Modeling Challenge: Surfboard
The modeling challenges are fun and I always learn something from the different techniques. Here is one that might be harder than it looks. A surfboard. In making this model, the things I found the most difficult were:
- getting the front point to be rounded, not dead sharp
- keeping the shape nice around the front point
- creating fins with sharp trailing edges
- rounding off the back end of the board without using fillets.
This model is not perfect, in fact, I didn’t achieve the second goal – the top of the board near the tip is a bit of a mess. I tried several things to get this to work, but in the end, I didn’t want to spend a whole afternoon on this.
So here is the challenge:
Build your own surfboard that looks nice, even close up, especially both ends.
-or-
Fix mine so that the tip looks right. Click here to download my broken surfboard.
Submit parts or images in the comment form, or send them to my email.
@Al Dean
No real surfer here in SoCal within 5 miles of the ocean would ride a mail order board. That would be considered Blasphemy here in Carlsbad, CA
Have a look-see at http://www.shape3d.com – they’ve got some task specific tools you might find interesting.
It is very difficult to get the upper surface mid line to have good curvature continuity. SW loves to make butt cracks and hogbacks. I need some digital longboards to get the shape to work.
A bit of tinkering 😉
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/surf2.PNG[/img]
Things like this are good reminders of how much more I have to learn.
Here’s a screenshot of attempt #2 – I’m working on number 3 now.
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/SurfboardAttempt2.JPG[/img]
I took a stab at this over my lunch break. The patch layout at the back of the board is not ideal, but acceptable for a first stab. There are some small issues with the zebra stripes at the back of the board. I find SolidWorks can struggle with perfect C2 transitions like this, despite the fact the curves are laid out properly. If this was being done properly, I would have properly laid out my edges, instead of relying on the connectors in the boundary surface. Surface Knit 3 also introduces some weird irregularities into the surface, despite there being no gaps.
As was said above, a true surface modeller would do a much better job of this. Or just spending way more time in SolidWorks at it.
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/surf1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/surf2.jpg[/img]
[file]http://www.dezignstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/AL_surfboard1.zip[/file]
@Jim Wright
Wow, something cool posted by a guy employed by a CAD company. That’s nice.
That’s a cool site. Love that stuff.
I’m no modeler, but Firewire Surfboards has this topic covered! They have an interactive website where a user can input their personal desired board dimensions. The website then designs the board (using Siemens NX). With credit card info, the order passes to a CNC machine, where the board is shaped with automatically-created tool paths. It’s seriously cool stuff. ShapeLogic created the custom interface for the website and API for NX.
http://custom.firewiresurfboards.com/custom/config
Disclosure: I work for Siemens.
Thanks! The link definitely works, however I’m still using SW ’11.
Oh well. I’ll take a stab at making one myself probably on Wednesday morning and post it if I get anything decent put together.@matt
@Alex Numann
Sorry, blog isn’t accepting links from images for whatever reason. They must have fixed something;o)
Anyway, I have a link in the text now.
I don’t seem to be able to download your surfboard. Clicking the image just takes you to a page about the image.
Just to show the fins have sharp ends. Actually a surfboard is a good challenge. Its a bit deceptive cos to do this model really well takes some attention to construction. What I did was ‘near enough’. It would be easier and better to use Tsplines for this type of thing. 🙂
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/back.JPG[/img]
Yeah it has some fillets – didnt want to spend too much time on it 😉
Single to double concave bottom, outer fins with slight toe in and leaning out.
Bite for fun.
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/surfboardsingletodoubleconcave.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/surfboard.jpg[/img]
I’m not a surfboard expert, but I believe “consumer” surfboards are mostly shaped using CNC on formed blanks. Real surfboards are shaped totally by hand, by expert shapers, starting with sized blanks. Real surfers and shapers can run their hand over a board and site down the lengths & widths to determine if the board is good or not. I’ve also noticed them examining the balance point while holding the long side edge of the board in the vertical position with the opposite side pointing down.
Here in SoCal, expert surfboard shapers have a cult following. They work out of their garages, the back rooms of surf shops, or in tiny industrial shops.
So to me a real surfboard is totally organic in shape, literally, and impossible for me and my skill set to model using CAD.
Devon
That’s part of the allure of surfing, no 2 surfboards are the same and no 2 waves are the same.