Sidekick

Hello Folks,

Can anyone tell me the best way to transfer drawings etc to the wood, ready for cutting? Formers on plywood etc.
I read somewhere there is a method for ironing the plans on to make the markings.
I would appreciate any help, how do you do it + the most satisfactory way you have found.

Many thanks,

Sidekick.

SoCal GliderGuider

Heard of wetting the plans with alcohol or acetone and ironing them image side to the wood to get a transfer. I usually copy that section of the plans with a decent copy machine and 3M77 them to lite ply to make templates so I can use a pencil or ball point pen to outline.

allanflowers

I always make a print (check it for distortion/stretching of course) and 3M77 it to the wood. Just a LIGHT dusting of the spray on the paper only and you can peel it off later after you cut. This is more accurate than most methods.
I use "transfer tape" to sandwich stock together to cut multiple parts. This tape is like rubber cement and can be rubbed off with your fingers after popping the pieces apart with a putty knife.
My favorite tool is a table mounted hand jig saw to cut out the parts. You have to drill holes to start the cuts of course. The beauty of this tool is that is has the advantages of a scroll saw for relatively tight corners if you use a small blade and the control of a bandsaw with a bigger blade on straights and gentle curves. The main thing is that there is no "arm" in the way when you cut and you dont' have the hastle of constantly removing the blade and reinstalling it for every inside cutout.
To make the table, three pieces of wood are joined in a "U" shape and the blade comes up from underneath. It can be very noisy though because the table acts like a sounding board.
Allan

WILDCRASHWILLY

I usually buy carbon paper and heavy card stock in 24inch X 30inch sheets from Office Depot. I then place the carbon between my plans and the card stock sheets and trace over the lines with an empty ink pen on the plans thus transferring them to the card stock. I then cut the patterns out of the card stock with an xacto knife and use the cut outs or the patterns left in the sheets as templates. I trace inside or outside the templates, "depending on what I need" onto the wood. Then I cut my pieces from the wood. It's a little work but you save your plans and templates for future use.

Bill

halflight

My Feedback: (5)

The best template material that I have used is called See Temp. Works great.
www.seetemp.com

dicknadine

put the carbon paper, carbon side down between the back side of the plan and the balsa and start tracing the plan lines. what do you know theres the part on my balsa. its very NONE complicated and works. dick

hellblastervolly

Thats right, place the transfer paper under a copy of the plan that your going to make and on top of the wood or card stock ( make sure is tight ) and then use an embossing tool to trace it. The good thing about this tool is that has a ball tip, no ink or rolling tip to get cut on the paper. Or you can use the See Temp that halflight said.

Fernando

FlyerBry

My Feedback: (8)

Looking over the SeeTemp web site they show a way to score the SeeTemp material directly over your plans. This would cut out the tracing step. Have any of you tried using SeeTemp in this manner?

Also, where can SeeTemp be purchased besides through the web site? Is it carried in arts and crafts stores or some place along those lines?

FlyerBry