board design software

if you are thinking about designing your own board and want to play around with different outlines and rockers you should check out this software - AKUshaper - it is free at www.aps3000.com

it is built for a CNC machine, but you can use it to print out full size templates and such... it takes a little while to figure out, but there are free tutorials on the site.

here's a small sample of what it can do on the board i'm building for upcoming CA surf trip.

Cool, looks much easier than what I've been doing. Hmmmm... I bet it won't give me a grid.

I would show you ours cad system, but its top Secret.
[SORRY]

as soon as i figure out my new set up,it will be top secret too.severe attention deficite syndrome and data entry just dont mix.

Ok, inland give me a break. What you see from smedman is the PDF print out not the actual program. Top secret, Jesus do actual think that your program is better than everyone else, oh I forgot you don't actual make your boards. So, why are you making a comment on this page. Before you comment why don't you tell everyone were your boards are made? If they aren't hand shaped and glassed in your shop, well I can't wait for a reply!

good luck getting any respect on here, 8ball.

I think you grossly misunderstood Inland's implications... he comes on here to be informative and relational, both positively so. I wish you would take the same approach.

Anodyne,
Not sure how Inland's post was informational. How much information did we all get by saying it is top secret.

not sure why most posts seem to start so much controversy...

from my perspective i think inland is just trying to joke around as most of us do with each other on this forum.

anyway, for those of you working on your own shapes, one of the challenges is getting the outline of the board onto the foam so you can make your cuts and start to shape it. there are a number of ways to do it, but using akushaper seems to be one of the easiest. 1.you can fine tune your shape on the screen, 2. then print it out, 3. then cut it out with an exacto knife onto butcher paper or roofing felt to get your half board template.

here is a sample of that half board outline output

Off topic for a minute. Does anyone here fish? When you dangle bait and the fish don't take it what do you do? You switch bait/lures or you move to a different spot.

Matt - show us! Print it out, post pictures of the 8 x 10's maybe the tracing and the transfer. I'd love to see a step by step of screen images...you can be the CAD guru. It would be a great resource for folks.

If the fish don't bite don't you just go surfing?

Will do Jeff. I'm doing the outline hopefully today.

Dennis - so true, OR in my case - nap time!

Matt that would be great. I know there may not be as much feedback currently, but it would be great in the future if folks as about CAD or design procedures, we could reference this thread. If you could do a full-on tutorial I think it would really be benefical for folks.

Thanks and you ROCK!

The asp3000 software is free. If you go to this link http://www.aps3000.com/software.php?p=tutorials you can get all the tutorials you will need to learn the software. Its a very easy program to learn. You don't need to know CAD. The hardest thing to learn is knowing how to adjust the points for your edges, tail section, concaves, etc.

We have two experts!

Post 'em here. I'm lazy, I won't check the tutorials out. Post 'em here...show us in a single location (with pictures) this is how you do this - as you point out Scott, give tips on the "fine points".

I think that having a single location that folks don't have to chase AND in a single location would be such an invaluable resource.

C'mon guys, what do you say? - show us how it's done so that next July when someone wants to "roll their own" all we'd have to do is:

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/87668/522575.html?1196792456

All the tutorials are quicktime video's. Showing all the basic features of the software. You start by going to new board 101 and as it shows in the video pick a generic board. The first problem you will have is the the standard boards are to long. So when you try to change the length, you will need to delete one or more slices. You do this by selecting slices next to outline, then select the slice close to the nose, select slice in the menu bar and select delete slice. Then you can change the board length without any problems. Here is the Link to the New board 101 videohttp://www.aps3000.com/videotutorials/newBoard101.mov

i figured out my new set up....got new carbide blades for my planer, spoke shave n block planes..happy holidays

yeah jeff - as scott says, the tutorials are all up there on the site as videos with the narrator showing you what he is doing while he tells you about it. i think anything we would try to put up here wouldn't do it justice.

takes about 20mins to go through all of them. then it just a matter of playing around with the software. it is not super intuitive, but once you design a couple of boards it is pretty easy.
all of the tutorials are here. http://www.aps3000.com/software.php?p=tutorials

if the owners of this site ever got their act together and updated it, we could post up board files to share, etc. come to think of it maybe i'll start a post at www.wakeoutlaws.com with some board files that people could play around with.

billy - don't forget your dust mask. that's an important part of anyone's set up.

