Volutes in aspire

[Chuck Keysor]

How can I program Aspire to make a volute/rising sprial?

I have now watched all of the Aspire training videos, and am looking forward to designing my first useful project for my Shopbot (PRT Alpha 5 x 12). But I didn't see anything demonstrated that hinted at the geometry I need to create, a volute. A volute is essentially a rising spiral. I have attached three images from musical instruments to make the need clear.

The project I want to make with my Shopbot, is a window top, for a 1904 house in my neighborhood. This outside window top was removed in 1970 when plastic siding was put on the house. Typically, when people replace these, they don't make the volute, as I guess it is hard to do by hand. Instead, people will just turn a simple disk with multiple concentric circles. I do not want to do that, even though it would be easy for me to do that.

Right now, I can only guess that I would need to do this with sculpting tools. But that doesn't seem to offer the type of geometric control that would be needed.

I am hoping someone can tell me IF Aspire can program this rising spiral/volute, and then maybe giving a general indication of how it is done. Knowing it can be done, and having something to point me in the right direction will be very helpful.

Thanks, Chuck

[bleeth]

This is done with a 2 rail sweep.
If set properly (Control height with width)then your height of the curve you draw for the span shape will reduce as your distance between lines get's narrower.

[myxpykalix]

I vaguely recall a app that i think Bill wrote called "Spiralizer" that i had on a previous computer but no longer have that might have done what you want?

[gc3]

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6169&view=next

[bleeth]

Jack: That program was for creating stuff that looked like the old kids toy (spirograph) made. Not shapes like that.

[myxpykalix]

yeah now i remember...i didn't have the app but remembered the name. I do remember some type of app someone made that was a "spiral maker" type thing that conceivably you could use but i was stuck on how once you made the spiral in a flat plane, you could pull one end down to have it spiral along its vectors within a 1 or 2" thickness. Thanks for reminding me:)

[feinddj]

I have done quick and dirty volutes in Aspire using the fluting toolpath.
David

[Chuck Keysor]

Thanks everyone for the replies. Gene's link was especially informative. From the linked Vectric discussion, drawing the model in Solid Works or Rhino came up as what I had kind of had lurking in the back of my mind.

The irony is, that I bought Rhino 4, maybe 3 years ago, figuring I would need it to be able to draw things like volutes and other architectural shapes. But, like most software, it has just sat, unused. I just never got to it. It is a shame, as I spent a lot of time to research what various CAD packages would do, and Rhino came out the clear winner when I considered its cost and functionality.

Maybe my brain is lazy, and I want to get all my training handed to me on a silver platter. (Like the Aspire training videos.)

Right now, I want to get a handle on running my Shopbot and my Aspire. So I will pick a different project for now, or go with a flattened/2D volute.

Thanks again, everyone's comments and help are greatly appreciated! Chuck

[myxpykalix]

When i see something like this i try to figure out a new way to make this not using this pgm and here is an idea i had.

Why not make two round shapes, one on top of the other to resemble a 2 tiered wedding cake.
Then take and node edit the vectors from one to the other to form something like one of those spiral kids slides on a playground, then do a 2 rail sweep between the two?

[ironsides]

This is done with a 2 rail sweep.
If set properly (Control height with width)then your height of the curve you draw for the span shape will reduce as your distance between lines get's narrower.

See my Volute using this method. It is .216 thick at one end and .719 on the other end.

George

[dan_nelson]

yes using the fluting tools in aspire work very well, tim merill helped me with this one.

[ironsides]

An interesting arrangement of Volutes using Aspire

George