How do I accurately transfer CAD drawing to sheet of wood?

[Racers]

It does look nice that Wealden cutter, I take it you don't fancy the diamond cutter one!

Pete

 

[Steve Maskery]

You might get what you want over the counter at either Mitchell's (used to be on Lenton Boulevard, not sure if they are still there - there is a big one near me in Mansfield, they have a good range) or East Midlands Saw & Tool in Long Eaton.

 

[Jacob]

As I mentioned in earlier posts, I was never happy with the idea of taping several A2 sheets together, as I viewed it as being the potential source of more problems. After reviewing my options, I decided to get a local print company to produce a full size A0 copy of my drawing, which turned out to be very slightly larger than full size. However, all the right angles were still right angles, so I reckoned that the drawing still retained the same proportions. The increase was just over 0.17%, which increased the longest diagonal by only 1.35mm.

That was close enough for my needs, so I have made a start on marking out the outline on my first shelf by making pin holes through the drawing. After drawing lines to join the dots, I will run various measurements to confirm that all is well. As my dad used to say, measure twice, cut once.

Sorry to keep going on but would you recommend the same procedure for, say, a simple square of plywood? i.e. draw it up with Autocad, take it to a printer, adjust the print out by 0.17%, mark it through with pinholes, etc.
If not why not?
I'm intrigued!

 

[topchippyles]

Cant you create an over grid of the drawing which you can duplicate

 

[worn thumbs]

I am mystified by the amount of comment this topic has generated.In the OP I see only straight lines and with the use of a basic CAD program it should be possible to determine the distance from any relevant feature to any other feature and strike arcs to accurately locate the points at the end of each line.A good rule and a straight edge should have the job done in a few minutes.
While I can do the marking out with basic tools,I have to say Jacob is mired in the past with reference to drawing boards and their attendant kit.Too slow and too hard to modify.A company I worked for in the nineties gave their drawing boards away as they had been well and truly superseded by 2D CAD and a few months later they moved into the realms of 3D modelling and 5 axis CNC.Modern free software makes it possible for hobbyists to get surprisingly close to this level of sophistication and should be borne in mind.

As far as the discussion regarding router cutters is concerned,I have always held the belief that a bottom bearing cutter is inherently more reliable for accuracy than a top bearing cutter.Mainly because if you hiccup or otherwise twitch with a top bearing cutter,there is a good chance that the router will rock and take a bite out of the workpiece.With a bottom bearing,you may leave a bump that can be removed with another pass.The same template will serve if you position it on the relevant surface.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I have to admit I'm sort of with Jacob on this one - my understanding is that the task is to make a shelf or shelves to fit a specific location, e.g., a recess in a wall, a corner, on a wall, or something like that. Whilst a drawing might be useful, whether hand drawn or drafted digitally, in the end I suspect the only real solution is to accurately mark out or scribe the first shelf to fit, and use that as a template to make additional shelves.

In both of the just described scenarios the normal solution (for me anyway) would be to forget all about drafting up the job either by hand or digitally using a CAD programme and printing anything off and just draw what's required full size using rules, pencils, squares, etc on a piece of cheap throwaway material, e.g., stiff card, 3 mm MDF, or whatever is to hand. Cut out the shape drawn, test fit, and modify to suit if needed, even to the point of starting all over again. Once a template has been made successfully, it can be used to make replicas.

Maybe I've completely misinterpreted the problem for which a solution is being sought, but at this point what I see is a desire to print off a full size CAD drawings which is overcomplicating a very simple practical task needing not much more than elementary drafting or drawing skills. Slainte.

 

[Jacob]

I am mystified by the amount of comment this topic has generated.In the OP I see only straight lines and with the use of a basic CAD program it should be possible to determine the distance from any relevant feature to any other feature and strike arcs to accurately locate the points at the end of each line.A good rule and a straight edge should have the job done in a few minutes.
While I can do the marking out with basic tools,I have to say Jacob is mired in the past with reference to drawing boards and their attendant kit.Too slow and too hard to modify.A company I worked for in the nineties gave their drawing boards away as they had been well and truly superseded by 2D CAD and a few months later they moved into the realms of 3D modelling and 5 axis CNC......

Are you suggesting that our OP should go the extra mile and invest in 5 axis CNC to solve this deeply puzzling problem? I expect it could sharpen pencils too!

