**A
look at how the AKU shaper computer program is available for custom surfboard
design is the focus.Come out to
participate in a clinic that will demonstrate how to use this program to customize
your own surfboard blank design so that it can be CNC cut (hot wire &
milled) to your specifications.**
**Surfboard
Construction class information for those who are new or experienced of how you
can make your own surfboard during the upcoming Fall term beginning on Tue. night
Aug. 16th from 6-10pm will also be explained.**
If you can provide the design you want we can cut anything short of the Queen Mary! Well…maybe not quite that large, but up to 20 ft long with a fly bridge and galley perhaps. Pole holders and scuppers are great for launching fireworks!!!.. but no harpoons allowed!!! You may have limited fuel capacity however…
If we build two of these, you could fit you car atop of the pontoons, and go in comfort! How far is it to Catalina?
The goal will be to explain the AKU program, and show how flexible the program can be...and fun! We will explain how the machine makes the cuts, and I am also working on having a friend of mine that is a shaper, come and discuss his philosophy on shaping. I don't know how much time we will have, but as long as there are people there and questions presented, the plan is to answer all of them.
Cerritos is a great place to learn about the materials used in composites, and will help make your designs as well as build stronger boards. I highly recommend the classes!!!!
Does this deal with the Machine Parameters tab in Aku? The bit after you have designed a board. Selecting an appropriate blank (or cutting it as suggested above) and then producing the CNC'd final shape.
Maybe some bullet points for exactly what you are going to cover would be helpful. Thanks, and sounds interesting.
Part of what will be discussed will be how to “map” in a board to be used as a blank or to “map” in a board that is to be duplicated. We will discuss the machine parameters, and how this provides needed information for which blank to select, as well as problems with dimensions provided by the various blank manufacturers. Building a simple board is quite easy, so part of what we will do is design a larger board or SUP, using foot wells as well as designing a race board. The existing generic boards embedded in the program are great for short boards, fun boards and long boards, but need a lot of adjustments when designing other water craft. I just cut a 16 ft x 34 inch fishing board for one of the members on Sway’s, and have designed and cut a variety of boards from 4’6" to 19’. We can discuss foam types, densities, how they are produced, laminate structures and schedules, etc…
I had no idea the Aku shaper could cut that size of foam!? I would assume that would be the only accurate way to carve out something as big as 19+ feet. I mean if you were trying to plane something that big by hand you would have absolutely no control over the wobbles, let alone walk that distance on every pass.
16 x 34 fishing board? what the hell, why doesn't the guy just put a motor on it and call it a boat!
All kidding aside, I think I want one. Can I send you a file to be cut? I'm thinking about some complex curves "more like scuppers", also I want to have a bump in the front for a few rod holders? Is this do-able?
Can I fit a 16ft board on top of my car.....kind of uncharted waters here?
Building boards of all sizes requires some understanding of the materials that are to be used. One of the nice things about Cerritos, is you get the opportunity to use a number of materials, vacuum bagging, epoxy, polyester, as well as different processes. You can build molds, fast prototypes, and meet people from rocket scientist (I have met a number of those) as well as people that have been in the composite industry for years, or the back yard guy wanting to build a project in his garage.
Oh yeah… we were talking about a fishing board… same as a long board only on steroids! Process are the same, materials are the same, foam density would be a concern due to weight (1.5 lb) and then there is the shape. For me to machine the 16 ft x 34 inches took about 2 hours of machine time. I suspect it would take a little longer to do it by hand!
To answer your question, there a number of other watercraft that can be built, and once you have a good understanding of the program, then the limitations become the mechanical issues. There are limits of the machine that need to be considered, and then there are other machines that have different characteristics. Just depends on what you have in mind. I have designed kayaks, small pontoon boats, and outriggers...done some airplane wings as well!
It's ready!!! Better plan on a few gallons of resin and wide glass!!! Just think of it as a small aircraft carrier. You will have room to take half the neighborhood with you...I can't wait to see what happens when you hook a marlin!
For anyone planning on attending the clinic tomorrow (Thursday) if you wish, bring your laptops with the AKU program installed, and you can follow along as we navigate the program. Hopefully we will have time to answer many questions...
thanks ken for the aku tutorial. it was really interesting to learn new software. you definitely made it easy to learn. i’ll be sending you my file in a few weeks once i figure this thing out. i can’t wait to get the fall class started.
