Playing with QCad

[CPlater]

Finally was able to make a breakthrough on making curved lines with QCad. My current plan is to build a Weekender on a 4x8 TSC trailer but seeing the curved one on the web site I figured it would be a good way to learn about the program if I had an actual task in mind.

This first successful attempt at using the spline function to round off the sharp corners.


This one I remove the straight lines to better see the profile. You know, it doesn't look bad.


This guy is the basic weekender stretched for a 10 foot trailer and rounded. It's not without charm but not nearly as "right" as the 8 footer.


Now I need to figure out how to enlarge the drawing to full size to cut out the profile. I wonder if there is anybody out there that will plot full size drawings to use as a template.

Courtney

[Carter]

Courtney

If Qcad will allow you to pick points you can layout the full size without full scale drawings. Draw a 6" grid over your design. Pick each point your design curve intersects the grid and record them. Cover your work bench with kraft paper and lay out a full size 6" grid. Transfer the points you recorded to that grid. Use a spline, a flexible yard stick, strip of flexible thin plywood, etc to connect the dots. I used the floor of the trailer as a work bench. Laid out the inside curve points of my sidewall perimeter, put deck screws in at those points and bent the strips of Luan around them to make a "Glue-Lam". You can't see the grid in the picture. If Q cad can't pick points send me a file (dxf, dwg, igs, many others) and I'll send you back a pdf with that information. Should only take a few minutes to do in Rhino.

Jim

[CPlater]

You mean something like this?

I think that's what the boat makers call lofting. Thanks for the suggestion.

Courtney

[Carter]

you're welcome

[afreegreek]

You mean something like this?

I think that's what the boat makers call lofting. Thanks for the suggestion.

Courtney

yup, exactly.. the list of numbers that give you the points is called a "table of offsets" it's cool how you can turn a list of numbers to points on a grid then into a smoothly curved 3D shape.