Rocksim question

[hoverhans]

I have been playing around with the demo version and have a question about exporting parts to cad.
I want to export the centering rings and fins so I can cut them on my laser cutter. I can print the parts, but can't seem to find a way to export them into cad.
Any help?

Thanks much,
Hans

[hoverhans]

No one knows how to do this? Well I guess I'll just have to print them out and scan them back in. There has to be a way as it says right in the add that you can send the files to BMS and they can laser cut the parts for you. I have a laser so I can do it myself.
If anyone has an idea how to export these files, please chime in.
Thanks much,
Hans

[kurtschachner]

No one knows how to do this? Well I guess I'll just have to print them out and scan them back in. There has to be a way as it says right in the add that you can send the files to BMS and they can laser cut the parts for you. I have a laser so I can do it myself.
If anyone has an idea how to export these files, please chime in.
Thanks much,
Hans

I am disapointed in the drawing capabilities of Rocksim. I have redrawn most all the early Estes fin patterns and decals in Illustrator, and apparently there is no way to import any other type of vector drawing into Rocksim (nor a bitmap for that matter). Trying to draw anything with Rocksim is an exercise in frustration IMHO.

But more to your question, I think that Bill at BMS must have some sort of conversion program that takes a Rocksim file and churns out a vector file that works with his laser cutter. You might email him and ask.

It is unfortunate because I would give Bill a lot of business if he would accept EPS or AI files along with the Rocksim ones. I am just not willing to try and redraw everything in Rocksim given its limitations but at the same time I'd really like to find a place that will cut fins for a reasonable price.

[Ltvscout]

It is unfortunate because I would give Bill a lot of business if he would accept EPS or AI files along with the Rocksim ones. I am just not willing to try and redraw everything in Rocksim given its limitations but at the same time I'd really like to find a place that will cut fins for a reasonable price.
Have you talked to Carl at Semroc?

[hoverhans]

I just got an email from Tim and the rocksim programer. He said that they are working on a .dxf export feature, but are not sure when it will be ready for release.

Very nice people to deal with for sure. The programer explained a way that I might be able to get a usable image and I'll give it a try soon as I am working in Japan right now and of course can't use my home system.
Thanks for the info gents!
Hans

[kurtschachner]

Have you talked to Carl at Semroc?

Well, yeah I e-mailed him a while back. He asked for me to send him a few patterns (which I did) but then I never heard back. I figured it was either too little to bother with or he got busy.

He doesn't explicitly sell custom laser cut fins, but he should.

[kurtschachner]

I just got an email from Tim and the rocksim programer. He said that they are working on a .dxf export feature, but are not sure when it will be ready for release.

Very nice people to deal with for sure. The programer explained a way that I might be able to get a usable image and I'll give it a try soon as I am working in Japan right now and of course can't use my home system.
Thanks for the info gents!
Hans

That is more than I got. I asked about importing a scan to trace over, but never heard back.

[Doug Sams]

I asked about importing a scan to trace over, but never heard back.That would be real handy. My current method for entering fins is to either trace them on grid paper or trace them in Autocad. Either way, I can read the coordinates and enter them into a spreadsheet, then paste that into the Rocksim data file. Sometimes, I'll manually draw the fin trying to put the vertices on the ascertained coordinates, but the Rocksim fin drawing tool is pretty crappy. The format for entering the coordinates in the data file is pretty crappy, too. Ugh!

A totally awesome helper would be a fin scaling command. In theory, that shouldn't be too difficult in the spreadsheet, but because of the aforementioned crappy data file format, it's not so simple. Plus, you still have to get out of Rocksim, futz around in Excel, then reopen Rocksim (or at least reload the data file). It'd be much better to just open the fin editor in Rocksim and then type in the scale factor.

For that matter, a trace tool would be totally awesome in the engine editor, too (assuming you can get a scan of the burn graph from TMT that isn't keystoned). But Apogee would also need to update the way the engine editor works. When you save from the editor, it wipes out all the comments in your .eng file. F@#$%! I wiped out a painstakingly assembled set of comments (with info such as data source and date) because of futzing with this POS tool. Now I just use it as a viewer.

Doug
Am I the only one who expects better?

[Carl@Semroc]

Well, yeah I e-mailed him a while back. He asked for me to send him a few patterns (which I did) but then I never heard back. I figured it was either too little to bother with or he got busy.

He doesn't explicitly sell custom laser cut fins, but he should.Was that you, Kurt?
I have some Mercury Redstone fins in AI format. I lost your original email and just had the file. I think I was wating for a particular thickness of plywood or something.

If you resend the body of your email (if you have it), I will finish this project. I do remember that the AI format worked very well with the laser cutter since it is vector format. A tif or jpg file takes 10-20 minutes to prepare for the laser cutter.

And, nothing is too little to bother with (since we are little) and we have been busy! (but not too busy to work in some custom work for our friends.)

If you don't see it online, ask.

[Tau Zero]

And, nothing is too little to bother with (since we are little) and we have been busy! (but not too busy to work in some custom work for our friends.)

If you don't see it online, ask.
Carl and Sheryl have *always* been willing to go "above and beyond" for me and other rocketeers here on YORF (as well as other forums), :cool: and *that's* why I make it a point to order Semroc products directly from the company... so I can contribute as much $$$ as possible to Semroc! :D


Cheers,

--Jay

[kurtschachner]

Was that you, Kurt?
I have some Mercury Redstone fins in AI format. I lost your original email and just had the file. I think I was wating for a particular thickness of plywood or something.

