Thanks.Turbocad WTF???
Moderators: Head Monkey, kelvin, bigKam, skidesmond, chrismp
-
ApeNatural
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:30 pm
Turbocad WTF???
So I downloaded the turbocad Pro free trial for Mac OSx, and it is ridiculously confusing. I tried watching tutorials, but what I am running, and what they are running on the tutorials doesn't even look like the same program. theirs is a white background with a nice grid and dimensions, and their tool bar has like 100 things in it. On my program, I get a blank Grey screen with some point of reference axis in the middle. It is a pretty useless program from what I have experienced, but I know I am doing something wrong. If anybody knows what the hell is going on please let me know. My press build has been completely stopped for the past two days because I cannot figure out how to work the program to design my mold... Thanks.
Thanks.-
ApeNatural
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:30 pm
or even better yet does someone have a better way to draw and print out a curve for my rocker profile mold sections? I fell like a full on CAD program is overkill for just one curve. I already know what my profile needs to be, I really just need to draw it up and print it out to make a template for my mold. I tried again with turbocad but cannot for the life of me figure it out. I also have Snocad but it is not useful for making flat/reverse camber skis with rocker and early taper, especially since for now I just need to do my rocker template. Thanks again.
-
MontuckyMadman
- Posts: 2395
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:41 pm
I've been messing around with snowcad (mix and match)
Draw a few different skis and print out sections then mix and match.
I use this to create a pattern for one side of the ski.
Tape it together.
Spray glue it to a thin piece of hardboard.
Cut and sand it 'til its perfect
Then screw it onto mdf, trace it with my router.
Flip and screw it down again (using the same holes) and trace the other side with the router
Symmetrical template!
I don't see why you couldn't do something similar for your mold.
draw your camber and tip shape in snowcad then move it around a bit to get what your looking for.
Just a thought
sam
Draw a few different skis and print out sections then mix and match.
I use this to create a pattern for one side of the ski.
Tape it together.
Spray glue it to a thin piece of hardboard.
Cut and sand it 'til its perfect
Then screw it onto mdf, trace it with my router.
Flip and screw it down again (using the same holes) and trace the other side with the router
Symmetrical template!
I don't see why you couldn't do something similar for your mold.
draw your camber and tip shape in snowcad then move it around a bit to get what your looking for.
Just a thought
sam
You don't even have a legit signature, nothing to reveal who you are and what you do...
Best of luck to you. (uneva)
Best of luck to you. (uneva)
I had the exact same experience, and I'm not at all bad with computers. Also, I agree, that at a glance, a full-blown CAD program seems overkill.
Lately I've been improving my Sketchup skills by drawing a press frame for a cloth press. I'd like to be able to use the program to draw ski templates as well, but I haven't gotten that far yet. Out of the box, I would say that it's not possible to draw anything useful for actual ski design, however, I found a plugin to draw Bezier curves:
http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/down ... ripts.html
Once I installed that and restarted, things look a lot more promising.
Up until pretty recently, I was of the opinion that Sketchup was completely inadequate for this particular hobby, but now I'm starting to wonder...
The way I see it right now, the program has a lot of potential, because it has a unique combination of factors going for it that makes it rather attractive:
1) It's FREE
2) A huge company behind it
3) A huge community behind it
4) Quite easy to learn and use
5) Very extensible via Ruby scripts and plugins ( http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/down ... ugins.html )
6) It's FREE
BUT, *IF* you want to use your drawings for CNC, officially there is no DXF support in the free version of Sketchup. On the other hand, Sketchup Pro is available and it does support DXF. Unfortunately it costs 495 USD. There might be some ways around this by downloading a 3rd party plugin or, since the Pro version has an 8 hour unlimited trial- maybe it would be possible to work in the free version, and then fire up the Pro trial and export to DXF in as little time as possible. Depending on how the software counts time- it might be possible to export a lot of DXF files before the trial runs out.
Personally, I'm not far enough along in this hobby to worry about CNC, but if and when the time comes, and if and when I've figured out how to draw templates in Sketchup, then I'm not too worried about exporting DXF; where there's a will, there's a way!
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with Google or Sketchup!
Lately I've been improving my Sketchup skills by drawing a press frame for a cloth press. I'd like to be able to use the program to draw ski templates as well, but I haven't gotten that far yet. Out of the box, I would say that it's not possible to draw anything useful for actual ski design, however, I found a plugin to draw Bezier curves:
http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/down ... ripts.html
Once I installed that and restarted, things look a lot more promising.
Up until pretty recently, I was of the opinion that Sketchup was completely inadequate for this particular hobby, but now I'm starting to wonder...
The way I see it right now, the program has a lot of potential, because it has a unique combination of factors going for it that makes it rather attractive:
1) It's FREE
2) A huge company behind it
3) A huge community behind it
4) Quite easy to learn and use
5) Very extensible via Ruby scripts and plugins ( http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/down ... ugins.html )
6) It's FREE
BUT, *IF* you want to use your drawings for CNC, officially there is no DXF support in the free version of Sketchup. On the other hand, Sketchup Pro is available and it does support DXF. Unfortunately it costs 495 USD. There might be some ways around this by downloading a 3rd party plugin or, since the Pro version has an 8 hour unlimited trial- maybe it would be possible to work in the free version, and then fire up the Pro trial and export to DXF in as little time as possible. Depending on how the software counts time- it might be possible to export a lot of DXF files before the trial runs out.
