Channels, Digital Design

General Discussion
1

I’m trying to draw channels in AKU Shaper and also BoardCAD and I’m not sure it’s possible. If I had a .brd file with channels in as a start point that would help. I’m not the only one to have had trouble, seems there’s quite a few people I’ve seen in threads mentioning this - which makes me think it can’t be done. (I didn’t want to bump old threads as people don’t tend to like that)

A shame as a big advantage of CAD is the repeatability to then tweak. I want to be able to do it digital.

What I want to try is a full length Gemini ((Tomo)) style channel nose to tail on a wider shape… still straighter rails than normal, just a bit wider.

What I think some people are doing is using Solidworks but I don’t want to rely on this software - it’s probitively expensive… I don’t want to pirate it and besides it needs an expensive computer. I haven’t needed this anyway - I can use 123D Design successfully so far… but I didn’t try a channel yet.

If resorting to putting the channel in after conversion into a workable 3D format because AKU can’t do it… what work process would you use to make the channel? Would you scale down the board, offset to the bottom and then subtract? -or another way?

I would even pay for a .brd model which already has some channels in - I could use that as a starting point… there really should be one out there… but I didn’t see one yet

2

might be easier to rub some sandpaper on a block back and forth. So easy a cave man can do it

3

That’s true Tom. Hand tools are easier. But I’m dedicated to the digital for this project.

For my other project though (I’m comparing build methods) I was thinking of putting an extra skin by the rails… Just not sure how deep a channel should be…
I definitely want to have the channel at the nose though… I sometimes ride front foot and this is all part of the experiment

4

It may be possible to draw the channels, but you probably have limitations on what the machine can cut. The CNC operators on here could tell you for sure, but I’d guess that most machines wouldn’t be able to cut your channels. As TT said, a block with some sandpaper would likely be easier.

5

I’m Def not an expert board shaper. Shaped 8-10 boards in Akushaper, had 3 milled out. The shape I wanted was a Tomo Evo with deep concave with double concave inside the single, then quad channels in tail.
I couldn’t model it, and despite 20+ years on 3D cad systems in my job, I couldn’t get do it. The machine wouldn’t be able to mill it anyway.
And based on the blank after machining, I don’t think it’s a good idea to add such detail, it might be less accurate due to machine tools.

I sanded it smooth and taped it off.

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