I have been using deltacad for a few days now figuring out a new design for a folder. I have a pretty cool new one but have hit a snag. Deltacad can't (or I don't know how) pivot the blade to make sure it closes and everything lines up. I also am possibly wanting something I can turn it into a 3d image. Any recommendations
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Knife making program recommendation
- Thread starter Samnich
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Sorry, I can't tell you how to get more computer help, but why not make a hard pattern out of stiff cardboard and see how it fits together? You will in fact need to do that if you want to go ahead with the actual making. Frank.
I plan on doing this but I want to have a working model before I make a prototype instead of playing with cardboard for a few hours the print it and cut it out
Will photoshop keep everything to scale thoscreenshot it and do it in photoshop
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Although I don't really use it for knife making, I use AlibreCAD for my design and assembly tasks for machined parts in my shop. I have not stayed current on my maintenance dues and I know they have changed their name but, the program is really solid. It is easy to specify relationships between components in an assembly so a blade will align on and pivot around a pin.
Bob
Bob
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- Sep 20, 2011
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Autodesk Inventor or SolidWorks
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Your goal is "pivot the blade to make sure it closes and everything lines up." This is two separate steps:
(1) Rotate the blade (curves, lines, solid, whatever your CAD model is built from) about the pivot point.
(2) Detect any component interference or misalignment.
#1 should be simple enough. All CAD programs I've played with have a rotate tool; you simply select your geometry, select the center point, and proceed in one of several ways.
#2 is not so simple - are you expecting the CAD program to do this for you, or will you simply look at your design to check for interference? If you want the CAD program to do it, you'll need a 3D program and you'll have to "mate" the components together (i.e. "specify relationships" as mentioned above). Conversely, if you can do it by eye, all you need is a simple 2D CAD program. I use SpaceClaim for 3D and AutoCAD light for 2D.
(1) Rotate the blade (curves, lines, solid, whatever your CAD model is built from) about the pivot point.
(2) Detect any component interference or misalignment.
#1 should be simple enough. All CAD programs I've played with have a rotate tool; you simply select your geometry, select the center point, and proceed in one of several ways.
#2 is not so simple - are you expecting the CAD program to do this for you, or will you simply look at your design to check for interference? If you want the CAD program to do it, you'll need a 3D program and you'll have to "mate" the components together (i.e. "specify relationships" as mentioned above). Conversely, if you can do it by eye, all you need is a simple 2D CAD program. I use SpaceClaim for 3D and AutoCAD light for 2D.
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- Feb 13, 2011
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- 213
I need a cad program class!! You guys out do me. I just draw it, grind it, pin it to a walnut board I have and see if it does it's thing.... never does the first time but with some tweaking bam pocket knife. I'd love to draw in cad even if it were stationary! But I guess I'm mid-low-tech since I skip the cardboard