Kolywopter

[outersketcher]

This is the first model I ever attempted to design. I began the work back in 2006 with lots of excitement, but eventually had to set it aside for a while to learn more about the papermodel design process, but I'm back into full design work on it again. I'm confident that I'll be able to finish this by end of march.

I doodle and sketch alot. And the kolywopter is the result of one of those absent-minded scribbles that fill my sketchbooks. And I just HAD to find a way to make it into a 3-dimensional object one could hold in their hands. So I fleshed the design a bit more and built a set of 3-view plans in Adobe Illustrator, using my IMac.

Since then, I've broken-down most of the model into parts sheets in illustrator. Have completed the breakdown of the doors, tail frame assembly, wings, engine, main frame, and wing extensors. (you can see the wing extensor parts sheet below) Still have to complete the breakdown of the cabin interior, the wheels, and the tail assembly.

I'm doing this the old-fashioned way. Figuring it all out in my head, relearning some of that old high-school geometry, and trail and error builds baby! ...Lots... of trail and error test builds.

I'm teaching myself how to use sketchup, but the learning curve is taking too long. So, I'm just going to finish this one the old way and do the other ideas I have in Sketchup later.

The completed Kolywopter model will be a free download from the papercraft section of my Illustration website.

www.outersketcher.com

The cabin doors will open, the rudder and rear flaps will pivot, and the wings will be able to swing back into the folded position if I can figure out how to manage it.

As you can see in the sketch and in the plans, there are lots of circles... LOTS... of circles. (I love the simplicity of the basic circle shape.) I've been careful to make sure that every circle in the parts sheets has a small cross point for use with a compass cutter.

There are a lot of things that I still don't know, so I hope you won't mind if I ask a few questions as I go at this.

You'll also see in the photos the key structure to the whole vehicle itself. The mainframe. I've designed it to be 4 layers of paper thick. I want the layers instead of just using thicker board for the main frame because I want the added strength of the dried glue layers to help strengthen the piece. It HAS to be strong because EVERYTHING attaches to this piece. The cabin cylinder attaches to the front, the wings to either side, the engine nacelle to the top, the wheels to the bottom and the tail structure to the rear... wheeeew!

It does work tho. I mean, the few, simple test builds I've made so far actually get stronger as you add the components to the main frame.

Right now, I'm working on the tail assembly design. Originally, I had designed the rudder and flaps to pivot on tightly rolled strips of paper. But, I'd like to make it a simpler design. Would be better I think to have the moving pieces hinge on a single strip of paper instead of a complicated pin and socket set-up. The doors use the single paper as a hinge with satisfactory results. I just havn't figured out how to create the rounded edges of the rudder for instance and still have that sheet of paper instersect through the length of the curve... working on it.

I apologize for the crummy photos.. they'll get better as I figure out how to post them to this forum properly.

[cjwalas]

This is the one I've been waiting for. i love your illustrations and can't wait to see them in 3D!
Chris

[B-Manic]

Thanks for the update. I had forgotten your were working on this one. It looks like you are making good progress (do you need a beta builder). I too am learning sketchup and can appreciate the difficulty you are experiencing. I would definitly like to build this when it is ready.

~ Douglas

[shrike]

I am suddenly reminded of Stan Mott's Cyclops stories.
And I mean that in the most wondering and whimsical sense possible.

[outersketcher]

Heck yah I could use some outside info from a beta builder. Gimme a couple of weeks and I should have something worthwhile for you to tackle. I'm really excited to get the interior finished...

david

[B-Manic]

Originally Posted by outersketcher

Heck yah I could use some outside info from a beta builder. Gimme a couple of weeks and I should have something worthwhile for you to tackle. I'm really excited to get the interior finished...

david

Just PM me when it is ready. This is right up my alley.

[Don Boose]

Fascinating! I love seeing the preliminary sketches, then the development drawings, and then the model taking shape.

Don

[whulsey]

Will be following alone with great interest. Have several antique/classic cars and vintage farm equipment that I have given up on ever seeing in kit form so need to learn all I can about rolling my own.

[outersketcher]

I built another set of the wing extensor units over the weekend. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the rubber drive belt turned out. Unfortunately, I didn't have a digital camera at the time. You can see the parts to the belt on the parts sheet I posted earlier. The black strips and the stacked dark grey segments. By cutting out the white segments in between the grey segments, then cutting out the long strips and laying them over the "grid" of segments gave me a "toothed" drive belt. Looks pretty neat! I,ll be sure to snap a photo of one of the drive belts next round of pictures.

David

[outersketcher]

No pictures this time around.. sorry. Just a quick update to let you all know that I am indeed alive and working on the kolywopter.

I've had to redesign the wing extensor assembly a bit . The wing assemblies turned out to be thinner than I'd originally anticipated. I've also redesigned the hinge of the cabin doors so that they're simpler and will open more reliabley. I've got some nice, juicy fat wheels designed for the landing gear and am pleased with how they look. I've also discovered a better way to make the scaffolding of the tail boom. Instead of the complicated peg and holder set-up I had originally designed.

Am having trouble finding a decent photo of a simple set of flight controls. I'm not a pilot myself, and only have a rudimentary understanding of how the whole set up works. Have been looking at other paper models, but there are few paper models with any detail in the cockpit.. if at all. I know I need to have foot controls and at least a stick. This has to look feasable since nearly the entire front half of the kolywopter cabin is transperant and all my design mistakes will be immediatly obvious! If any of you more knowledgeable folks have any suggestions as to where I can go for some good research material on the net, I'd appreciate it.

I can't believe how frustrating it is to be held back by my technical ignorance. I have several really fun little vehicles already designed and ready to start the creation process... but I'm bottlenecked by my inability to use the appropriate 3-D software yet. I'm trying tho... oh yes... every spare moment I have... I feel like I'm trying to learn how to fly the plane while I'm... well.. flying it.

Waiting in line behind the kolywopter are two little workhorse submarines and two land vehicles to transform into 3-D models. Each design emulating similarities with the kolywopter. Large, transparent windows and swooping curves all along the "steampunk" line of thinking. Kinda Jules Vern meets Dr. Spock.

David