Plans Format Question

[Warren Nethercote]

I am thinking of ordering the pdf plans set because I have access to a printer that will handle up to A0 size paper.

Did anyone here buy their plans as the pdf package, and if so, what was the 'natural size' (if I may coin a phrase) of the drawings; ie, if you just hit 'print' after opening a file, to what size did it want to print. I am hoping that it would be a reasonable engineering size, rather than 8 1/2 x 11, and that the pdf print size is the same size as the original drawing.

The owner of the printer I would use claims that he cannot manipulate drawing print size (which I find a bit hard to credit, but in case it's true ....)

I guess the corollary question is, what size were the drawings if you ordered a paper set?

[jray]

The paper set I used were 8.5 x 11

[Chad]

Watershed provides A4/letter sized plans, which are dimensioned drawings, where you transfer the dimensions to the ply and connect the dots and then cut.

They also can provide Tyvek patterns, which are made from their ply patterns. These are meant to be taped onto your ply and then the edges are dusted with spray paint to create an outline for cutting.

If you want to print the pdf's at full size to use in lieu of the Tyveks, give me a holler when you have evidence that you bought the plans, and I'll send you some full sized pdf's that you can print at any blueprint shop. Note that paper is not ideal for this purpose (which is why Watershed uses Tyvek), but modern printers are pretty good, and if you use the paper soon after printing, without changing humidity much, without cutting it into ribbons (punch through the full sheets, don't cut the shapes out),you should be ok.

[Warren Nethercote]

Thanks Jon and Chad,

When it came to building I would either get Tyveks or a kit, probably the latter: I think I can do without the grief of all that cutting.

I had hoped for better than 8 1/2 x 11 because drawings often get cluttered or hard to read at that size. But if that's what comes, that's what comes .... I appreciate the offer of full-sized pdfs after buying the std pdfs. I'll see how the std ones look: it may be OK if they aren't too cluttered.

[jray]

Warren, I have been informed that a set of tyvek patterns are available free to someone who has purchased a hull number from Watershed. The only cost might be shipping.

[Warren Nethercote]

Jon, interesting. I have just ordered the pdfs (we will see what hull number I get) to help me make a build decision. If I do build I will start with the smaller picky bits (foils, for example) so I don't have an unusable hull cluttering up my shop while I finish other projects. I also need to look at rigging options (C-Tech, Forte, Dwyer, Viper, I14, etc).

Incidentally, something that isn't on Watershed's website (or I missed it) is that they will sell a set of dxf's to build license holders so that you can source NC cut panels locally.

[Warren Nethercote]

To close off this string, I just received my pdf plan set from Watershed: my concerns about the 8 1/2 x 11s being too busy or difficult to read were unfounded.

[Tim Reiter]

Warren,
Happy that you got the pdf's . You must have been hovering around the computer. You are #574 if I remember what Susan told me a couple minutes ago.

Chad's caution about the paper patterns is right. To solve the problem of cutting any paper pattern use a pattern wheel (sign makers call this a pounce wheel) which can be found at hobby stores and sewing shops. They are used to transfer shapes from tissue dress patterns to fabric. The pattern wheel itself resembles a miniature spur (cowboy stile) with a handle. As it is pushed along the pattern line with pressure on it it marks a small hole every 3 to 6 mm. To solve the problem of finding minute marks on a piece of dark plywood use a piece of t shirt material filled with carpenters chalk line marking chalk and "pounce" and rub the the line of holes with out moving the pattern. It occurs to me that spray paint might accomplish the same job, but I've not done it that way and don't know what the result might be. Also you might find the chalk line a good tool for marking out for straight layout lines for a build jig. In the past I've painted a permanent "truth" line on my shop floor by painting a long 6" wide stripe down the shop floor, then stretching a string tight on top of it then painting the string with a contrasting color. the result is a sharp straight line which is useful.
Tim

[Warren Nethercote]

Nope, License says 573.

I use a pounce wheel when building DNs and DN parts from my full-size patterns, although until now I had no idea where 'pounce' came from. The downside of the pounce wheel is that if you use the same drawing multiple times all those little holes begin to accumulate .... then you have a pattern instead of a drawing.

[noemar]

When I cut out my panels and frames I placed a flexible batten made from quarter inch birch plywood with slots cut out along a 8' length resembling a comb over the patterns then cut them out with a laminate trimmer.
Noemar