Using CAD to 'build'

Pete Howlett · Dec 26, 2011

Here's an extract from Pete Howlett Ukulele Club group on Facebook. I am working on a prototype concert harp ukulele and have been modifying my standard forms to adapt them for harp ukulele building:

Concert harp ukulele drawing is coming on - very complex task without my mouse and using the laptop's mouse pad. Executing the drawings is helping me understand the build better. Before I got seriously into CAD I used to sketch out a 'rod' and work from that. Now it is more thinking before doing, similar to building with an eraser in one hand and a pencil in the other - you make all of your mistakes and correct them before you commit to materials. This may seem obvious but for me, it's a step back to something I had to do when I was building furniture but felt I didn't need to with instruments which were 'simple' objects in comparison.

However, form making is still a seat-of-the-pants operation with the harp ukulele. Finished one today and then had the agony of bending some not so kind figured African mahogany. Had to resort to my water spritzer and a piece of very flexible stainless steel. Even then I cracked a set of ribs before I realised where I was going wrong with the bend...

Yep - this is what I do on 'vacation'. Other people might call it R&D. When I've got more to show I'll post a link to the club page where you can follow it more fully.

BR Ukuleles · Dec 27, 2011

I was always a pencil and paper guy, but am pretty proficient on a computer.....so taking the plunge, I have be evaluating various 3D CAD packages for their suitability and learning curve. It's bloody hard work, and none of the contenders are available on a Mac, which really steams me.

But I seem to have got past that initial hurdle of wrapping my head around the way they work. Most of them are pretty similar, but it seems to have come down to SolidWorks. And yes Pete. It's what I've been doing on my vacation as well. About 30 hours in front of the monitor digging in and learning heaps. Time for a break I think.

Pete Howlett · Dec 27, 2011

I use AutoSketch - it is just simple enough for me yet produces really good technical results.

Timbuck · Dec 27, 2011

My Son mike read this with interest..He used "Coral draw" for the last few years..But now he's say's with "Solidworks" there's no point using Coral draw anymore unless you want to do just simple stuff in 2D to transfer to machining/engraving..or just print out as plans..He recons it takes about a Month to get your head around "Solidworks/Solidcam" using the inbuilt tutorial plus visits to Youtube vid's now and again....it would take me forever

..I like the way you can draw out in 3D to see what the finished product looks like and interchange the materials...

he say's there are lots of diferent types of timber listed, Mahogany,Pine,Maple etc:..But the downside is He can't visualy control the grain direction yet

This how "Solidworks" is used with a guitar design on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eCV-iFD6M4
Here's an example of a Les Paul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eth86A46gAE&feature=related

BR Ukuleles · Dec 27, 2011

That's what it came down for me as well. I tried a few of the 2D packages as some of them are available on the Mac platform, but really it wasn't doing the relationship things I was looking for that you get in a 3D package. The really cool thing you get when using parametric software like SolidWorks, SolidEdge and SpaceClaim is the ability to go back and edit a part and the entire model updates to reflect the changes, as well as the drawings you made of the part.

The downside is that I had to install Bootcamp on my Mac, as well as Windows7 Professional just to run these programs.

BR Ukuleles · Dec 28, 2011

Rainy day spent inside. What better way to spend it than working on instrument related stuff.

Here's a drawing of a Tenor size tie bridge that I knocked up experimenting with some of the settings in SolidWorks. I then edited the model after the drawing was already completed. Watching as the drawing auto updated.

If anyone wants the pdf just let me know and I'll make it available. It's a much cleaner way of viewing it.

gerardg · Dec 28, 2011

CAD 2D.
Last drawing.
Mezzo Soprano.
Building in progress...

dave g · Dec 28, 2011

Pete - you know you can plug a mouse into your laptop...

One of these days I'm going to look into 3D CAD. Seems like I hear "SolidWorks" a lot. For now I'm using 2D IntelliCAD - does everything I want/need.

Using CAD to 'build'

Pete Howlett

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BR Ukuleles

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Pete Howlett

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Timbuck

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BR Ukuleles

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BR Ukuleles

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gerardg

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dave g

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