3D foamy airplanes cut with the CNC

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    Default 3D foamy airplanes cut with the CNC

    Last weekend I found some plans on the internet in PDF format for 3D foamy R/C airplanes. I thought it would be great fun to cut them out on the CNC. I have generated some tool paths for a couple of airplanes if anyone is interested.

    One is for an F18 Jet and the other is for a Edge.

    Greg

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    Sure upload them here in a txt file.

    Thank You,
    Paul G

    Check out-
    [URL="http://www.signs101.com"]www.signs101.com[/URL]


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    Quote Originally Posted by gregmary
    Last weekend I found some plans on the internet in PDF format for 3D foamy R/C airplanes. I thought it would be great fun to cut them out on the CNC. I have generated some tool paths for a couple of airplanes if anyone is interested.

    One is for an F18 Jet and the other is for a Edge.

    Greg
    Yea, can u upload them and also tell stock and tool used, I have been wanting to make one for my daughter, but just have not had the time, the F18 would be kewl also..

    Thanks, Joe



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    I have files for the f-18 and f-15 all finished layed out for 2x4' pieces of dow fan fold foam. The files are set up for a 1/8" cutter using sheetcam. The process i found to work good is open the PDF in adobe Illustrator export it as a dxf and then I check scale and clean up the drawing in Rhino and then on to sheetcam.
    Shoot me an email for the files and i'll send them out.
    Darren
    cncdarren@hotmail.com



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    Just a quick question for you guys, What bit are you guys using to cut the foam? I have been using a single flute 1/8" bit but I have been having problems with the foam mealting and sticking to the bit. I have tried from 15-30 ipm and it still happens sometimes. using a 1/4" trim router for the spindle I havent tried slowing it down. I also have a dremel multi speed tool i am thinking about making a mount for and using that as it should have enought power to cut thru the foam.

    Darren



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    Quote Originally Posted by CNC Darren
    Just a quick question for you guys, What bit are you guys using to cut the foam? I have been using a single flute 1/8" bit but I have been having problems with the foam mealting and sticking to the bit. I have tried from 15-30 ipm and it still happens sometimes. using a 1/4" trim router for the spindle I havent tried slowing it down. I also have a dremel multi speed tool i am thinking about making a mount for and using that as it should have enought power to cut thru the foam.

    Darren
    You know if you could just make an attachment that would connect to the existing router mount and have a lead downward, and have elec. go through it to heat it up similaer to the Foam Cutting cnc's. You could make stock stand off's to raise the foam odd cutting bed.

    Just a thought

    Joe



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    heheh the idea already crossed my mind, i'm thinking of a soldering iron with the tip turned down in diameter.

    Darren



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    Quote Originally Posted by CNC Darren
    heheh the idea already crossed my mind, i'm thinking of a soldering iron with the tip turned down in diameter.

    Darren
    Kewl, like to see what you come up with. a milling foam cutter.



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    I have been using a .125 dremel drywall cutting bit. They work bretty good as long as you move pretty fast and run the tool just above stalling out. I still get a bit of melting. I do need to clean the bit every few panels. On parts that come to a point you can see the foam pullinging into the point due to the minimal amount of material. If anyone has a better way, let me know.

    Attached are some IGES files for a 3D faomy model of the EDGE. There are 4 files for four sheets of foam.

    If you need tool paths let me know what kind of machine and I can gen 'em up.

    Greg

    Attached Files Attached Files


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    I tried a 3/16 carbide up sprial bit and it works very good! no melting at all running at 25ipm. got the F-15 cut today, assembly begins tomarrow.
    Darren



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    Greg

    Would it be possible to upload the "edge" file in DXF?



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    Default Edge in DXF

    Sure, I can upload the DXF file. I get it to you tonight when I get home.

    Greg



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    Hey Guys,
    Been a long time since someone posted to this thread. Does anyone have the cut files for the f-15 or f-18. love to have them. Also the .TAP files for the hydrofoam if anyone interested. ( NOT The Miss hanger one. I am still working on that one from the pdf files.)
    Steve



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    Anyone here still?