Seriously though - why would you need a CAD programme? As Richard says above; with a pencil etc and without even a drawing board the amount of time and effort required to draw out a template for this scrap of ply should be less than what it took to compose his first post. 10 minutes max?

I'm not mired in the past at all - I'm using a computer to write this, not a pencil - can't you tell?

 

[haggis999]

I am bemused as to why Jacob and Sgian Dubh are perpetuating an irrelevant discussion about how I should have designed my shelf, as my OP made it clear that my design was already completed before I started this thread! Jacob made a useful suggestion on how to transfer my design to the wood surface, but he only came up this idea after I had embarked on my 'prick through a print' solution (which just happens to be the method proposed by Harbo, the first person to provide an answer to my question). If Jacob had made that suggestion two days ago I would probably have taken his advice instead.

Further discussion on how to resolve my original question now seems a little pointless. I made it clear earlier today that my master shelf has now been successfully marked up.

On the other hand, any comments relating to my subsequent questions about router issues would be most welcome.

 

[haggis999]

As far as the discussion regarding router cutters is concerned,I have always held the belief that a bottom bearing cutter is inherently more reliable for accuracy than a top bearing cutter.Mainly because if you hiccup or otherwise twitch with a top bearing cutter,there is a good chance that the router will rock and take a bite out of the workpiece.With a bottom bearing,you may leave a bump that can be removed with another pass.The same template will serve if you position it on the relevant surface.

You make a very convincing argument for using a bottom bearing cutter. That's just the sort of practical advice I was seeking.

I might end up with a router bit that has bearings top and bottom. For copying my master shelf the bottom bearing looks like the one to use, but are there situations where a top bearing offers an advantage?

 

[haggis999]

It does look nice that Wealden cutter, I take it you don't fancy the diamond cutter one!

Pete

My ELU MOF96E router only takes bits with shanks up to 8mm diameter, so that eye-wateringly expensive item was never an option!

 

[Jacob]

I am bemused as to why Jacob and Sgian Dubh are perpetuating an irrelevant discussion about how I should have designed my shelf, as my OP made it clear that my design was already completed before I started this thread! Jacob made a useful suggestion on how to transfer my design to the wood surface, but he only came up this idea after I had embarked on my 'prick through a print' solution (which just happens to be the method proposed by Harbo, the first person to provide an answer to my question). If Jacob had made that suggestion two days ago I would probably have taken his advice instead.
......

Sorry I was a bit mystified - I didn't realise you were so bereft of basic drawing skills. But I don't think I was the only one suggesting using a pencil.
The point about a drawing board is that the techniques you use on a board are exactly the same as the techniques you would use making your template, except you would use your piece of ply in place of the board and draw direct on it.
You would need to plane up one nice straight edge for the T square and then use a 30º set square, as mentioned earlier.
Or you could dive straight in Richard's ways - piece of scrap board - sit your appliance on it, draw round it, cut it out oversize, offer it up to the space etc.
These aren't daft old fashioned wheezes - this is how you do it, until the day come when your computer can put the marks on your piece of wood itself. This is possible already but involves some very expensive kit. Pencils are cheap.

The fact that your design was already completed before you started this thread doesn't mean that you can't have another go at it. Worth thinking about as your shape is difficult to cut out as it is. The fact that you have it on your computer is exactly the same as having it on the back of an envelope and you shouldn't feel committed to your first efforts - however much trouble you took to get there.

 

[AJB Temple]

Blimey. 5 pages for a shelf. This could be published in one of the dumbed down woodwork magazines.

We've just had a little former cloakroom in our office kitted out as mini kitchen as part of our office revamp. This entire job is being supervised by my HR manager. She is very good. They had three shelves to fit in an awaked space between units and wall with odd angles. The fitter spent easily as much as 20 minutes scribing and cutting out the shelves and possibly a further 10 minutes to fit them. Whilst talking constantly to Ms HR (who is exceptionally distracting - but soon getting wed, so he was wasting his time). If only he'd had a 3d CAD system rather than using the daft old fashioned system perpetrated by Jacob. Probably could have saved hours.

I inspected his work (discreetly) later on. Gapless. Nuff said.

 

[Jacob]

:lol:
I bet they used Autocad to design this thing.
post1132809.html?hilit=trolley#p1132809
Do it the difficult way and get a sense of achievement!

Actually the OPs original question was misleading; How do I accurately transfer CAD drawing to sheet of wood?
The fact that it is CAD drawing doesn't help in any way at all and is irrelevant.
He might as well have asked
How do I accurately transfer some scribbled sketches on the back of an envelope to sheet of wood?
and the answer would be much the same.

