Having a go at a Boyer

[Ian down london way]

I'm starting a new project, one of the fine designs by Clayton Boyer, specifically, Cogitation. I've got the plans, ordered the metal rods so I'm about to start.

If anyone out there has attempted this one, I'd be interested in hearing what challenges you faced.

This is what the project may look like:
http://www.lisaboyer.com/Claytonsite/co ... npage1.htm

There is a video lower down on that web page.

Would it be worth me showing progress on here? Are enough of you guys interested?
(It will take me quite a while - months probably - its only an evening hobby for me).

 

[marcros]

i would be interested in seeing a WIP

 

[AndyT]

Now that I've followed the link and found out what you are talking about, so would I!

 

[Harbo]

Yes please - I have been making a metal one for about 4yrs now!
You cannot rush these things?

Rod

 

[bugbear]

I'm starting a new project, one of the fine designs by Clayton Boyer, specifically, Cogitation. I've got the plans, ordered the metal rods so I'm about to start.

If anyone out there has attempted this one, I'd be interested in hearing what challenges you faced.

This is what the project may look like:
http://www.lisaboyer.com/Claytonsite/co ... npage1.htm

There is a video lower down on that web page.

Would it be worth me showing progress on here? Are enough of you guys interested?
(It will take me quite a while - months probably - its only an evening hobby for me).

Don't apologise for having an interesting hobby - I'd love to see that stuff!

BugBear

 

[JakeS]

Me too!

As it goes, how did you get the plans - printed or DXF?

(I'm a bit sad that there's no PDF-download version, but I guess a DXF isn't too far off.)

 

[Ian down london way]

I bought the paper copy, but within the plans it says you can email someone to get DXF bits.

However printing onto large enough paper is not one. Some of the parts need 6 of the US sized pages stuck together.

Its a shame there aren't any additional diagonal registration lines printed behind the multi-sheet parts, and that can help align everything up. I'll suggest that to the originator.
However I did get a hand written yellow sticky saying don't worry too much about terrible accurate assembly of the multi-sheet parts, and the pieces are hand balanced anyway (inserting / adjusting weights set into the edges, apparently).
Should be interesting

 

[bugbear]

I bought the paper copy, but within the plans it says you can email someone to get DXF bits.

However printing onto large enough paper is not one. Some of the parts need 6 of the US sized pages stuck together.

Its a shame there aren't any additional diagonal registration lines printed behind the multi-sheet parts, and that can help align everything up. I'll suggest that to the originator.
However I did get a hand written yellow sticky saying don't worry too much about terrible accurate assembly of the multi-sheet parts, and the pieces are hand balanced anyway (inserting / adjusting weights set into the edges, apparently).
Should be interesting

Are there any tips on managing paper stretch in the large sizes?

BugBear

 

[PeterBassett]

I bought the Solaris plans last year, but haven't got round to starting it yet. Good luck with yours.

 

[ex-71]

Blimey!

 

[Ian down london way]

Are there any tips on managing paper stretch in the large sizes?

BugBear

I have access to large office scanner/photopiers (!).

I chose one of the plan sheets, and measured on the originals, a distance across and along the long edge.
A careful measurement of the photocopy showed no significant distortion along the length of the paper (well, < 0.5 mm in a 200 mm line), but almost 1 mm in 120mm along the width.
Now that I think about it, the way the paper goes through a copier (long edge first), means that the distortion is about mismatched paper feed speeds of the original to the destination sheet (distortion along the long edge would imply something dodgy with the matching of the phsyical sensor / printer elements, which seems less likely on a decent office machine).
I tried scanning and then printing (with no scale change) and got exactly the same results.

A different instance of the scanner / printer (same model), performed much better, with distortion in both directions being much less than 0.5mm in 200/120mm.

So, my hint, try it out and see.

I've yet to try printing / scanning at home, which will be interesting to compare to the office machines, which probably cost 100 fold more.

 

[Noggsy]

I've yet to try printing / scanning at home, which will be interesting to compare to the office machines, which probably cost 100 fold more.

Ah yes, but Ian, office photocopiers go through a rigorous R and D process to ensure that they;

a) Break down seven pages into a long and time sensitive document,
b) If watched, wait until you have satisfied yourself that they are printing and then stop 12 seconds after you leave. This is generally combined with the 'paper jam' message and instructions, which will inevitably leave you either vainly shouting 'but there's no bloody paper stuck in there, how can it be jammed?' or on the third occasion in any 24 hour period, sobbing; 'You're a photocopier, please just do what you're supposed to do.'
c) Temporarily stop working at least once a month until 10 minutes before the repair person finally arrives (in some companies, this is as a result of the research and repair departments being merged and is accomplished by means of remote-control in order to keep photocopier repair wranglers in business).

That kind of precision costs an awful lot to achieve and is the reason why office copiers cost more than your home printer.

The project looks fantastic by the way, good luck with that.

 

[trsleigh]

I bought the paper copy, but within the plans it says you can email someone to get DXF bits.

However printing onto large enough paper is not one. Some of the parts need 6 of the US sized pages stuck together.