(tap tap tap) Is this thing on? I'm giving up on you guys.

Merry Xmas Billy!

same to ya jeff..matt,i didnt see you sportin a mask..hahaha plus my foam is 65% soy and 35% marine ply balsa..its bio foam that stays white after i paint it!as soon as they work out the kinks with the bio resins i will absolutely switch.currently havin trouble gettin any flex outa the stuff, proto boards have been grenading with out warning.

Sorry Jeff -- maybe if I get bored over Christmas holiday I'll try to put something together. In the meantime here are some screenshots http://www.aps3000.com/software.php?p=screenshots - the software looks like the the first few shots not the last few - the green 3D ones are from the software you get if you buy the $65K machine -- they throw that in. If folks are too lazy to click on the link (not speaking to anyone directy) - here's some sample screenshots from the board I'm working on.

rocker profile (you can change it with a few easy clicks)


board template/outline


you can change the shape of the board very easily.
board template/outline #2 (just by moving the yellow dot)



Anyway, I enjoy using the free software to conceptualize boards before putting blade to foam. Good times.

billy - be careful with that biofoam - i hear soy in the lungs is a major cause of cancer these days. j/k

just so you can sleep at night, this is how i roll... (when cutting EPS)

OK - so heres a few shots of the output from akushaper onto paper. Again - this is for the board I'm taking to California. And yes, I decided to go with just a glue stringer for this one. I figured at 2 3/4 inches thick, it should probably be ok. I have some PVC stringers on order- but won't have them in time - so I'll have to test out on the next boards...

Anyway,
In this case I taped the pages of the outline together and used an exacto knife to cut it out of roofing felt. Other materials could be used, but since I have a huge roll of roofing felt, it is the easiest/cheapest.

Paper laid out and trued up with straight edge. I'm not quite sure what the black shapes on a couple of the pages are... perhaps Aku's attempt at giving me some art inspiration...


The shape is cut


Getting ready to trace the outline. (I knew the International Econ and Corp Finance books would come in handy someday - at about $80 each - they are probably the most expensive board weights used in the world )


One side done and ready for the next.


Not pictured:
While not necessary - I like to flip the board over and trace the outline on the bottom as well. Just helps me keep the shape true as I pass over the rails with the planer and sanding block.

I should probably invest in some clamps -- this is how I glue the two sides together:

The almost finished shape.
(Just need to cut the swallowtail)

L 5'10"
W - 21.75
Nose - 17.75
Tail - 17.25

Nose Rocker 2.55"
Tail Rock - 1.5"

You talkin' to me?! Thanks Matt! I like the process and appreciate your efforts, I know it's a pain.

It's easy to forget how advanced you are in this process. As JL was pointing out, the current year projects are a substantial progression from prior years.

There are quite a few folks that visit these forums, but if they come from a wakeboarding background...they don't shape and that whole process is foreign to them. It's easy to become overwhelmed and not make an effort to pursue it.

When folks like yourself with some skills, make an effort to show how easy something is, via pictures and text, I think it inspires folks to investigate further, that perhaps wouldn't have.
Anyway...I know that's MY own personal behavior.

Thanks for taking the time and sharing your expertise.

That is looking good. I also like how you can print the rocker profile too. I've had that program for about 6 months. I haven't figured out how to trim the template yet to make something around 5 feet in length though. I have a 5'7 or 5'8 template. It's on my laptop. I'll try and post it later. Now that my son is getting better I'm going to get back to my hobbies. Our upcoming weekend temps are supposed be in the low to mid 70's for the highs. Hopefully, we will be able to ride this weekend.

Hey Matt you need to delete the slices in the nose to get the shorter lengths.

Well well here is another "top secret" soft for you, shaping folks ...

Shape3d is another 3D soft you can use for design and even milling
Enjoy 1 month with free evaulation version or download lite one free.
You can output pdf files with slices etc from it
http://www.shape3d.com/
http://www.shape3d.com/images/ModeDesign.png

(Message edited by hawaj on December 05, 2007)

Cool Petr. I'll have to check it out.