time.

That pic was the worst possible angle. I recreated the radius on a different tool I made, it shows much better.