[JB Fishp]

Does anyone have any experience with having a plug made from CAD to 3d CNC foam plug?
I'm curious how expensive it is, considering lofting and all of the shaping issues and expense it might be more cost effective to go that rout for in many cases. I saw one case on here where a builder had his stations cut on CNC and then went to conventional method and was struggling solving all the usual issues.
I know there are companies that will take a design and go to foam a plug and give you back production molds which would be very expensive and I'm sure it would take a bit to have it bid. I'm sure they would do any part of that process you wanted.

Just was curious about having a foam plug made and taking it from there, I'm building a one off foam design now, sure would be a huge short cut to have it rough shaped at least, symmetrical and exact. I enjoy the sculpting side of it and designing on the fly but I would also enjoy starting out about a 100 hrs ahead. LOL

 

[DuckNut]

I am not a builder but I believe the foam plug is created using the one off which has been altered many times of trial and error to get the final hull shape to build the mold.

Scanning the hull then having it duplicated is precise and produces a super basis for the mold.

I am not a builder but I believe this is how it is done.

There is a thread on here maybe you can reach out to them.

 

[DuckNut]

Can't think of the name of the thread or who it was but I think it was a marina down south that is building one of Chris Morejohns designs.

 

[fjmaverick]

I've only seen it done on bigger projects with a naval architect involved. Not sure how cost effective it is on a small scale.

 

[jonny]

I got quoted $19k for the hull and $15-17k for the deck. This was for a small skiff. And they are the ones most manufactures use in FL. And you bring them the CAD program. In a format compatible with their router. It's a huge investment to do it this way. It's also a huge gamble if the hull doesn't perform well. That's why you see most company's go ahead and run what was milled. Some even commit to having molds milled. Not many do what Chittum did. They ended up hacking on that prototype for years. Until they were satisfied. And that was with a naval architect doing the design. Sometimes algarythems and reality don't mix well. Morejohn stated his designs do not transfer to math exactly as he would like. You still have a lot of hard labor to invest in glassing and fairing by hand. You also lose some that precision you paid all that money for. From the build up from making the mold/plug.

 

[Pole Position]

I believe this is the thread the posters are referencing:

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/captive-14-plug-mold-build.58738/

 

[DuckNut]

I believe this is the thread the posters are referencing:

https://www.microskiff.com/threads/captive-14-plug-mold-build.58738/

Nope.

It was the Chittum skiff.

Thanks @jonny

 

[EvanHammer]

Nope.

It was the Chittum skiff.

Thanks @jonny

I thought the Islamarine 10 Weight thread was the one you were referencing where they routed the plug and built the mold?

 

[DuckNut]

I thought the Islamarine 10 Weight thread was the one you were referencing where they routed the plug and built the mold?

Damn man...now I am not 100% sure of anything. It was one of them. LOL

 

[Rick hambric]

ive done a bit of research on this subject as of late. you are looking at 15-20k to have a plug cut from foam. that's not counting the cost of having your hull done in a 3d cad. unless it a high speed craft or a mass production part, its really not worth it. if you have more money than sense then pm me. ive got something special for you.