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With my current shop setup I lack the ability to produce my own side molds with accuracy so I was curious if there were any outlets to have a mold made to my design. I have my guitar shape drawn on a piece of paper as well as a thin plywood template of the plantilla but don't know how to make it into a computer file. Not sure if that would be an issue

John Hall at Blues Creek makes reasonably priced molds. I don't know if he does custom work but you might try there first.

I'm kinda curious now. What do you feel you lack toolwise to make molds, but still have the capacity to make guitars? Perhaps you have what you need but don't know it?

I was wondering the same. How did you make your plywood template? You could use the same technique to make an outside template of half the shape of the desired mold. Then all you need is a pattern bit and router.

I make my molds out of 1/2' or so (depending on what I have) inexpensive plywood. I rout one to the template, glue on the next layer and the previous becomes the template until I have the number of layers I want. The biggest pain in the neck is rough cutting all the layers so that the router can handle them. I assume that if you made the first template, you have a technique to rough cut the mold layers.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

I make my molds out of 3/4 MDF with a bandsaw. The inside becomes the bending mold for my Fox bender, the outside becomes the building mold. That's the first thing I do with every new guitar size. No computers involved.

Proper dust control for working with mdf and a vehicle to transport said mdf from Home Depot to my house mainly.

I feel like I should clarify by saying I have made about a half dozen molds in the past but with working 50-70 hours a week (not on guitars) I'd like to skip out on the dusty work of jig making to focus on the build aspect. I also do not own a car so transporting sheets of mdf becomes a bartering based hassle amongst friends who might be able to give me a ride

Ah, that makes more sense.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Many of the stores have mdf in smaller sizes, eg 2' x 4'. Lowe's used to cut a big sheet to size free. I think the local Home Depot cuts for a small fee.

Ditch the mdf, use a good grade of plywood, much more manageable dustwise, have the big box store cut to appropriate sizes.
Building the mold and form is a straightforward task. Once completed you can then claim as your own shape and design.
B

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My memory is so good, sometimes I remember things that never happened.

Having someone else make the mold makes perfect sense to me. As long as you can find someone who can build it to your satisfaction and for a price you are happy with I don't see the need for it to be made by the person who will makes the guitar from it. Many people buy guitar molds from John Hall and don't give it a second thought (I make my own because I am cheap, and use "found" materials). Chris Ensor makes tools for luthiers (a bit nicer than the ones we make for ourselves), but again something we could make for ourselves. Some people resaw their own wood, while others buy kits with pre-bent sides. We all get to choose the level of involvement we want to have with this hobby.
As others have mentioned I would have the mold made out of a decent grade of plywood. Sending the maker a full size paper pattern and explaining what you want should be enough. For a "one off" CNC programing is not needed.

I def have a few blues creek molds. The impression I got from the first post was that he thought he didn’t have the ability to make molds, rather than that he was choosing not to, a different tack.

On that note, I’m sure some hobbyist cnc’er could get rolling with that. I’d love to have all mine redone in ply over mdf...

MDF makes a pretty mold but they have a problem. Cold creep and don't get it wet. I make a lot of custom molds. I only use pattern grade plywood.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Hi John, sent you an email, not sure if you saw it

thanks I didn't see it
send it to tippie@epix.net

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Well I took this week off from work, traded my friend a 4 pack of heady topper for a ride to lowes and made a mold out of 3/4" maple ply. Normally I work 6-7 days a week and wouldn't have had the time to go to the store on my friend's schedule but sometimes things just work out

glad to hear you got it

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it