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3d printed tools for luthiery

Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2025 11:53 am
by Matthew Lau
Has anyone used any 3d printed tools/jigs for luthiery?

I just started 3d printing around October 2024, and have found it super useful in my dental office.
I've seen a number of tools (like a fret rocker and understring leveling beam) online.

Has anyone tried these?

Re: 3d printed tools for luthiery

Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 5:16 pm
by Paul Rhoney
I have not, but I also recently got a 3D printer, and plan to experiment with it. I think it could be useful for making jigs for small parts, such as truss rod covers.

Re: 3d printed tools for luthiery

Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2025 5:09 pm
by Jarno Verhoeven
I have had a 3d printer for years already (Ender 3 v2), currently in a bit of state because I felt the need for auto leveling..... Best not to mess around with these, just buy it and use it (I do not prescribe to all the folks that feel that there are a bunch of upgrades that you need to do, mine worked like a champ as stock).

I did a some things for a dovetailing jig (I also do furniture and boxes).
Oh and not a tool, but I did a bass version of the Ernie Ball St.Vincent guitar, and did a design for the retro tri-oval knobs on that thing, had them resin 3d printed, and they look great. Painting is problematic though, which the guys I ordered the prints at offered black prints (or, anything else than this grey).
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6658889

Also did replacement knobs a-la Gary Willis Ibanez (resin 3d printed as well), for a medium scale 5 string I am building.
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6658876

And, while staying on the Gary Willis theme, a "ramp" form Ibanez Mikro 5-string (tuned as a piccolo)
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6117918

And also not a tool per se, but a hanger for hanging guitars on the ceiling:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4794974

This one I did 3d print myself.
Also did something to hang my old bicycle frame from the same ceiling
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4776524

It helps that I used to be a mechanical engineer, and I still have a mechanical workstation laptop with Creo (a professional 3d parametric CAD modeling program, I also use it to design guitars, to keep up my chops, should I ever need to go back and do design work myself :D ).

Re: 3d printed tools for luthiery

Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2025 6:36 am
by Jarno Verhoeven
Also, found cleats on thingiverse to hold handplanes. Works really well.
20250427_110430.jpg