...sort of like a 3d Scanner.   An inside out approach to CNC!

 I have several guitar bodies that I'd like to model precisely so I can make a custom pickguards for them, and I was thinking there must be an automated (and more precise than tracing on graph paper) way to do this.   Maybe insert a sensor in the tool chuck and let the machine trace it?   I duno.  I'm very new at this.

There's a sophisticated CNC tool for luthiers called the Plek, which scans the neck of a guitar very precisely so the technician can make optimal adjustments.   Then the Plek does a a fret levelling job in CNC automated fashion.

I was wondering if it's even remotely possible to use a homebrew Mach-controlled machine to "read" a 3d shape. Does anyone have an idea how I could go about this challenge?   Thanks in advance!   

CJ

You can use a probe and the digitise wizard, it will make a point cloud and you will then need software to convert this to G code. I think its a slow process but as I have never used it I cant say for sure.
Hood

Thanks Hood! 

I read through a lot of forum entries scanning for this sort of thing but I had no idea what to call it.  Bam:  google touch probe and mach and my question is answered.

Wow this is going to be a busy weekend.   I hope my X slides come in from Ebay today or tomorrow!   I wanna build my machine!

Cheers!  CephJedi

HA HA, well I too hope to have a busy weekend, want to try and get a bit more done to my lathe.
Hood