Gita-rack: Creating a Guitar Stand

The project focused on creating a guitar stand that could accommodate at least 1 acoustic guitar. Considering the available machinery and materials, the optimal fabrication method was through using the CNC Machine. The stand was made entirely of wood, and the parts were assembled through friction fit. Depending on the available time, the guitar stand could be finished with nice varnishing.

Supplies

Tools & Equipment:

• Jigsaw
• CNC Machine
• Drill
• Laptop
• Clamps
• Chisel
• Mallet
• Measuring tape
• T-square
• Pencil/marker

Materials:

• 1cm thick Plywood (4ft x 3ft)
• Sandpaper (60 grit, 120 grit, & 180 grit)
• 6 screws

Software:

• Microsoft PowerPoint (Or any drawing software)
• VCarve

Step 1: Creating the VCarve File

First thing you need to do to create the VCarve file is make sure you have a drawing of the outline of the guitar stand with the holes drawn on--essentially, what you want to be cut out of your slabs of wood. I used Microsoft PowerPoint to trace the drawing of the guitar stand, but you are free to use whatever drawing software you would like to use. Save the image as a png, and upload it to a VCarve file by pressing 'Import to bitmap for tracing' (tip: the button icon looks like a bird peeking out of a folder). Make sure the dimensions of the stand are as follows:

Base width: 63cm

Stand height: 50cm

Then, trace the image by pressing 'Fit Vectors to bitmap' (tip: the button icon looks like a bird). Delete the original image once done. If there are two outlines, delete the outer lines. Then, select the main outline of the stand and move it to a new layer (tip: use straightforward layer names, e.g. profile, hole, etc.). Similarly, put the outlines of the holes in a separate new layer.

For the layer containing the main outline, create a profile toolpath. Set the End Mill specifications that correspond with your CNC Machine's settings. Set the Machine Vectors to 'Outside/Right'. Add tabs to the toolpath; at least 6 will do (tip: make sure to put the tabs where it will be easy to get rid of post-cut; avoid the corners!). In Vector Selection, check 'Select open vectors', 'select closed vectors', and 'Only on Selected Layers'. Select the layer containing the main outline.

For the layer containing the holes, create another profile toolpath. Similarly, set the End Mill specifications that correspond with your CNC Machine's settings. However, set the Machine Vectors to 'Inside/Left' instead. Add tabs to the toolpath; at least 1 or 2 will do for the holes. Follow the same process in Vector Selection, but select the layer containing the holes instead.

After that, you should be ready to cut the wood!

Step 2: Cutting the Wood

From the 4ft x 3ft slab of plywood, you will need to use a jigsaw to cut out:

x2 slabs (2ft x 2.5ft)

x2 sticks (2cm wide)

Use measuring tape to mark the dimensions and use a T-square to create straight perpendicular lines on the wood. Using a marker will allow you to see the line more easily while cutting with the jigsaw, but using a pencil works fine too.

The two slabs are for the two main sides of the guitar stand (which you created the VCarve file for), and the two sticks are for the dowels that will keep the stand together.

Put the first slab on the CNC machine and secure it using 6 screws (to make sure it lay flat on the machine bed).

Upload the VCarve file to the CNC machine with a flash drive. Make sure the cut fits in the slab and position the bit at the correct starting point (set the zeros at the starting point).

Start the cut, and use a vacuum to clear out the sawdust and shavings every now and then. After the first slab is done, load the second slab the same way and follow the same procedure. You may begin using the chisel and mallet to break the tabs in the first slab and take out the cut piece. After the second slab is done being cut, similarly, break the tabs and take out the cut piece.

For the dowels, use the measuring tape and the T-square again to mark out 2cm wide rectangles on the wood. Cut them out using a jigsaw. From the 2cm wide sticks, you will need one 14-inch long stick (bottom dowel) and one 12-inch long stick (top dowel). Using a handsaw would be a safer practice, if you find it difficult to clamp the two ends of the long stick stably enough for jigsaw cutting.

Step 3: Sanding and Finishing

Use 60 grit sandpaper to shave the ends of the dowels as necessary. I narrowed the outer (approximately) 2 inches of both dowels to get the width I wanted for my and my clients' guitars. (Tip: remember that the dowels have to be friction fit; if the dowels do not snugly fit into the holes of the main stand sides, your guitar stand could collapse at any moment!).

Use 120 grit sandpaper to get rid of the small wood pieces protruding from the edges of all the wood pieces, and use 180 grit sandpaper to finish the smoothening job. If 120 grit does not seem to be doing the job very well, you may start by using a lower grit sandpaper; I started with 60 grit sandpaper for the dowels.

Afterward, sand the large outer surfaces (outer meaning facing away from the dowels) of the stand using 180grit sandpaper until it is perfectly smooth.

You want to make sure no person or guitar will get scratched because of the stand's edges. As a bonus, it looks better when fully sanded! Should you have time to do so, I recommend adding varnish to complete the stand. This will not only improve the aesthetic quality of the stand, but improve its longevity as well.

Then, you should have a cool, functioning guitar stand that can hold 2 guitars simultaneously now, congrats!