Its a shame there aren't any additional diagonal registration lines printed behind the multi-sheet parts, and that can help align everything up. I'll suggest that to the originator.
However I did get a hand written yellow sticky saying don't worry too much about terrible accurate assembly of the multi-sheet parts, and the pieces are hand balanced anyway (inserting / adjusting weights set into the edges, apparently).
Should be interesting

Ian, thanks to you I've now got 75 sheets of A4 to arrange & stick together in some sort of coherent order. :shock: What on Earth possessed you to post the link in the first place?

I've gone for the "Genesis" clock ( looked simplest as a first go ) & bought the plans as a DXF download. It all displays ok in Turbocad 19 and it appears to be divided into pages. However I'm blowed if I can see how to get it to print 1:1 in A4 corresponding to the page numbers on the drawing.
If anyone has got any suggestions feel free to suggest, otherwise I'll just have to settle down with a large roll of Sellotape. I'd certainly second your suggestion about registration marks.

Anyway, this should be a brill project over winter, especially as I've got loads of cherry offcuts to use up.
Toby

 

[bugbear]

I bought the paper copy, but within the plans it says you can email someone to get DXF bits.

However printing onto large enough paper is not one. Some of the parts need 6 of the US sized pages stuck together.

Its a shame there aren't any additional diagonal registration lines printed behind the multi-sheet parts, and that can help align everything up. I'll suggest that to the originator.
However I did get a hand written yellow sticky saying don't worry too much about terrible accurate assembly of the multi-sheet parts, and the pieces are hand balanced anyway (inserting / adjusting weights set into the edges, apparently).
Should be interesting

Ian, thanks to you I've now got 75 sheets of A4 to arrange & stick together in some sort of coherent order. :shock: What on Earth possessed you to post the link in the first place?

I've gone for the "Genesis" clock ( looked simplest as a first go ) & bought the plans as a DXF download. It all displays ok in Turbocad 19 and it appears to be divided into pages. However I'm blowed if I can see how to get it to print 1:1 in A4 corresponding to the page numbers on the drawing.
If anyone has got any suggestions feel free to suggest, otherwise I'll just have to settle down with a large roll of Sellotape. I'd certainly second your suggestion about registration marks.

Anyway, this should be a brill project over winter, especially as I've got loads of cherry offcuts to use up.
Toby

Given the amount of work and effort you're going to put, I'd recommend using a "high street" printer if you need larger prints than your printer can manage.

BugBear

 

[trsleigh]

Given the amount of work and effort you're going to put, I'd recommend using a "high street" printer if you need larger prints than your printer can manage.

BugBear

Oh, it's not so bad after all. I've now gone through the pile of paper and a lot of sheets are blank. This is because the parts are laid out in a long horizontal line, but with a tall vertical drawing at one end. Anyway thanks for the suggestion.
Toby

 

[xy mosian]

trsleigh,

I don't know TurboCad, but if you can export from TurboCad into Skekchup, free version will do, then the plugin mentioned in my signature can be used to print to paper at full size. Registration marks are included free!
The plugin is intended to work with 2D drawings and doesn't get on with Groups or Components, these need exploding, or Hidden lines.
Dave Richards over at Design, Click, Build did a very clear write-up on the process.

HTH,
xy

Sorry forgot to add the link to Dave's blog post.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/471 ... -templates

 

[Ian down london way]

I called a number of high street printer to get an A0 printout costed. it was £65. Blow that for a lark.

I think the trouble is they have to print on much more expensive / stronger paper, and its geared up towards printing advertising banners and the like, which also have much more ink-on (possibly the cost assumed its surface area is covered entirely by ink).

Maybe I could have negotiated more, but I did it on the phone at first, and £65 per sheet felt like taking the urine.

So, I've been sticking together the sheets for the frame. I'm starting to cut to thickness a recycled fire place ledge which a friend gave to me, as its nice and dark as the background to the lighter (beach ply probably) wheels.

No, I'll start a project thread rather than carry on here.

(Takes a deep breath, having committed self and gets back to my paid work).

 

[trsleigh]

trsleigh,

I don't know TurboCad, but if you can export from TurboCad into Skekchup, free version will do, then the plugin mentioned in my signature can be used to print to paper at full size. Registration marks are included free!
The plugin is intended to work with 2D drawings and doesn't get on with Groups or Components, these need exploding, or Hidden lines.
Dave Richards over at Design, Click, Build did a very clear write-up on the process.

HTH,
xy

That sounds interesting, I'll investigate over the w/e, thanks.
Toby

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I don't wish to rain on anybody's parade, but here's an old engineering tip. NEVER use a printed out drawing as a template, and NEVER scale directly off a print. For something like this, which will require a fair degree of accuracy to work well, ALWAYS use the dimensions quoted on the print to mark out directly on the workpiece material.

(PS - If you have a fair bit of latitude with fitting parts together, or their relative sizes don't matter that much, the print-out template might work; I'd respectfully suggest that such latitude is unlikely in this case, even with the rather odd gear tooth profiles used.)

 

[Ian down london way]

Having compared the copies to the original, in two directions, I think that the <0.25% distortion would not cause problems. I'm not sure my cutting is that accurate anyway

(I've tried holding up the copies over the originals, with a bright light behind them, and I can't see the difference.

Trouble is, I'm loath to cut up the originals.

The biggest problem you can have is forgetting to unclick all the auto-scale options for your printer.