Fair enough - and thanks for replying.

Was worth asking in here though.

Someone with that kind of knowledge might just read it and be able to point me in the right direction.

BJ

Originally Posted by BJ64

I've asked this in another thread (slow response), so I hope you don't mind me asking it again in here.

I'm new to CAD/CAM & CNC, but I'm looking for some simple and cost-effective software that will allow me to input some accurate cross-sections, arrange them as per the offset's (spacings) on the plan, and then CNC hotwire the fuselage foam sections from there (to end up with a plug to mold from).

I've had a look at DevFus and DevFus Foam etc. - but they seem to go the other way. i.e. input a 3-view and create the cross-sections from that. As well as the 'virtualized' 3D fuze sections.

I need to find something that will accept my cross-sections + known spacings and produce to a 3D solid and cut from there.

The 'long hand' way to do it, of course, is to cut all the cross-sections in something like 3mm ply, cut the foam to the required spacing, and manually hotwire around each 'sandwich section'. But that's a lot of scroll-sawing, smooth-filing etc. of ply, then arranging that lot to build up a set of foam sections. If I could do away with the woodwork, and just use a CNC hotwire to produce the foam sections, it should end up saving me a heap of work.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

BJ

Look at this one... http://www.gmfcsoft.com/

SRWitt,

I too have been playing with that particular plane in TurboCad. I am setting mine up to be laser cut. Between that and many other projects, I'm not making much headway, on any of them. Most of my work has been on a Tackhammer. Neat little 1/2 A. Good luck.

John

So I havent started building my 22" span mockup build, maybe tomorrow, its cold outside in the garage as of late. But I have been working on the cad drawings for the scaled up version. I've also fixed the fuselage side patterns after scaling, I went from 1/16th formers and vertical/horizontal stabilizers on the 22" span, to 1/8" for the 33" span, slots needed modification. The only real work left is drawing up the motor I'm going to use to make sure it fits in the front of the plane, layout the wing, and figure out the servo and battery trays, I am also having to think out how I will build up the cowl, Ive got side/top profiles, not sure If Ill make some formers to fill with foam then carve/hollow or if I'll go with a firewall and nose former and build it up with sheet. Vacuforming is a little out of my range of capabilities at the moment.

Heres a shot of the wing rib/structure. The red areas at the LE/TE on top and bottom are 1/32" sheeting, the light blue is 1/4x3/16 spars the purple is 1/16" sheer webs, the off yellow areas top and bottom between the main spars and TE will be 1/32x1/4 cap strips, the light blue at the TE is 1/8x1/8 spar, with a 3/16x5/8 TE. I've taken the rib profile from the Telemaster 400 drawing, and have scaled it to have the chord proper for the CUB model. I still have to lay out the actual wing structure and modify the CUB tips to work with the new rib profile.

Once I get the actual wing layed out, the rib will be modified to show the cuts for ailerons/flaps.

On a plane this size you wouldn't need a vacuum system to make a cowl. Just make your cowl plug to the shape you want it then use your heat gun and a clean empty soda bottle. Slowly heat it up and the plastic of the bottle will shrink right around your plug.

Some pics of the 22" span mockup of the original plan.

Looks good

The wings are being built.

I have ACAD R-14 and have converted a PDF drawing to a .DWG file.
The lines need a lot of cleaning up and I quess I need to "Explode" the drawing to get individual parts.
My question is how do you "Trace" the drawing without have to redraw each part???
Thanks,
Julian

Originally Posted by redC5

I have ACAD R-14 and have converted a PDF drawing to a .DWG file.
The lines need a lot of cleaning up and I quess I need to "Explode" the drawing to get individual parts.
My question is how do you "Trace" the drawing without have to redraw each part???
Thanks,
Julian

You have to redraw each part. This is time consuming as you probably already know. While re-drawing it though, it gives you the chance to make updates and add thinjgs like tabs and lightning holes.

Originally Posted by RCROBBY

You have to redraw each part. This is time consuming as you probably already know. While re-drawing it though, it gives you the chance to make updates and add thinjgs like tabs and lightning holes.

Thanks for the reply.
Is there a method to "smooth" out lines?? I have been creating another layer and tracing in the new layer and end up with jagged lines on curves. Is there a simple way to smooth them out??

Originally Posted by redC5

Thanks for the reply.
Is there a method to "smooth" out lines?? I have been creating another layer and tracing in the new layer and end up with jagged lines on curves. Is there a simple way to smooth them out??

In Acad, you can use polylines and 3 point arcs to make smooth features. Fillets are good for taking the edge off as well.

Thanks,
I have figured out how to use the 3 point arcs. I will give the polyline a try.
Julian

Originally Posted by redC5

I have ACAD R-14 and have converted a PDF drawing to a .DWG file.
The lines need a lot of cleaning up and I quess I need to "Explode" the drawing to get individual parts.
My question is how do you "Trace" the drawing without have to redraw each part???
Thanks,
Julian

Unfortunately converting from PDF to Cad this is typical. Lots of jagged lines. I import the image as an image and trace everything using a combination of lines, arcs, and splines. I try to fit 3pt arcs where I can, but alot of times a spline is a lot easier to work with.

Merry Christmas, guys.

BTW - what exactly are "splines"?

I hear them referred to quite often, but I'm not exactly sure what is meant by them.

Are they perhaps those squiggly types of line you can click on/add 'nodes' (control-points) to, then push and pull the line to make it contour a complex curve?

BJ