Fisch Flexi Curve

[flanajb]

Does anyone know how I can create my own template for creating curves. In the past I have shaped a piece of mdf to a curve and then used that.

I would like to try and find a quicker method for doing this, but I cannot afford the Fisch Flexi curve sold by axminster which might be a useful piece of kit, ut at £150 for a 3m seems rather expensive

http://www.axminster.co.uk/fisch-flexi- ... rod783040/

Anyone know where you can get plastic that can be drilled to create your own.

 

[OPJ]

I know that Tilgear do something similar (though, they're currently out of stock), as I've got one in my workshop at the moment (I'm borrowing it off someone else). I haven't had a chance to properly use it yet but, it does seem to be reliable once it's locked off. No springback, as far as I can tell right now.

Another option might be to bend a steel rule (or, a thin slice of hardwood) in a sash cramp. For more complex curves, you could try placing panel pins in various locations and bend something around that (if you only want to draw the line to cut to, and not trim it with a router).

 

[MikeH]

Depending on how long and how accurate you need, you can get a little 'draughtsmans' tool from stationers. It is a length of lead(?) encased in soft plastic. Bit like a long thin flexible ruler. I use one a fair bit for roughing out shapes. You can't attach it so have to work freehand but it works fine for me. Also they are only a couple of quid or less.

 

[ondablade]

I did a bit of digging on these too last year, but couldn't find a significantly cheaper source. Here's a German site selling what looks like the same Fisch type product as Axminster. It's interesting in itself - it does organ maker's tools. In English too.

The price is about the same when converted.

http://www.weiblen.de/en/special-tools/ ... -flexibel/

The Fisch is a bit of a different deal to the lead filled flexi curves you can buy for draughting - it's intended to be used directly as e.g. a router a template, whereas the lead filled ones really only allow you to mark a curved line.

There's places the lead filled ones are useful too (tight curves that a springy material can't make), but they need care - because they don't have much spring they don't always adopt a natural or regular curve - you can need to do a lot of adjusting to get any bumps out.

'Flexi curve' in Google brings up lots of options, as usual there's better choice and longer ones available in the US.

PS it looks like the original maker of the Fisch item is a company called Protus in Germany, and they call it their 'Kurvenlinfix' - so it's probably not going to come much cheaper anywhere else - the US included.

 

[xy mosian]

Thinks ....... plastic curtain rail?

xy

 

[Harbo]

I have had a drawing one (12") for over 40years - must dig it out, it's in a box with my Rotring Rapidograph, Pelican pens and slide rules!

The other thing to use is a length of Piano Wire (from Music Instrument shops) with pins to control the shape - we used to design roads that way before Computers! :shock:

Rod

 

[BelgianPhil]

http://www.ryman.co.uk/1342768199/Helix ... er/Product

 

[brianhr]

Like this?

http://www.tilgear.info/products/41/693 ... inder__37/

I bought a 'plastic' one some years ago but I can't remember who from.

 

[Vinny]

How about using some of this:

https://secure.mkmplastics.com/products.php/cat/47

or some of this, notching one plane on the bandsaw and adding some holes to the resulting tabs for fixing:

https://secure.mkmplastics.com/products.php/cat/1

The order quantity is pretty big (75meters), perhaps a group buy ??

Vinny

 

[ondablade]

I wonder does it really have to have tabs on it like the Fisch one Vinnie, or if it wouldn't be possible to get away with (countersunk) fixing holes drilled on the centre line?

If PVC won't bend enough to do the business there's other plastics to be had from plastics fabrication/supply outfits. PET or PET-G might be a decent blend of toughness and flexibility, and they come in clear.

 

[squib]

When lofting boats we used to use very long wooden battens that were sometimes tapered to draw the lines.I use offcuts of Macrolon in the worlshop that i got out of a skip at a plastics supplier years ago which are unbreakable and can be bent to very tight curves,

 

[flanajb]

I wonder does it really have to have tabs on it like the Fisch one Vinnie, or if it wouldn't be possible to get away with (countersunk) fixing holes drilled on the centre line?

This was what I was thinking. There must be something out there that you could drill and countersink. I am after one that can be used as a router template rather than just one for marking curves

 

[xy mosian]

Strange I was thinking curtain rail ... with fixing brackets.

xy

 

[Eric The Viking]

Strange I was thinking curtain rail ... with fixing brackets.

xy

In similar vein: small-size electrical trunking (the surface-mount sort. It's got enough rigidity to run a router along it too, but might need a bit of 'kerf cutting' for tight radii.

Incidentally, in both cases ("Swish" track and trunking), you can bend to tighter radii in the steam from a kettle.