Draw Any Curve Easily

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Draw Any Curve Easily

Postby kludge » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:38 pm

Not sure which forum this should go in, but anyhoo...

Using Google Sketchup I quickly discovered that drawing curves is rather ponerderous... not to mention that drawing a simple ellipse can be downright frustrating!

This method also works for making patterns/templates or laying out your teardrop profile right on the plywood.

No math, no calculations, hardly any brainpower required at all.

It works for circles, arcs, ellipses, and other conic sections.

So here I've illustrated the basic steps. Instead of a straightedge you could use a chalkline.

Hope this helps relieve some frustration!

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Postby Ageless » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:43 pm

What you have is called a 'faceted arc'. It's almost unknown now due to fancy design computers.
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Postby starleen2 » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:45 pm

Interesting :thinking:
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PFC

Postby eamarquardt » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:48 pm

PFC, pretty frigging clever!!!!!! Sechedule 125 pvc pipe also works well.

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Cheers,

Gus
Last edited by eamarquardt on Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The opinions in this post are my own. My comments are directed to those that might like an alternative approach to those already espoused.There is the right way,the wrong way,the USMC way, your way, my way, and the highway.
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Postby Lawnjockey » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:48 pm

I think I better go sniff some more glue.

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Postby Ageless » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:56 pm

All of this brings backs 30 year old memories when building tools for Boeing jets. Engineers would supply drawings of loft lines and we had to create contours the same way. What a computer does today in 5 minutes used to take 8 hours..

The PVC pipe? We used 1/2" strips of nylon for splining an arc.
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Postby regis101 » Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:05 pm

Great info kludge. The operative wording was, "hardly any brainpower".

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Postby Gage » Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:33 pm

Ageless wrote:All of this brings backs 30 year old memories when building tools for Boeing jets. Engineers would supply drawings of loft lines and we had to create contours the same way. What a computer does today in 5 minutes used to take 8 hours..
The PVC pipe? We used 1/2" strips of nylon for splining an arc.

:lol: Talk about bringing back memories. I retired from Northrop after 30 years with a few years in Tool Design and then 20 years in Mfg. Engineering and Engineering design. ;)
Last edited by Gage on Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Miriam C. » Mon Dec 14, 2009 8:33 pm

http://www.stringartfun.com/

Gotta love the simple stuff. And then there is the fun stuff.
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Postby TwilightLane » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:10 pm

Love it. I can't tell you how much time I've spent of Google Sketchup trying to figure that out. Thanks!!
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Postby scotta » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:16 pm

I still teach my students to "draw a curve with straight lines". They think it's fun.
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Postby eamarquardt » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:22 pm

Ageless wrote:The PVC pipe? We used 1/2" strips of nylon for splining an arc.


A "good" engineer uses the materials available. I had schedule 125 easily available. Got some nice 3/4" pvc conduit while dumpster diving today! Was looking for some cardboard to use as spray shields when texturing some walls. Also got a nice a nice battery back up lighted "exit" sign. Gonna give it to one of my boyz for Christmas.

Cheers,

Gus
The opinions in this post are my own. My comments are directed to those that might like an alternative approach to those already espoused.There is the right way,the wrong way,the USMC way, your way, my way, and the highway.
"I'm impatient with stupidity. My people have learned to live without it." Klaatu-"The Day the Earth Stood Still"
"You can't handle the truth!"-Jack Nicholson "A Few Good Men"
"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. The Marines don't have that problem"-Ronald Reagan
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