Personally, I'm not far enough along in this hobby to worry about CNC, but if and when the time comes, and if and when I've figured out how to draw templates in Sketchup, then I'm not too worried about exporting DXF; where there's a will, there's a way!
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way affiliated with Google or Sketchup!
Here's proof that Google sketchup can be used for ski templates. The image was composited in photoshop to illustrate the fact the the lines are smooth when zoomed in (vector.)
Also, I printed out the tip mold portion on a cheap laser printer and measured with a caliper- perfectly spot on. The lines were very smooth as well.
I did this in a matter of a few minutes. Just remember that you need the Bezier curves ruby script installed!
Also, I printed out the tip mold portion on a cheap laser printer and measured with a caliper- perfectly spot on. The lines were very smooth as well.
I did this in a matter of a few minutes. Just remember that you need the Bezier curves ruby script installed!
One more. This is the whole point to me really. Snowcad is pretty cool, but you can't get smooth transitions between a reverse camber section (or a rocker section) and the tip.
This ski has 20mm full reverse camber. Up this close it looks a little flat, but I promise it's not.
ApeNatural: Let me know if this is interesting and I can probably do like a screencast tutorial or something like that.
This ski has 20mm full reverse camber. Up this close it looks a little flat, but I promise it's not.
ApeNatural: Let me know if this is interesting and I can probably do like a screencast tutorial or something like that.
Full CAD programs like autocad are fine for mold camber/rocker I think. Generally all the shapes in these are simple arcs so you can just blend curves using tangential arcs. My tip mold is just a very large arc for the rocker then a smaller radius arc that continues for the tip "kick" on the end. I just draw a tangent to the first arc then place the centre of the second arc at a point perpendicular to this tangent. Thus the two arcs meet with a common tangent.
Where I am struggling is with the "blend curve" that joins the sidecut arc with the curvature of the tip shape. The bezier curves were invented by a designer for Renault cars to blend curves just like what webboy has done. My version of autocad I think needs a bezier curve plugin to do this. In my first templates I didn't blend the curves at all and I think that has had a major impact on my edge fit at this point.
I think snocad just works with tangents for the junction of the side cut and tip shape because it shows a tangent to the sidecut to help you create a smoothly blending tip curve.
Regardless sketchup is looking good except for the $475!
Where I am struggling is with the "blend curve" that joins the sidecut arc with the curvature of the tip shape. The bezier curves were invented by a designer for Renault cars to blend curves just like what webboy has done. My version of autocad I think needs a bezier curve plugin to do this. In my first templates I didn't blend the curves at all and I think that has had a major impact on my edge fit at this point.
I think snocad just works with tangents for the junction of the side cut and tip shape because it shows a tangent to the sidecut to help you create a smoothly blending tip curve.
Regardless sketchup is looking good except for the $475!
Don't wait up, I'm off to kill Summer....
I have a Renault!
Since I'm a LInux(Ubuntu) user, Cad program's (Open Source) are quite rare. SnoCad is no problem. I can use SketchUp in Wine, but haven't come that far. I usually use OpenOffice Draw, witch comes with Bezier curves. But I haven't relly come "under the hood". My Bezier curves just makes a mess.
Since I'm a LInux(Ubuntu) user, Cad program's (Open Source) are quite rare. SnoCad is no problem. I can use SketchUp in Wine, but haven't come that far. I usually use OpenOffice Draw, witch comes with Bezier curves. But I haven't relly come "under the hood". My Bezier curves just makes a mess.
A mid-range 3D-CAD program with parametric control of the curves will make it a lot easier for you to control the curves.
Even sales reps for companies selling Solid Works and Solid Edge will tell you that it’s ok as long as you don’t use it commercially.
They have a user friendly GUI and are easy to learn...
Even sales reps for companies selling Solid Works and Solid Edge will tell you that it’s ok as long as you don’t use it commercially.
They have a user friendly GUI and are easy to learn...
You didn't say what was OK.HWatson wrote:Even sales reps for companies selling Solid Works and Solid Edge will tell you that it’s ok as long as you don’t use it commercially.
Anyway, yes using super expensive software that you haven't actually paid for personal use probably will never get you into any trouble, since they only really stand to gain customers in the long run. I suppose everyone knows the reason though?On the other hand- "easy" is a relative term.
If something as basic as Sketchup will get the job done, then why go through the trouble to download and try to learn that sort of software? I use computers everyday, and actually I don't run anything even remotely difficult to use, but I never seem to cease being surprised how difficult basic computer stuff is for most people. HWatson, I'm willing to bet you use computers at work for more than just email and websurfing.
I'm guilty! There have been some lunch-break skidesign going on...even a template or two on the plotter