Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 I know the person who designs the model sends copies of their drawings to the RCM&E office in a cloakroom somewhere but i wondered, who makes them look nice with all the nice black lines and what kind of software is used to turn a tatty fag packet sketch on a bit of grease proof paper into a tip top A3/A2 plan Who ever it is doesn't get enough credit! Edited By Peter Savage on 06/04/2009 00:39:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Peter, I'm not sure you really mean to suggest the designers send tatty fag packet sketches in to the magazine do you. The quality of the plans, and it is very high, is directly proportional to the information and qualtity provided I would suggest. As a relatively new published designer I feel somewhat privaliged in that somebody is interested never mind somone wanting to build and fly it. The entire team therefore need thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted April 6, 2009 Share Posted April 6, 2009 Peter , we first send plans to a company that basically scans them after which they go down the wire to graphic artist Graham Chambers who then works them up to what you see stapled between pages 66 & 67. Graham adds his own little touches here and there and sometimes we need to change the designers layout just to get everything on the sheet but Graham tries to alter the basic layout as little as possible. It's a team effort as Lindsay says though. Edited By Timbo - Moderator on 06/04/2009 20:19:58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 I always wondered how you did it! Ok, maybe i was exaggerating with the fag packet sketch thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Fag packet ..the very thought !! Joking apart, a very good question and one I often asked myself before seeing the operation from this side. Though I cant speak for the other designers, I draw all my plans using Autocad, usually in A0 format as it generally allows me to keep a 1:1 scale...(my original sample Tiger Moth plan screen grab attached). Unfortunately, logistically this size isnt ideal for fitting inside a "standard" format publication, so Graham re-works the plans to fit on a smaller footprint while keeping as near to our originals "doodles"as possible. On a personnal note, my earlier designs were "reverse engineered" by my brother Glenn (a bit of a CAD wizkid) , from my actual models. Fed up with doing all the graft and receiving very little credit , he gave me a crash course in Autocad so I could do them myself. My Tiger Moth was my first real attempt at CAD'ing from scratch , and the prototype was built directly from the plans which were subsequently published (March 2009). To bring my story a full circle, Ive recently built a cheap and cheerful DIY CNC machine which cuts the parts directly from my original DXF drawings, ensuring the templates in the plans are identical to the parts Ive used to make the original model, so hopefully what you see in the magazine is identical to the prototype. Hope this helps explains a bit of what happens behind the scenes with my creations. Happy Building !! Edited By Foamie Dave on 10/04/2009 01:27:41 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Latam Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I liked it better before,thinking you guy's were GOD'S!!!! Not just regular modeler's with some cool TOY'S Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Lambert Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Dear Mr Foamie, I supose it's a bit late for a buld thread of your cnc machine? Any chance of some pictures? (on another thead) Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mullins Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Thats a good idea Rusper :D. I have an old school AutoCad 2000, which I nicked off my dad (hes a training manager in some random company which tells people how to use Autocad!). I would love to be able to get my plans cut, by myself! Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 All you need is a stepper motor controller and some stepper motors and an X,Y,Z table with some kind of generic rotary tool mounted on it! I once wanted to make one but i cant afford a stepper motor controller and i dont have any space I started building your tiggie in depron, then realised that i didn't have any white 6mm depron for the wings i just have the fuselage sheeting looking all sorry for itself on my work bench Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 ooops ..bit late for a build thread as its all built , heres a couple of pics when it was nearly done but theres plenty of info on the net on how to build one. Its called a Phlatprinter (http://www.phlatboyz.com/) and is a full 3 axis CNC machine invented by Mark & Trish Carew. You buy it in kit form and it basically fits together like an MDF wardrobe from MFI , however you get all the bits and it fits together perfectly Unfortunately the postage from the USA is nearly as much as the kit so I sourced all the electronics for over here in the UK to keep the cost down. It works out a fraction of the cost of a full blown CNC and is ideal for "enthusiastic amatuers" that cant justify a cost of a pukka full blown machine Theres 3 in the UK that I know of, one of the others is owned by Si Mills who makes some incredible stuff , including this fully milled , 4 channel 16" micro shockflier that weighs less than an ounce Its cuts most types of foam , balsa and liteply though Im shure with a bit of tinkering it'll do much more. Edited By Foamie Dave on 10/04/2009 12:46:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hi Peter, posted at the same time. The "Phlatty" takes up very little space (about 1ft x 1ft x 3ft) as it uses a roller in one axis instead of a flat bed . The cutting head is a Dremel , and the motors and controllers are pretty inexpensive. I bought mine over a period of a few months so I didnt feel the pinch as much . Best of luck with the tig, build the wings from anything you have to hand ..3mm will be fine, just be gentle on the landing !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 I also had the idea of instead of using carbon, im gonna try bamboo, its incredibly cheap and renewable, you get loads of it with £10 wilkinsons roller blinds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Pete , just got your PM regarding G-Code. Check your mailbox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Mullins Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 How much does that thing cost! good lord thats expensive. I could see the attraction if you were getting money out of it, but WOO! Back to swann morton blades for me . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 BLOOMIN' HELL!!! $200 for some MDF? I would have thought it would be easier and cheaper to design it and build it using a shet of MDFand a bandsaw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Cabinet, allthreads , rollers, guide rods, bushes, bearings, hinges, fixings etc ..betcha couldnt build one for less I looked into designing my own and gave up when I realised how much it would cost to make one from scratch, let alone the man hours to figure how it all went together (and cut about 40 odd pieces for the cabinet alone) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 your on! I wonder how they CNC cut the parts for cnc machines... Edited By Peter Savage on 10/04/2009 15:43:42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 "I wonder how they CNC cut the parts for cnc machines..." thats problem number one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Foamie, that's an impressive bit of kit you have there! I also use AutoCad, the Zulu E published in Feb 09 was a retro job but the current project Grumman Goose is built from the plans. I have been looking recently at going for a cnc for cutting out formers and wing ribs etc by exporting dxf files. I have also used scan to cad in the past for generating accurate outlines, good for saving time as you can start to deal with the structure pretty much straight away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Hi Lindsey, Ive seen the sneak pic of the Goose and it looks great mate!! . Dont suppose it'll be ready for the Delyn fly-in next month will it ? The Phlatty is ideal for cutting materials such as foam, balsa and thin ply ( a quick vid of one cutting ply straight from plan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8xLl5AFICk ). Once I get it up and running to speed maybe ill be able to cut yer ribs and formers for some future projects and save you a liitle time over summer and so you can catch up on some stick time . Ben & Peter, I see what you are saying regarding hand cut v's machine cut, but the benefits of CNC'ing straight from plan , especially with the nights getting longer and the chance of flying mid-week only a month or so away suddenly look very tempting....roll on summer !! Edited By Foamie Dave on 10/04/2009 22:04:16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 10, 2009 Author Share Posted April 10, 2009 I have just downloaded sketchup but cant find out how to output G-Codes :s i have version 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindsay Todd Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Foamie, the Goose might just fly on monday all being well so Delyn should be a definate matey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foamie Dave Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Hi Peter, This video explains it better than I ever could. http://www.vimeo.com/2864089 Fingers crossed for Monday Linds, weather is promised 15 degs and sunny up here ...probably snow then !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage Posted April 11, 2009 Author Share Posted April 11, 2009 The guy on that video sounds like the guy from CSI:New York! Very informative video! is Mach3 free? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klippy Posted April 11, 2009 Share Posted April 11, 2009 Hi Dave, As an ex CNC programmer and sometime operator, I can see lots of potential with this thing, am I right in thinking you could put a Laser cutter in there and cut your own Balsa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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