Has anyone here ever had a plug CNC cut from foam? I am planning a new built and want the plug to be perfect, I am going to make a mold from it. I have made plugs in the past using the MDF method and while they come out pretty good, I don’t believe they are 100% symmetric. Pretty darn accurate for everything being done by hand, but I would like the accuracy and precision of a CNC cut plug. Just curious about the cost and the quality of thefinal product.
I was quoted $475 as a starting point for a group of plugs for an F-48 design (four plugs - left/right halves for main hull and for float) that I had considered for vaccuum forming of a styrene hull by a local sign company that had a large table. Owner had a heart attack and has more or less retired from business so I never followed up or looked for alternative.
Dan Sherman or Greg Vasileff (???) once had a post about a rent-a-shop services that would make CNC output - but not sure if they or any one else ever tried them out. Might try archives search
I’ve been very happy with the price and quality from Phil’s Foils:
I don’t want to give any numbers because a) what constitutes a “good” price is very subjective and b) it may set expectations based on a price given when circumstances, such as the cost of materials, have changed. I will say that he has successfully milled hulls based on output from both Hullform and Freeship. I specify that he can glue up the plug from scrap and that I’ll do the final shaping from the “stairstep” version the mill turns out.
Cheers,
Earl
Geez - forgot all about him. I used him to build me a set of rudders for big cat - definitely add him to list for quality.
I agree with Earl about price - hard to say if my previously noted price is good, bad, special discount - or heh, heh … special “premium” add-on cause he didn’t want to work with me - hmmmmm :rolleyes:
Our mate TRANTH here on this forum has a CNC machine which he has used to do some model yacht work.
Although he is in Sydney Australia he would at least be worth talking to.
http://www.12metreyacht.com/images/gallery2/