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    I made my machine to cut out foam planes but so far have not cut out any. The problem for me is most of the free plans out there are in PDF format and I don't have a good way to bring them into my Turbo Cad program. Anyone got a work around for this?

    Thanks
    Terry



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    Adobe Illustrator Or do a search for pdftodxf. Alot of cleaning up needs to be done when using pdftodxf. Pm me with your addy and Ill send you a copy pdftodxf.
    Steve



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    ghostscript and it related support programs will get you from PDF to DXF, The code isn't optomised but I have used it to take line art to DXF. In my case an engraving of a horseman on a rearing horse.

    Ghost script is open soirce...


    Garry



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    Quote Originally Posted by gregmary View Post
    Last weekend I found some plans on the internet in PDF format for 3D foamy R/C airplanes. I thought it would be great fun to cut them out on the CNC. I have generated some tool paths for a couple of airplanes if anyone is interested.

    One is for an F18 Jet and the other is for a Edge.

    Greg
    It seems that this thread has degenerated into how to convert PDFs to DXFs. Let's get it back on track.

    I've been watching this thread with interest for a while, now. I guess a lot of other people have too since it's been viewed around 1400 times to date.

    Questions follow:
    1. Do you have any pictures of the F18 Jet and the Edge foamies cut out and assembled? Anyone???

    2. I took a look at the Edge IGES files you posted using RHINOceros 3.0 as a viewer and it appears that the plane is approx. 32" long. Is that correct?

    3. Continuing where question 2 left off, what exactly are the dimensions of the completed planes (L x W x H)?

    4. gregmary and CNC Darren, would you, could you post the F-18, F-15, and Edge plans in DXF format? It would be great if you could since it's not as easy for everyone to convert IGES files.

    5. I can't figure it out, gregmary, why are there "4 files for four sheets of foam"? It looks to me that they could all be positioned/nested on one 2' x 4' foam sheet. Please correct me, as I am no doubt missing something.

    6. CNC Darren, what is this "dow fan fold foam" that you refer to? I have some of the poster/project foam from Hobby Lobby that has a foam core with some kind of paper/plastic bonded to each side. Is that the same stuff? If not, where should I look for the correct foam sheets? Do local hobby shops or art supply stores normally carry the kind of foam your using? Got a close-up picture of the foam material?

    7. Does anyone have plans for any nifty balsa wood or foam gliders or rubber band powered planes, boats, hydroplanes?

    That's all for now! I reserve the right to post follow up questions and questions not yet thought of.

    HayTay

    Don't be the one that stands in the way of your success!


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    One question,

    What kind of foam are you guys using? I have tried the blue and the pink kinds that you find in hardware stores. Are there other kinds better suited to machining?

    The Pink is hard, and not very dense. It cuts fine with regular carbide mills.

    The blue seems softer, yet denser, and is more finicky. It tends to shred (leaves a shaggy form of loose material behind). I used a toolpath option that combines climb and conventional milling. I noticed that shredding only occurs in one of the two directions so going with either climb OR conventional milling is probably the answer. I guess trial and error will help me figure out which is better.

    BTW, I was running this at 4000 RPM (the limit on my knee mill), so melting wasn't a problem for me.

    Carlo

    Last edited by cbass; 10-06-2006 at 11:18 PM. Reason: incorrect term


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    Quote Originally Posted by cbass View Post
    One question,

    What kind of foam are you guys using? I have tried the blue and the pink kinds that you find in hardware stores. Are there other kinds better suited to machining?

    The Pink is hard, and not very dense. It cuts fine with regular carbide mills.

    The blue seems softer, yet denser, and is more finicky. It tends to shred (leaves a shaggy form of loose material behind). I used a toolpath option that combines upward and conventional milling. I noticed that shredding only occurs in one of the two directions so going with either upward OR conventional milling is probably the answer. I guess trial and error will help me figure out which is better.

    BTW, I was running this at 4000 RPM (the limit on my knee mill), so melting wasn't a problem for me.

    Carlo
    I have seen a lot of people use Depron Foam, Ive seen it for mail order, but im not sure what kind of store would have it locally, Maybe someone else will know.

    Robbie

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)


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3D foamy airplanes cut with the CNC

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