If you resend the body of your email (if you have it), I will finish this project. I do remember that the AI format worked very well with the laser cutter since it is vector format. A tif or jpg file takes 10-20 minutes to prepare for the laser cutter.

And, nothing is too little to bother with (since we are little) and we have been busy! (but not too busy to work in some custom work for our friends.)

If you don't see it online, ask.

Ya, that was me. I've gone ahead and finished the Redstone model so don't worry about that one.

Still though, I would like to get other fins laser cut in the future if possible. Laser cutting is awesome for long curves or internal right angles which are impossible to cut exactly by hand. I'll contact you directly when I come across something.

Right now I just counted ten rockets on my workbench I have finished building but aren't quite done with the painting yet, so it may be a little while. I really can't start another one, can I ?

[kurtschachner]

That would be real handy. My current method for entering fins is to either trace them on grid paper or trace them in Autocad. Either way, I can read the coordinates and enter them into a spreadsheet, then paste that into the Rocksim data file. Sometimes, I'll manually draw the fin trying to put the vertices on the ascertained coordinates, but the Rocksim fin drawing tool is pretty crappy. The format for entering the coordinates in the data file is pretty crappy, too. Ugh!

A totally awesome helper would be a fin scaling command. In theory, that shouldn't be too difficult in the spreadsheet, but because of the aforementioned crappy data file format, it's not so simple. Plus, you still have to get out of Rocksim, futz around in Excel, then reopen Rocksim (or at least reload the data file). It'd be much better to just open the fin editor in Rocksim and then type in the scale factor.

For that matter, a trace tool would be totally awesome in the engine editor, too (assuming you can get a scan of the burn graph from TMT that isn't keystoned). But Apogee would also need to update the way the engine editor works. When you save from the editor, it wipes out all the comments in your .eng file. F@#$%! I wiped out a painstakingly assembled set of comments (with info such as data source and date) because of futzing with this POS tool. Now I just use it as a viewer.

Doug
Am I the only one who expects better?

Rocksim works well for most stuff but drawing fins isn't one of them. I am not much of an AutoCAD type of person, but drawing them in Adobe Illustrator works well. You can import a scan of anything and put it on a background layer for tracing. After it is drawn you can then scale it to whatever size you desire, and do so accurately. I'm assuming you can do that in a CAD program too, right? You just can't bring it into Rocksim nor scale it there.

[Doug Sams]

...but drawing them in Adobe Illustrator works well. You can import a scan of anything and put it on a background layer for tracing. After it is drawn you can then scale it to whatever size you desire, and do so accurately. I'm assuming you can do that in a CAD program too, right?Kurt, Yes, Illustrator and Autocad both work well for doing that. In fact, I like Illustrator quite well. It has its quirks, but overall it's awesome. Only problem is the lack of CAD type info and control. Stilted coordinate display. No command line (for entering coordinates for example). I'm driving a 1995 version of Autocad LT, so it's not fair contrasting its shortcomings with recent Illustrator versions, but suffice it to say that it's not very intuitive, and thus is tedious.

You can move between Autocad and Illustrator using the dxf format (IIRC). Things tend to get re-scaled using this, but that's not hard to fix on arrival. (As long as you don't have to keep moving back and forth.)

Autodesk has gotten out of the low end segment, so newer light versions are not available from them. I need to get a new tool. There are several out there in the 0-300 dollar range, and hopefully some of them can read/import Autocad's dwg files.

I guess what I need to do is write a routine which reads the dxf file and spits out the csv format of the Rocksim data files.

Doug

[hoverhans]

What I normally do is use Corel draw 11. I can import the image and trace it and either print the file as a cdr or export it as a dxf depending on if I am making decals or laser files.

I'm just finishing up some decals for a friend building a 1/4 scale P-51. So far it takes 6 full pages just for the nose art and other markings. I think Corel is the best program for decals and laser files. It is easier to use than cad and exports well to other file types.

On the other end I just finished the files for the wing ribs for my 1/5 scale F4F Wildcat. These I'll run on my laser when I get home.

The cool thing is I tried using my laser to make paper shrouds and they came out great! The tool can make lots of things. All you have to do is try it out. I made paint masks for large scale models using self stick shelf paper. I laser cut the image and put it on the model and painted it. Then pulled the mask off and it was perfect.

Hans

[hoverhans]

I tried out what the programer told me and it works! I can export the centering rings and fins as .SVG files, and then import them into Corel Draw. From there all I have to do is save them as .dxf files and they go right into the laser cutter. It is sort of a back door way to do it, but it does work well and once saved as .dxf files, I don't have to go back and do the chain again.
Now that I can do that, Rocsim is worth buying for me.

I don't know if it will work with other programs, like AutoCad, but it does work with Corel Draw.
Hans

[Carl@Semroc]

..., but it does work with Corel Draw.
HansWhich version? I just get a jumble with 10.0.

[hoverhans]

I use version 11. Not sure why you get the jumbles. Maybe 10 can't import .svg files.
Hans

[hoverhans]

Looks like Tim and Paul added this feature in the new update. version 8 R14. You can download it at Apogees website.
Hans