I sometimes mock up a project in cardboard before I go bonkers with a more expensive material. My most recent prototype was this fairly simple sphere of cardboard.
It’s a tad off in places from me using two different sheets of cardboard, but close enough for my purposes.
It did make me wonder though: My method for figuring out the slices was dubious at best. Why isn’t there a simple calculator like box generators where I can say I have x inch thick material and I want a y inch sphere, click button get a PDF/SVG of circles to cut.
I know that math exists for this (please god, do not explain it to me or I will bleed from my ears) and it seems like the sort of thing that should have a generator for it, but I will be darned if I can find one. Anybody else?
Well fusion 360 has an add on slicer that will do most of those things except generate the shape for you. Works out great imo and been having a bunch of fun with it recently. Of you use it already ignore this lol. nice looking cardboard sphere, having all the corrugations lined up give it a nice look :). did you use guide pins? or just eyeball it?
Here is a screen shot of the slicer if you have not used it before.
I just got it the other day because i was having a similar issue watch a couple videos on it first it helps out a lot. and if you want to change material size it is the gear icon towards the top on the left.
Just a reminder, it’s against forum rules to ask for files. If someone wants to share a file it will either be posted in the free laser design category in the forum, or they may have a link to their online store in their profile.
This is close to an example of how I use slicr from Fusion. I found a 3d globe model and chopped it up. There was a globe in the original Glowforge marketing that many people have asked about, so I was trying to replicate that. I have the files now but could never find the material at a price I was willing to pay to replicate it (to validate them) then share.
I wanted to make a 24" or so replica of that globe but it was going to cost $50 or more in material, and nobody locally could guarantee a perfect supply.
watch a couple videos on it first it helps out a lot. and if you want to change material size it is the gear icon towards the top on the left.