Patterns???

[John316]

We are getting ready to cut start cutting our walls out. How do you all cut patterns for the plywood? For a couple of pieces, we have used cardboard, and painstakingly cut out the shapes.

Also, how do I get a pattern for cutting out the roof radius?

Do any of you have a faster/better approach?

God bless,

John

[Jeremy]

There is a tool for doing this, but I don't know what they're called so I can't post a photo or a link. Imagine a large hair comb with the teeth touching each other side-by-side. Then imagine that each tooth can slide independently through the handle of the comb; when the 'comb' is pressed against a shape, each tooth moves back into the handle by a different amount, such that the shape is recreated on the comb. You can then transfer the shape to the plywood or whatever. Hopefully someone will understand what I'm trying to describe and post a photo of the tool.

Having said all that, you can easily achieve the same result without the tool - simply tape a small piece of wood or similar to your pencil, to provide an 'offset'. Then place your plywood next to the shape in question, with the pencil on the plywood and the outboard end of the small piece of wood resting against the shape - then by running the end of the wood along / across the shape you can transfer it onto the plywood.

Hope that makes sense

Jeremy

[Ray D]

I do solid surface and make lots of patterns and I have never had much luck with accuracy using cardboard.  I use 1/8" tempered hardboard and rough cut it.  Then I rip some 1/8" hardboard into 2" wide strips and cut them about 6" long.  I hot glue these strips around the perimeter and touch up using thin material (like business cards) as needed.

Ray D

[cody]

Take a couple of furring strips and cut one into 1/2 inch strips and soak one of the strips in water for about a half hour until it's bendable, then tack it to the top of one of the uncut furring strips and slowly bend it around the curve, at about 6 inch increments tack one of the cut pieces to it and to the verticle strip, so the bent one will hold the curve, continue tacking strips to the piece until the curve is established.

[DaveG]

This is what Jeremy is talking about

General tools
6" Contour Gage
Price: $11.50
Part #: 837  
 http://www.generaltools.com/Products/6-Contour-Gage__837.aspx

[poppi]

   What I did.......... piece of cardboard ruff cut to the curve
then took a cheap compass dulled the sharp pin side.
put the cardboard up and used the compass spread apart to trace the roof line on too the card board.

  took the cardboard and traced it onto 1/2 plywood. Cut it out.

   placed the plywood back against the ceiling and fine tuned.

YSMV   S=sawdust

Skip

[Jeremy]

This is what Jeremey is talking about

General tools
6" Contour Gage
Price: $11.50
Part #: 837  
 http://www.generaltools.com/Products/6-Contour-Gage__837.aspx

Thanks!

Jerem(e)y

[DaveG]

This is what Jeremey is talking about

General tools
6" Contour Gage
Price: $11.50
Part #: 837  
 http://www.generaltools.com/Products/6-Contour-Gage__837.aspx

Thanks!

Jerem(e)y

Sorry !

[Dreamscape]

I rough cut our templates our of 1/8" hardboard, test fit, trim as needed. Then to get it closer I took a block of wood, drilled a hole for a pencil to fit in, ran the block of wood against the surface marking the final cut on the hardboard. After that is done you measure and cut the other angles. Works for me.

YMMV,

Paul

[blue_goose]

After all of the above, you need a belt sander to do the last bit of fitting.  We found in our bus that no two bows were the same.  That could have been from the age or the way it was built.  I used cheap 1/4 in plywood to make the templates before I cut the good wood.
Jack

[JackConrad]

I use 1/4" luan plywood. I scribe and fit the wall first (floor to top of the wall). Then using another piece, I scribe and fit the ceiling. I then fasten the 2 together with a few screws while holding them in place. Once the first pattern is made, I separate the 2 pieces, rescribe and fit and re-attach the 2 pieces together for each wall.  Jack

[John316]

Thanks a lot guys. Great suggestions.

God bless,

John

[Jerry32]

I kept the metal frames from the old potty room as they had the roof curve so used them for a pattern.  Jerry