Can anyone help me with a boardcad longboard design Im working on ? Im having 2 problems because i’m not very good with computers.
Forget it. To cut a long story short, it’s better to go it manually with a handsaw etc.
The long story:
The various surfboard design programs are mesh 3D. Basically this is like a photo rather than a full record of how to draw the thing at any scale (parametric) . Like a photo, if you zoom you just end up with massive pixels.
CNC needs a pathway but for some technical reason I don’t understand, a mesh isn’t enough like it is in 3D printing.
So at this point you could try to use the mesh to make a proper CNC’able model or simply start again. You can use the mesh to help you make a parametric model but it’s easier to start again from lofting slices… I haven’t yet managed that myself yet though it should be easy…
Bwana-
What is the preferred format of your CNC guys? What software are you familiar with for design?
jrandy,
The cnc guys said DXF format, Im using boardcad and just basically tweaking their longboard template. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated
Bwana-
Is this what you are trying to do? Hoping this thread stays in play until some guys like charlieukusa or red_boards join the party.
What sort of machine are they using? Will it be a sled cut or 3D machining project?
If the DXF of the NURBS didn’t work, are there other file formats that work for them?
Kookie-
I’d hate to agree with you (just kidding mate) but I would probably attempt this lofting as you propose. It looks like it would be possible but some work to finish.
In the first picture below, I started with the section DXF data from BoardCAD.
In the second picture, I used outline and profile DXF’s from BoardCAD, ran them into Fusion360, made a simple blank, and established new sketches.
In the third picture (edit) I managed to bring a DXF of a section straight into Fusion360, replaced the one from before, and chop the rail. It worked but not as efficiently as I would have hoped.
Yes thats what Im trying to do, unfortunately Im just not good with these programs. I still cant export out of boardcad successfully. Is there another program similar to boardcad for free ?
Thanks for these screenshots JRandy.
When I export a profile or crosssection from BoardCAD the rails are not closed - it’s not a closed loop. I can only get an exported polyline to show up in F360 - I can select a beizer DXF file but nothing appears as visible.
Polylines are also coming in as many small straight lines so to select them all is a PITA. I need to learn to join the lines into a single line next.
Polylines can’t be rescaled bigger either so it’s not a proper workflow I’m getting here.
Maybe you used Shape3D to export your cross sections? (AKUShaper exports .slc files)
That said, I had another go at lofting in 2 planes (profile and cross sections) using 2D shapes drawn directly in F360 and that worked. Thanks for he screenshots 
p.s. to anyone reading this. If you’re on osx Mac you’lll need the java SDK and browse to ~/yourUser/Applications/BoardCad…/java/ and run ‘java -jar BoardCad.jar’ to run BoardCAD.
p.p.s you can also do messy stuff like vectorising exported pdf’s from hollow wooden plans and using an exported STL as a base for making a model but it’s all messy and best avoided so I’m interested in how you did it
Shape 3D has a free lite version.
Completely useless though. No save.
That’s right , I couldnt export or save anything from shape3dlite.
Here’s my dimensions if anyone can help design and send to me in a file format dxf ?
9’1" MAL
WIDTH 22".75 = 578mm
THICKNESS MID 2 “.75 = 70mm
TAIL 12” FROM BOTTOM 14".5 =368mm
NOSE 12" FROM TOP 16".75 =425mm
TAIL THICKNESS .55 = 14mm
NOSE THICKNESS .35 = 9mm
BOTTOM OF TAIL CONTOUR. VEE GOING FROM TAIL FADING OUT JUST PAST HALF WAY UP THE BOARD . VEE .1 = 3mm.
BOTTOM OF NOSE CONTOUR. CONCAVE GOING FROM NOSE FADING OUT WHERE VEE FADES IN. concave .1 =3mm
RAILS A LITTLE LOWER THAN STANDARD .1 =3MM
It doesnt have to be perfect if I can still edit it ?
thanks if anyone can do this maybe i can return the favor in some way . I have lots of paulownia if you live In WA west Oz
Hey Bwana,
When I tried working with BoardCAD a few years ago, I had trouble getting accurate exports. Eventually sprang for a S3D license.
A year licence for S3D Design is 30Euro. Well worth the time saving for the time and trouble you invest trying to get an unsupported piece of software to do what you want.
Only S3D Export has option to generate DXF etc output, and it’s 435 Euros, so a bit dear. If your CNC guys use other software to calculate cutting paths, then you’ll need a favour to convert your .brd to .dxf or .stl
I was able to bring S3D files into Cut3D (a generic CAM program) a few years ago, but I can’t remember the process. I’ll check.
Hi Bwana, I have been out of the surfboard design/repair loop for quite a few years while dealing with some realities, but basically, you just need to use a simple procedure to get your BoardCAD files ready for a CNC machine. The following procedure works fine, and there is no problem with accuracy. My blanks come out terrific.
Simple take your .brd files into Shape 3D Lite and then send the files which have extension of .s3dx to the CNC miller as they like that program’s files for their cutting. Keep in mind though, that BoardCAD files CAN be used directly to CNC. And one other thing - if the files have like 7 or 8 or more cross-sections, try to delete some of the cross-sections - in a sense, Shape 3D likes you to keep it simple. Let the interpolation handle things. You can always put those in later, or simply save a copy with the extra cross-sections. Most of my boards have like 6 or 7 but I shape shortboards, I’m not really into longboards much, but if you ever
have a problem, with your rails on a longboard, let me know. I can give you all of your apex points - something I wrote in a script years ago for a guy in Australia. Now that it’s nurbs, I use a different procedure but same idea. You want to know all the details of your rails at each cross section. Apices are nice to know. If you ever have a problem with wanting Kerr dimples or whatever, I can pretty much do it. I was the guy on the BoardCAD forum (Jed Clampett) who explained the ins and outs of subtle features. In the next few days, I will be using BoardCAD as I have some dings to fix and some minor work with fins and stuff.
Also, let me know if you want me to recommend you a CNC company and a shipping company. I’ll post you the details, public or private, your choice.
I need to nitpick the semantics a bit here…not doubting anyone’s skills or experiences, glad people are posting, I just need to set the record straight:
CAD=computer-aided design. CAM= computer-adied manufacturing CNC= computer numerical control
BoardCAD *.BRD files and Shape3D *.S3DX files are deisgn files (CAD) that contain the dimensions and curves of the board.
They are not cutting files (CNC programs, CAM) which contain the tool definition and tool paths needed to machine a board.
For example, two different cutting shops with completely different machines could start with the same BRD or S3DX and cut them out, but each shop’s cutting file would be unique to their cutting machine and would likely not work on the other’s machine (metric versus englsih, size and shape of cutter, XYZ origin of the cutting data, etc…)
Both softwares can output CNC code as well if set-up (BoardCAD) and licensed (Shape3D) but this is so macihne dependant that the average peson is not going to want to mess with it.
The trick of sending a BRD file to a cutter as S3DX is allowing them to move more seamlessly between the CAD side (design) and the CAM side (CNC) which is already programmed for their cutting machine. If they have a full blown set of Shape3D software they should not even need your S3DX file, they can do that BRD to S3DX conversion themselves. The average person running the machine might not think in terms of a file being CAD or CAM since they intergrated in S3DX and the goal is to push the buitton and cut boards, not to be dealing with semantics…
Personally, I design boards in BoardCAD. Once I like what I have, I output DXF files for templates (rocker, outline) and cut them on my CNC (rocker) or print them 1:1 or laser-cut them out at work (outline). I use EPS so I can do a fair amount of work with hot wire (rocker, outline, banding) before going to more manual means like planer and sandling blocks.
