BSA Patrol Food Boxes

[bullseye]

Does anyone have the .dxf file format for BSA Patrol Food Boxes? If not, has anyone tried converting a .pdf over to a .dxf??

Robert - Troop 356 - Holly Springs, NC

[mmccue29]

If some one gives it to you please pass it on to me

[Brady Watson]

If you mean something like this (http://home.earthlink.net/~scouters/patrolbox.html#anchor997625) then it will take only a few minutes to create all of the parts and manually nest them on a sheet of material. If you look at how they have the sheet layed out, you'll see that they don't give you any room for the cutting tool kerf...so a few parts will have to go on another sheet or a piece of scrap.

This is a cakewalk to do...just create a new model in PW and orient the sheet the same way as this website shows (you can rotate the model 90° with a click of a button in PW when you are ready to machine) Then, open up the rectangle tool and start entering the values for each of the parts. Click the Create button after you have entered each, and continue to enter each subsequent shape. When you are done, position the parts on the sheet as you want them to be. Use the mirror tool to duplicate parts if there are multiples. If any pieces don't fit, just copy the ones that don't and open up a new instance of PW, the same size as the piece of material you intend on working with. Paste in the 'left-over' vectors and save that .ART file seperately from the 1st one. Then toolpath them. You're all set.

I 'digitized' these in about 4 minutes. I *could* post the result, but I am not going to because I feel that everyone should be able to easily do this themselves. So let me encourage you to give it a try...if anything it will make your skills stronger and help you to tackle even more difficult things.

-Brady

[bullseye]

Thanks Brady however I am a bit confussed at your following statement:

"If you look at how they have the sheet layed out, you'll see that they don't give you any room for the cutting tool kerf...so a few parts will have to go on another sheet or a piece of scrap."

Unless I'm wrong my math concludes these pieces (less the 2x4's) fit nicely on a 48" x 96" sheet of plywood even if one uses a .5" dia bit. No worries, I will take 20 minutes out of my life to generate the .dxf/.sbp file for all to use.

[Brady Watson]

Robert,
The parts in question would be the 'tie braces' that are 24 X 2" nested side by side in their example. Clearly you cannot cut them out to size along with all of the other parts on one sheet as they have them laid out...SO those would be the parts that I would just rip on the saw instead of cutting them on the bot.

-Brady

[gerald_d]

The tie braces could lose 0.5" without doing any harm.

[bullseye]

Yes, just the braces and ties but they are not supercritical dimensions! I just made the file and didn't worry about the ties/braces being a skosh shy. If this item were for a paying customer yeah, it would require more material or size mods to the end product.

Anyways, looking at the file, and the end use of the item, I think a few little modifications are in order to help the Scouts set up the boxes more efficiently . . .

One, the legs need to be be somewhat adjustable.
Two, the large Coleman stoves don't fit just right so I gotta measure all items again.
Three recessed wheels for our Handicapped kids is a must.

Can you guys think of other nice mods to improve upon this old design?? Don't get crazy on me guys - I'm on a Scout budget!

[Brady Watson]

Yes!

Why not engrave a design on the box using a machine along vector strategy at a constant depth AND v-carve the troop's number on the box. Other troops will definately envy your rig!

-Brady
(Life Scout...back in 'the day')

[earld]

Why not go to http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=ba
and engrave the logo?

[mmccue29]

10 years ago I built one for cub scouts. Some modifications I made where to add two drawers for silverware etc.. than on the front that folds down I added formica so I could use it as a cutting board. Also I made the top flip up and attached eye hooks and paper towel hanger, on the eye hooks I hang the BSa cooking set with large spoons etc.I also left a little room between the top and the drawers and use it to store pam,cooking oil spices, etc. I never did have a place for the stove it made it to big and heavy.