I am looking for feedback on software to create ribs for hulls. Basically I would like to try my hand at creating a laser cut ship. My question is which available software is best for our limited purpose that a casual user (meaning I don't do CAD for a living) can pick up and be proficient in under six months? Doesn't have to be freeware, would like a forum to solicit feedback on questions and availability on "how-to" either from the web or books. Ability to scan in plans and build from that, etc... Noobie with noobie questions
I downloaded Delftship which is a free online ship cad, but its very very complicated to use. Hardly for the casual user. I am looking for something in the CAD field too for model ship building, but have yet to find an affordable one.
http://www.ptc.com/products/creo-elements-direct/modeling-express/ might be worth a look. I have not tried it.
Got a new desktop so I would want to play around with modeling next week. If I buy plans, is there a way to import the cross sections into one of the programs and work from that image? My goal would be to create a file that can be used for laser cutting. On that note, is wood the only choice or could they cut out of fiberglass sheets (not sure if anyone has asked).
Depends on the software. Getting clean vector drawings out of raster is a very manual process. I have never found an automatic utility that was even remotely competent, and every one I tried required more time than just creating the proper sketch in the cad package over an imported jpeg. Get familiar with GIMP or photoship, either will greatly aid in prepping scanned or pdf'd images for cad
Greg, Is CAD the way to go? Is there a version that you recommend (I am a noob at this)? If I need to create the sketch I am ok with it, I would just like to do this the "correct" way so I don't go through burn out trying to learn. Anything you can recommend would be greatly appreciated.
It is.... you have several choices. if you are good with interpolating geometrically (which is a good skill to have, and is easily lost once you go into the world of 3d) one can use a program like draftsight (free) to create your parts. you will not be able to easily check to see if the plan sections are actually right by looking at the solid (as I have 3d modeled hulls I have found that the error rate is quite high but typically within the margin of sandpaper) Delftship looks rather powerful but I have not played with it extensively. Google sketchup might be an option for the patient (but remember I am spoiled) any cad package with good surfacing/curvy surface support is expensive. there are some low cost ones out there (alibre, creo has a personal editoin, I believe there is a low cost variant of ironcad also and some others) although those are limited in the surfacing area. What I would recommend is outside the price range of most folks that don't have access via work
The laser cutter I use can cut fiberglass sheet. I'm not sure how thick they can go, most the parts I have seen done are in 1/32" thick material for model airplanes. But with 500 watts I'm pretty sure they can go thicker. However, I don't think fiberglass sheet is an ideal material, it's going to be heavier than wood and considerably more expensive. Rhino 3D runs about $1K, but if you are a student you can get it for around 1/4 of the price. So it might be a good time to sign up for a class at your local community college, a CAD class perhaps
The Delfet ship Program is nice, you start off by puting the dementions length, with, and waterline then it spits out a hull then you just half to tweak the cad to match your Plans. and the learning curve is low from what I know if you can work Photoshop Delft is easy. and Delft is free unless you want the programs with the xtras but for modeling ships for our purposes it works well.
I've used the free downloadable version of Delftship. It's easy to use as long as you know what you're doing. Now if it will work for laser cutting I don't know. I'm not to keen on what you need for something like that. Beaver
You have to create the hull form in Delftship, then open the file in a CAD program to generate separate ribs, deck, and other pieces.
