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Some progress:
I printed out a couple of test pages just to see what size I'm comfortable, check page thickness and finish, and test-build a few parts. As a result I see I need to re-do a few bits and pieces and create a more robust internal structure.
But I spent more time coding my own tools. I don't really like Pepakura and wanted to do as much of the work with the software I'm most familiar with, 3ds max. At first I just thought I'd do things manually but then it came to me I could automate most of it, and as a result I now have a set of tools that can:
1. unfold a 3D model based on a UV channel
2. add tabs - currently this is almost completely manual , since the tool lack any connectivity data to indicate edge pairs, so you need to select edges to add tabs to, but you can set whatever tab size and style you want.
3. export the result as a textured SVG file complete with vector lines and dashed fold lines that can be opened in inkscape or Illustrator and set for print.
So now after this interesting detour into the realms of software development I'll go back to design and see if I can figure out a more robust way of building some parts.
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