 

[Racers]

Was I the only person who understood haggis999s shelf design? It's to fit in a corner with av equipment on and includes a cutout for the cables.
I can't see how redesigning it will work it has to be that shape.

We all work in different ways some people use cad and some use a pencil, no point in trying to change them if they are happy with the way they work.

I think it's good that hagis999 has stuck around most people would have probably not come back.


Pete

 

[galleywood]

haggis999

How have you got on so far with cutting out your template?

It has been mentioned how you could cut the internal and external corners but I am not sure anyone has mentioned that you could score the outline before routing the shape, with a bearing guided cutter, in order to reduce the risk of splintering.

Is this the sort of advice that you now need to help finish the job?

 

[MrTeroo]

I think it's good that hagis999 has stuck around most people would have probably not come back.


Pete

I agree.

 

[DiscoStu]

If you can save your image as a PDF then you can use Acrobat to print your drawing at 1:1 scale over several pages. Then line them up and away you go.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mike Jordan]

Haggis
I've just read through 74 posts on this subject and have a terrible feeling I've missed something. There is a lot of talk of things that I have no idea how to do and electronic tools I don't own.
If my grasp of the situation is correct, you want to make a number of odd shaped shelves to fit an existing cupboard. If this is correct I suggest you try googling the words "Joggle stick"
A useful device that will enable you to do the job without buying batteries or plugging anything in to the mains. Not new technology but accurate to the 1mm you are seeking. I think Noah might have had one when building his first boat.
Mike.

 

[Bm101]

Sorry I was a bit mystified - I didn't realise you were so bereft of basic drawing skills.

Jesus Jacob. The Charm School. Did you sue them? :?
From memory it was a fella called Francis Bacon who likened knowledge to two types, The bee and the spider. One type keeps buzzin' about, pollinating flowers, the other makes webs.
Don't doubt your knowledge for a second but come on. Op has been clear he is not a seasoned woodworker. Why keep battering the fella? Common courtesy costs nowt.
I used sketch up to design some alcove units I need to make recently. I find it useful as a novice for several reasons. It helps me iron out unforseen mistakes out in the design before I start. I don't have the luxury of having built 200 units before so it's a massive benefit. Slow, and tedious at times for sure in the planning. It gives me a good idea of materials I will need, I can establish a fair cutting list as best as I can as an amateur without years of experience under my belt. That saves me money. I don't pretend for a minute I'm going to work to the tolerances of .3 mm etc it gives me but it gives me a good idea to start. I'll do the rest and adapt the design and fitting to my abilities to make it work as best as I can while I build it. Personally I'd have used a decent square edge, measured the walls against the angles of the restrictions, measure everything against 90 degrees and gone more for a marking not measuring approach. Just how my brain works.
I just don't understand why you need to be so strident sometimes.
No offense meant. Really. I have better things to worry about tbh. I'm not being personal. I've laughed your comments off before on some of the daft questions I've asked as I'm learning. It just baffles me. Do you get a sense of pleasure from mocking those less experienced than you in this particular skill set of life?
Bit early for all this but I've been on nights and the brains a bit frazzled. I'm off to google Joggle sticks (theres that bee v's the spider again, Thank you Mike) and then carry on painting the front room and try and break the night work cycle by staying up for 9 hours minimum. #DayOfTheDead :shock: :shock: :shock:

@Haggis There's some good router tips on the Wealden site. http://www.wealdentool.eu/hints_and_tips.html

 

[Jacob]

Sorry I was a bit mystified - I didn't realise you were so bereft of basic drawing skills.

Jesus Jacob. The Charm School. Did you sue them? :?
From memory it was a fella called Francis Bacon who likened knowledge to two types, The bee and the spider. One type keeps buzzin' about, pollinating flowers, the other makes webs.
Don't doubt your knowledge for a second but come on. Op has been clear he is not a seasoned woodworker. Why keep battering the fella? Common courtesy costs nowt........l

Because I keep trying to explain to him how to do it (just draw it with a pencil, ruler, set square etc) but he argues about it! :lol:
Doesn't help when others chip in with even more complicated solutions to this non existent problem - no wonder he gets confused; Autocad won't put marks on wood, neither will Sketchup.

I'll say it again - you do need basic drawing skills for a simple little task like this.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... al+drawing