Re: Cross sectional slices

[Kevin Morin]

This reply may be slightly off point? but it does work and is helpful to my work, maybe others will find it helpful too?

First, I’m using the 3D app SketchUP with D’Ship so after modeling in D’Ship Pro I export 3D>DXF and Import that into SkUP Ver8.

Then using a Plugin called Slice Model, free on SketchUcation.com you can create stations/slices of the model in all three axis.

There are dialog boxes to control the spacing and the slices come out with egg crate intersection slots taken out to accommodate those slices taken in the opposite direction so you can get both x-verse as well as longs and even waterlines (Z slices). I’ve not tried to roll the model in a SketchUP “group” to see if the Plugin Tool will create diagonals ?(!)

By placing a deck in the hull, to limit the hull’s depth for one set of slices or by using the SketchUP “offset tool”, (or download the ‘smart’ Offset Tool Plugin from Sketchucation.com) and you can create an entire egg crate form for plastic or cellulose hulls or other molds- male or female. I use this method to create frames for metal skiffs and it seems accurate to the D’ship model.

This may not be the most elegant method but the method is fast, and low cost. Coupling the Plugins with SketchUP and D’Ship creates a set of working tools that rivals the extremely expensive marine modeling software suites as far as planning internal framing elements easily.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK