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Looking for a really fine scale contour gauge tool.


Aptivaboy

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Does anyone have any suggestions? I have a comb type, but its rather industrial and more for carpentry. I'd like to get a really fine scale modeling contour tool so that I can transfer measurements from a model kit or part into a CAD program, draw parts off of the measurements and shapes in a CAD program, and then print away.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Robert

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2 hours ago, D.B. Andrus said:

+1

+2

I searched several years ago, bought two different ones, both ended up being basically identical and quite industrial. Anything model-sized they are unusable.

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Paul Budzik has a rather good video at Paulbudzik.com which shows an alternative to a contour gauge for determining the shape of a bulkhead, for example.  Might be worth a look.  Title is ‘When a contour gauge isn’t good enough’.

 

His other stuff is very useful too.

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2 hours ago, Wegener said:

Paul Budzik has a rather good video at Paulbudzik.com which shows an alternative to a contour gauge for determining the shape of a bulkhead, for example.  Might be worth a look.  Title is ‘When a contour gauge isn’t good enough’.

 

His other stuff is very useful too.

 

 

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That's an awesome video and technique! However, I have neither the time nor the patience... I guess I suck. I'm trying to take curves off of of all things the exterior of a Star Trek model with a lot of compound curves so a contour gauge is the better fit.

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Best would be fine steel wire sliding on some sort of guide with fine holes. Even spacing of fine drilled holes will be the trick. I am not sure if 3D printing would work. Maybe a block of plastic and a fine drill press? The problem is, could take longer to make a tool than to build the model.

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Yeah, I think I'm gonna just have to buy a commercial one, find the nicest one that I can, and hope for the best. Take off the curves, trace on paper, scan into the CAD program, draw and trace the curves digitally, draw the new parts onto those curves, then print. I've done similar before, its just time consuming. Ultimately, I'd like to make a TBF-1 conversion using this technique. Mostly, its the cowling that needs the most work, that and some radio and cockpit changes. 

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Try Chavant Clay it's a sculpting clay soft when warm, a bit of cling film on the part push the clay on let it harden "job done"

I use it all the time on my "other" work ;)

 

Bob

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