Shape3Dx tutorial and discussion

[jrandy]

WOW! Thanks for that effort! I have had a tab open on my computer for 3 weeks now with the Shape3d lite download page ready to install. I've been afraid to download because, well because I am absolutely useless with computers and technology in general. After looking at this I now know that this is WAY beyond me. You people are amazing. I'm just gonna keep buying production boards.

Addapost-it's worth trying it, even if it's just opening existing files and playing. -J

[magentawave]

I opened Shape 3DX and clicked the create a new board button and very carefully inputted all the dimensions of a board I want (and double checked them) and the board it created looked like what would happen if a Meyerhoffer board had sex with a platypus. I think I'll follow the instructions in this thread the next time.

[surfcowboy]

Magenta, I did the same thing lol. It seems to love the peanut!

I have a roughed in shape of my new board. Need to dig in and also get some help. Seems like smoothing shapes out is an art but it's great to rough in a shape, get the volume and take a look at what things look like in drat form.

[magentawave]

Magenta, I did the same thing lol. It seems to love the peanut!

I have a roughed in shape of my new board. Need to dig in and also get some help. Seems like smoothing shapes out is an art but it's great to rough in a shape, get the volume and take a look at what things look like in drat form.

So how did you get past the peanut shaped outline?

[stoneaxe]

I'm not sure what you guys are doing wrong. I've never gotten a peanut without trying. Take a screenshot of your design numbers and post them.

I've been doing CAD and modelling for so long (somewhere in excess of 40,000 hrs) I tend to forget where the stumbling points are for folks that haven't. I just started playing with it and even the 1st board out looked pretty good. I have to say I'm pretty impressed with the ease of use and what you can do with the software, even with the free version. The shape of the 7-4 I'm thinking of is a bit unusual but it let me create it pretty easily and tweaking it is downright fun.

[magentawave]

Unfortunately I deleted the file so I can't show you a screenshot.

I have a Shape 3dx file (free version) that I want to add add more width to the nose and tail measurements (at the 12" point). When I click the "Resize" button (see first image below) I can modify the length, width, thickness and rocker, but it doesn't show where I can modify the nose and tail measurements. Does that mean that the only way to add more width to the nose and tail measurements is to add control points at the 12" from the nose and tail points and then tweak those points manually to get more width?

And if that's the only way to do this, how do I add control points? When I click "Components" in the top menu and then "Add new point" it only shows me the option from the Center or the Apex and not the nose and tail. (see image #4)

[TallDude]

You'd be surprised what you can do by dragging the nose and tails grips out-ward and on an angle. You can do the same with the middle control point.

Like this......

[surfcowboy]

Lman, I just started from a similar board in the warehouse and tweaked that. Got me to where I wanna go with no drama.

And yeah, adding points will get you there and some boards already have 2 points that you can just drag apart.

TallDude, do you use the "from stringer" or whatever mode? I did that and it seemed easy to tweak things.

Stone axe,  we've talked about Bézier curves before but it seems shape3d doesn't smooth them well. Maybe I just need more points. All in all I've only spent about 30 min in the program. Need to get a little deeper and I'm sure it'll all come along.

[magentawave]

Thanks Talldude. That'll work. If I want to add more width 12" from the nose but want the area after that to get pointy, should I add another control point?

[TallDude]

TallDude, do you use the "from stringer" or whatever mode? I did that and it seemed easy to tweak things.

Stone axe,  we've talked about Bézier curves before but it seems shape3d doesn't smooth them well. Maybe I just need more points. All in all I've only spent about 30 min in the program. Need to get a little deeper and I'm sure it'll all come along.

I plug in my basic board length and width, then do all grip editing without really paying attention to the actual measurements along stringer or straight line.   

Bézier curves allow you to stretch, push and pull connected curves in and out of plane. If a board outline was one continuous radius it would just be a continuous curve. If you add a nose or tail shape that is a different radius you would have a kink where the two different radii meet. Bézier curves eliminate the kink by mathematically blending the transition of the different radii.
The more control points you add along the rail, the more you risk having a non-flowing outline. In other words, you might end up with flat spots. Brian from Pro-Cam CNC told me to keep it simple and avoid unwanted pits, bumps, and flat spots. 

[stoneaxe]

I have just the 3 points in my 7-4 and had enough control to do all I wanted. I did add points to the slices to do the funky deck I have. Like talldude said, play with the beziers 1st. If you still think you need to add points right click over the edge of the rail where you want it (displaying the grid 1st helps) then add the control point. If you are closer to the nose or tail when you click it will give the distance from nose or tail then.

[supuk]

If you want to put in Points in spacific places for out lines or rockers you can ether use the guideline function or a trick I learnt is to drop control points were you want them along the stringer or outline move them to exactly were you want by typing in the x y or z coordinate and then once you have got the cove fairly accurate actually delete the points again so you are left with only 3 or so and it will smooth out the curve for you.

If you allso do a save and reload before you move the line you will get the blue line of the original to compare against.

[magentawave]

Thanks but I don't know what beziers are in relation to the program or how to use them. I will tonight though go through this thread while I have the program open and follow the instructions. Amazingly, a search on Youtube for "shape 3dx tutorial" brings up nothing.

By the way, that is a radical looking board, stoneaxe. When do you plan on building it? I hope you start a build thread.

[stoneaxe]

Clicking on a control point activates the bezier handles. Click and drag on the handles...you'll get the hang of it.

I will document the build....going to be my 1st....but it won't happen until spring at the earliest. No place to do it at the moment. Here's what I hope it looks like when its done. I added the wood inlay stripe, the pinstripes and dual stringer in Shape3D but the nose, tail blocks and pad were done in photoshop.

[addapost]

Thanks but I don't know what beziers are in relation to the program or how to use them. I will tonight though go through this thread while I have the program open and follow the instructions. Amazingly, a search on Youtube for "shape 3dx tutorial" brings up nothing.

By the way, that is a radical looking board, stoneaxe. When do you plan on building it? I hope you start a build thread.

Haha, I have officially pulled out of this discussion. I have deleted the program from my computer (I actually had my wife do that, I don't know how) I have no idea what you guys are talking about. I'll follow along purely as a spectator. carry on