Translating multi-angle faces to 2d plane

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:31 pm

So, like, I'm pretty good with doing the geometry and stuff. There isn't too much I can't do. Or at least find out how to do. I have a bunch of faces in 5 views, and they all line up properly. But, due to the complex nature of the angles, for the life of me, I am having a hard time translating them to a 2d plane to cut out of plastic.

$:\$

My brain has completely melted here. I think I have spent way, way! WAY!! too much time on the Landmaster. And now, I am burnt out, and I have left the most complex section (the nose) to last. Should have done it first, when brain was intact....

So, anyone out there want to/can do such translations?? You will be generously rewarded. Maybe.

I'm sure I can come up with something. I have the drawings in CorelDRAW 6, but I can export them in just about anyformat. Thinking DXF is best, as scale is of no importance, just the shapes.

I need a nap...

Wug · Post by **Wug** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:13 am

Hi Johnnycrash,

Two or three computers ago I downloaded a program from an armor modeling site that claimed to accomplish exactly what you want to do. I never installed the program and can't find it on this HD. The program might still be available. If no one here can find it, ask around on armor modeling boards. The program existed and the version I had was freeware. It was probably DOS or Windows95.

Twenty years ago I could have done this quickly. How many polygons are there?

Mike

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 9:29 am

Wug, sounds like a great little helper program. I'll see if I can track it down.

Ken, Steve, thanks as well.

But, I may just have a solution. Other than not doing too much work on it yesterday (giving my brain a rest), I woke up suddenly at 5am with an idea. It makes SO much sense. I have no problem solving for a triangle in 3D space to a 2D plane. So... Why not just make all the panels into triangles, and solve for those, and then stick them back together??

I know two of the panels twist. One is not an issue, as I will have to do a lot of hand shaping from the flat anyways, as it has a curved cross section. And the second one will twist (if I do the triangle thing right) in the way I want it too.

Hah!!! Sometimes just talking the problem outloud (OK, typing it out), can help the proccess. Of coure, I could still fail terribly, and then I'll get back to you guys.

srspicer · Post by **srspicer** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 1:34 pm

Hey John,

I am only some-what familiar with that vehicle. If there is a plane where all of the angle terminate, such as where the body starts, you could create that as a flat plate, and then create a nose plate. that would give you a start and finish point. You could also do as I do in these cases and carve from a solid block. That way you can set up all of your intersection points on the block and carve& machine away!
There,wasn't that easy! Done in twenty minutes!

Good luck.
Regards,

Scott

Johnnycrash · Post by **Johnnycrash** » Sat Jul 11, 2009 2:04 pm

srspicer wrote:There,wasn't that easy! Done in twenty minutes!

Well, it seems my work is done then. Thanks Scott.

If only it was that easy.

If I was making just a shape of the outside of it, that would work. But, the front has internal bits, and hollow bits, and such. Ugh!! Which makes it far more complex. I have only one face left to translate. It's the most complex, and I may have to try and do it several ways to get one that works.