Help with Contour

[unitedcases]

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I am trying to use the compucarve to actually contour edges of wood. What is the best way to do this and is it even possible?

[liquidguitars]

can you give us more to go on?

LG

[unitedcases]

Well basically I have been replicating tail rotor blades by hand, yes I am an active duty Marine. Anyhow I wanted to try and make the compucarve due it for me. Basically on one edge of the board I want to cut the thickness down to 3/8 of an inch and then gradually move two inches up the board to make a gradual "curve". I have had little time to play with the machine up until now so my description skills and skills period are below novice. I figured that I have the machine so I might as well try to make it work for me a little. So nothing fancy I just want to try and contour edges. I really hope that I described that right and thanks to anyone who can help me!

[Amonaug]

Basically you want to carve something like in the pic on the CW right?

What material are you going to use?

This would be fairly easy to create using

http://www.wolfiesden.com/downloads/images/gradient.asp

just draw a profile of the blade as if looking edge on and the program will create a grey scale image that can be impotered into Designer.

[liquidguitars]

are you making rotors? I have a toy 3D prop I have been working on but needs a little work..

LG

[unitedcases]

You two are both dead on, what I have tried right now is to "step" a 1/4 ball nose 1/16th at a time raising it just a hair until I have gone flush on the top of the wood, which is 3/4 Oak. I have been doing these on my table saw but I just feel like they need a little more attention to the edges and I really feel that I can make the Compucarve do it. I will try the program though. Thanks alot.

[Amonaug]

Short of you spending $300 for a probe and scaning it....
drawing the contours would involve some 3d and or some hi dollar graphics programs.

If you have one dis-assembled and could get top and side views we may be able to help here (http://knives.bravehost.com/cw.htm).

I am sure we could come up with a solution.

Actually there are several FREE programs out there that can do it including 3D modeling programs.

[unitedcases]

Well I tried the gradient designer with no luck. What are some of the free programs that would do it?

[Amonaug]

You can try Bryce 5.5

http://www.download.com/Bryce/3000-6677_4-10696716.html

if you know a little about 3D modeling and boolean operations it shouldn't be too hard. http://www.renderosity.com is a great resource.

If I get some time I could probably whip up a pattern for you.

[ChrisAlb]

Maybe I'm over simplifying what you're trying to do here but, Why not just use designer?

If you're looking to bevel an edge, a region with a surface will do just fine. By combining them, you can actually produce the prop of a plane.

This MPC is just a VERY simple example of one region with a beveled surface applied.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Maybe I'm over simplifying what you're trying to do here but, Why not just use designer?

If you're looking to bevel an edge, a region with a surface will do just fine. By combining them, you can actually produce the prop of a plane.

This MPC is just a VERY simple example of one region with a beveled surface applied.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chris, "Your the MAN !!!!!"


O' and I love the Marine giving the..... "You two are both dead on"

I would say... 10 Rounds, Fire for effect.....

Snicker..... In my Navy Job I would talk to Marines as we lobbed bullets at the beach in Naval Gun Fire Support....

Making Props would be a useful job for the CarveWright.

Good Luck,

AL

FCC(SW) USN Retired
Fire Control Tech

[unitedcases]

Wow, That was exactly what I needed Chris. I was able to "learn" how to make edges contoured just by taking what you uploading and disecting it so to speak. Once I get one done I will show off a couple of pics. I am doing two different ones right now but I am definitely not stopping there now that I know how to do it, and yes you were right, it wasn't that difficult at all.

[Amonaug]

Sometimes the answer is so simple it's overlooked :)

I was thinking having the CW do the WHOLE prop :)

[roughcut]

Is the beveled surface something you designed and added to your surfaces? Or am I missing what your saying . In my surfaces I don't see any beveled surface

"This MPC is just a VERY simple example of one region with a beveled surface applied"

[liquidguitars]

Maybe I'm over simplifying what you're trying to do here but, Why not just use designer?


I do not think that will fly.. I think he needs more lift surfaces :) a good challenge to keep it in designer..

LG

[ChrisAlb]

I do not think that will fly.. I think he needs more lift surfaces :) a good challenge to keep it in designer..

LG

LG, you're always so negative or perhaps that's just toward me?.... :confused:

Anyway, it was late last night and I simply threw a very quick and EASY example together. It's no challenge at all in Designer. I did these three variations in about 4 minutes just now. By simply adjusting the depth and heights of that region you can change the "Lift" as you call it (Picture 1).

By adding the same region to the back of the board you get a double tapper (Picture 2).

By then reversing one of them, I QUICKLY AND EASILY have the third variation (Picture 3)

Sorry Roughcut, as I said....lol...it was late. The "Bevel" I referred to is actually a DOME.

In the case of the MPC I posted, and these three pictures, it is the "Bottom Dome".

Try the MPC I posted and PLAY with it as unitedcases did and you will quickly learn how easy it is to do. No expensive software, no learning curves, JUST PLAY folks....lol

[liquidguitars]

Negative just a little, oversimplified as you stated.

Building a prop with the lift it needs is a little harder than 3 mins at the weel of designer.


LG

[ChrisAlb]

Makes no sense to me?

Anyway...on to work.

[roughcut]

I understand now Thanks for the reply/ I love this stuff I just hope some day I'll under stand it all . I'm a retired refrigeration fitter maybe I breathed too much monochlorodifluoromethane. Thanks Again

[liquidguitars]

If you look at the image you will see that it takes 4 surfaces
and not just one, This is why I am questioning your example..

ChrisA, can you upload a working version top and back of your project?
I think that would be helpfull for people..

If not, could be that a scaner is the best tool...




From LHR website:



LG

[Jvicaretti]

I also took Chris's example and by playing with it I was able to also figure it out. I just kept adding domes and adjusting the height to get a fine edge all around. Thank you!

[liquidguitars]

If someone can find a 3D prop "DFX or OBJ" I will convert it and upload it for you guys..

I would love to make the old prop toys...



LG

[ChrisAlb]

If you look at the image you will see that it takes 4 surfaces
and not just one, This is why I am questioning your example..

ChrisA, can you upload a working version top and back of your project?
I think that would be helpfull for people..

If not, could be that a scaner is the best tool...

From LHR website:

LG

That's why in my first post that you questioned, I said "By Combining" them you can actually make a planes prop. Sorry, I simply don't have the time to actually design one right now. Just too many irons to attend.

I figured by showing the easy steps involved, folks can use those steps to make what they need. I also just wanted to show folks that for many of the simpler things like this, you don't need expensive applications or a degree in graphics design. I'm trying to show folks that by learning ALL the ins and outs of Designer alone, you can do many things.....http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif

[liquidguitars]

Well if you can get the quality of LHRs prop only using your impressions in simplicity I would be in wonderment.

but, I like your ideas..

LG

[ChrisAlb]

Well if you can get the quality of LHRs prop only using your impressions in simplicity I would be in wonderment.

but, I like your ideas..

LG

Well LG,

All I can say is when I have the time, prepare to be in wonderment...LOL But let's also keep in mind the original posters request. It was the "tail rotor" of a helicopter and the simple need to contour the edge of a board. That's what I was answering to but, I'm sure with a "little" time, I could do a very close if not the same "Prop" as you've shown.

Designer is really far more capable than you might think or know. I find new ways of using it everyday and I'm always surprised to learn that it actually CAN do, what I once thought it couldn't.

[liquidguitars]

All I can say is when I have the time, prepare to be in wonderment...LOL

LOL! waiting on tender hooks!.. :)

LG