Legal Questions?
11-11-2003, 06:17 PM
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Legal Questions?
Hi, I'm sorry if this is the wrong forum for this question, but it sort of seemed to apply... feel free to move it if appropriate!
Anyhow, what are the legal ramifications of taking an existing kit, photocopy/trace/somehow get the bits and pieces printed on the wood onto paper, then take that plus the plans over to kinko's, shrink the whole thing down to the desired size, scan it all, somehow get it into a CAD program, and ship the CAD files off to a laser-cutter so that I don't have to spend hours with the now-shrunk-templates, sheets of balsa, and a #11 blade? Would this fall under "personal use" and thereby not infringe upon copyrights, or would mailing the CAD files off to the laser cutter be considered distribution? Likewise, if I were lacking the appropriate CAD tools and experience, what would be the ramifications of sending a (single) copy of the scanned in files to a friend so that he could CAD-ify the plans for me, thus enabling me to get my parts laser cut instead of building up my x-acto-grip-calluses?
I ask because I want to take an Astro-Hog, shrink and build a 2/3 scale and a 1/2 scale version of it (The 48" span Astro-Sow and 36" span Astro-Piglet) but would rather not become quite THAT intimate with my x-acto knife. (What can I say... I'd rather shuffle electrons than lumber!)
thanks,
Rick
Anyhow, what are the legal ramifications of taking an existing kit, photocopy/trace/somehow get the bits and pieces printed on the wood onto paper, then take that plus the plans over to kinko's, shrink the whole thing down to the desired size, scan it all, somehow get it into a CAD program, and ship the CAD files off to a laser-cutter so that I don't have to spend hours with the now-shrunk-templates, sheets of balsa, and a #11 blade? Would this fall under "personal use" and thereby not infringe upon copyrights, or would mailing the CAD files off to the laser cutter be considered distribution? Likewise, if I were lacking the appropriate CAD tools and experience, what would be the ramifications of sending a (single) copy of the scanned in files to a friend so that he could CAD-ify the plans for me, thus enabling me to get my parts laser cut instead of building up my x-acto-grip-calluses?
I ask because I want to take an Astro-Hog, shrink and build a 2/3 scale and a 1/2 scale version of it (The 48" span Astro-Sow and 36" span Astro-Piglet) but would rather not become quite THAT intimate with my x-acto knife. (What can I say... I'd rather shuffle electrons than lumber!)
thanks,
Rick
11-11-2003, 08:13 PM
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RE: Legal Questions?
Rick:
Legally, when you buy the kit or plan, you have been granted a license to build, maintain, repair, and if necessary rebuild, ONE airplane.
You are allowed to make any number of copies at any size ratio for your own use in building the one airplane. Making CAD files for laser cutting (by you or anyone else) is still construed as making copies for your own use.
You can sell the original plan, along with any copies you have made, to a third party. What you can not do is convey the construction license, if you have built a plane from the plan or kit.
That having been said, I think I am one of the few people who pay attention to the legalities.
Very few of the plans sellers have the money to pursue a copyright violation, and the kit manufacturers seem to think it's not worth the expense to sue.
Bill.
Legally, when you buy the kit or plan, you have been granted a license to build, maintain, repair, and if necessary rebuild, ONE airplane.
You are allowed to make any number of copies at any size ratio for your own use in building the one airplane. Making CAD files for laser cutting (by you or anyone else) is still construed as making copies for your own use.
You can sell the original plan, along with any copies you have made, to a third party. What you can not do is convey the construction license, if you have built a plane from the plan or kit.
That having been said, I think I am one of the few people who pay attention to the legalities.
Very few of the plans sellers have the money to pursue a copyright violation, and the kit manufacturers seem to think it's not worth the expense to sue.
Bill.
11-11-2003, 11:01 PM
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RE: Legal Questions?
So if I wanted to be completely anally legal, i could purchase one kit, and one extra set of plans, then build my 1/2 and 2/3 scale pigs, leaving the original wood in the box unbuilt. I suspect, though, that I'll settle for buying one hog kit (Sig still gets their cash), and take liberties with my construction license *halo*.
11-11-2003, 11:18 PM
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RE: Legal Questions?
Rick:
That's the American way. There is also an argument, with legal precedent, that when you change the size by at least ten percent it is an entirely different design, and no longer subject to the copyright of the original.
Bill.
That's the American way. There is also an argument, with legal precedent, that when you change the size by at least ten percent it is an entirely different design, and no longer subject to the copyright of the original.
Bill.
11-11-2003, 11:52 PM
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RE: Legal Questions?
I almost emailed Sig today to ask them if I could copy/scale/laser cut a few Hogs (after buying one kit, of course), but wasn't entirely sure I wanted them to answer 
I might send them the extra $10.50 for a second plan set anyways, not a big expense in the long run. I was surprised at how cheap their plans were, until i found out the plans do not include templates or pictures of all the wood bits -- apparently it's just silkscreened onto the wood and not on the plan at all! Ah well, I'll need a full sized one eventually anyways. Gotta love that hog!
I might send them the extra $10.50 for a second plan set anyways, not a big expense in the long run. I was surprised at how cheap their plans were, until i found out the plans do not include templates or pictures of all the wood bits -- apparently it's just silkscreened onto the wood and not on the plan at all! Ah well, I'll need a full sized one eventually anyways. Gotta love that hog!
