Transfer lines from model

I have built a 4 foot model of a 32 foot runabout. I would like to find some method of transfering the lines from the model, perhaps with a stylus of some sort, that will produce the frame stations for construction. I just registered, and can
not figure out how to post a question like this. Thank you anyone. Dale W. ------------- Daletto@sonic.net

 

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There are three types of high-tech devices available to do this:

First, there are the mechanical stylus digitizing devices where you trace over the model and a 3d DXF or other similar transitional file format is generated. For example, the Microscribe devices from http://www.immersion.com/ and http://www.immersion.com/products/3d/capture/msspecs.shtml
Unfortunately, the price is still pretty high, at around $3000 for a Microscribe with a 50" work area.

Second, there are laser scanning devices which will scan your 3d object and create a 3d shell. You would then section the surface model to get the stations, but this would require pretty good software too as you would have much more information than you really need and you would have to then take the surface model and derive the lines/stations to have something workable. Laser scanning is so expensive that you would probably be looking at a service such as http://www.kanecodesign.com/ or a local shop which might have an object digitizing device than your own device unless you are looking at doing this many, many times.

Third, there are the 2-d digitizing devices, like http://outlinetechnologies.com/ and http://skalarcnc.netfirms.com/ which are more affordable but not what you need here.

Now before computers I believe the approach was to measure it with caliper like devices, pretty much doing the same thing as the digital stylus approach does today. Maybe you could even create your own measuring device like this.

Also, take a look at the process used at the Mystic Seaport using the Faro arm:
http://www.mysticseaport.org/public/collections/shipyard/half.model.pages/half-hull.ship.model .html