capnTelescope wrote:GuyllFyre wrote:Would make it easier to manufacture perfect side profiles.
and hatch spars, cabinetry, ... It's a really versatile tool, for general woodworking as well as for teardrop building. In the meantime, learn CAD, if you haven't already. CAD skills and your imagination are the only real limits with CNC. It's a blast. Get one!
The plan is to have one at some point.
I grew up in a household/family that used power tools on nearly a daily basis. My dad was a mechanic, had high voltage certifications for hydroelectric electrical repairs, basic computer programming, general contractor who regularly did electrical, framing, plumbing, automotive, and many types of industrial maintenance. I learned all of this from him plus my own inclinations to experiment and build. I rebuilt my own first car, I've rebuilt small engines and automobile engines, built or modified many of my own tools, do all of my own auto and home repairs, and regularly build, rebuild, or diagnose dozens of computers in a month.
It's also genetic. My dad's father was a machinist for GE, my mom's father was a mechanic and ran his own businesses for many years.
All through high school and college I did studio art, industrial illustration, architectural drawing, engineering drawing, worked with CADKey, AutoCAD, and whatever vector CAD program the old PrimeOS system had on it. I attained an AAS in MEC and ELT (Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering Technology), which means 20+ years ago I used at least three different CAD programs, a CAD to CAM program, drew parts on paper, structures on paper, "art" in many forms (clay, paper, wood, metal, etc), actually machined parts on real manual milling, grinding, turning, etc, tools. Nowadays I use that to sketch rough "to scale" drawings and use all of the tools I have.
I'm a computer technician, can do many electronics repairs, can do pretty much any mechanical automotive work, can do boilers, forced air, water, natural gas, plumbing, electrical, low and high voltage, structure, etc.
I really picked up on the Teardrops because I love smaller (sporty) cars and I really don't like tenting it.
My designs are more basic. I don't like the hatch, so this revision I've eliminated it. Reason being, I really don't need the external "galley" or storage and sealing a hatch is a real PITA, along with those hinges and needed supports...
My new build thread will start soon but right now it's in the single digits with winds up to 35mph. My garage is full of a parts car I'm stripping, I just put up a 10x20 garage canopy with tarps on the sides but the wind is beating that to death right now.
I do focus on lightweight, due to the small cars. Funny thing is that if you built too light, it just kinda floats behind your car, jerking it around awkwardly instead of planting itself and following.
Next post will have some specific questions on your work and setup.