Laser cut kits

[randx0]

 I'm looking for laser cut ideas .

Are there any laser cut kits or accessories out there ? Or laser cut tools you'd recommend ? 

[peteski]

Laser cut automotive kits?! 

There are plenty in the model railroading hobby (mostly structures and car loads), but I never heard of any laser-cut scale kits of vehicles.  Because of the nature of laser-cut materials (mostly stiff flat wood sheets), the compound curves of automobiles cannot be modeled very well.

Maybe you meant "paper models"? I supposed those could also be laser cut and bent, folded, or shaped fairly well to represent complex curved surfaces.

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, peteski said:

...There are plenty in the model railroading hobby (mostly structures and car loads), but I never heard of any laser-cut scale kits of vehicles.  Because of the nature of laser-cut materials (mostly stiff flat wood sheets), the compound curves of automobiles cannot be modeled very well...

Yup, that's been my experience too...other than kits like Guillow's balsa flying model airplanes and heavier wooden ship models...both of which are built up of flat pieces, like RR structures and older wooden RR cars...and in the case of airplanes, don't do a very good job of representing curved surfaces, particularly compound curves.

Anyone can see the obvious limitations of smooth sheet-metal curves represented by a buildup with wooden stringers covered by paper or fabric on this completed Guillow's model:

And though there are some fascinating paper kits out there, the most realistic results are obtained when the subject is something that's built primarily of flat elements anyway, like this 1/25 scale M25 tank transporter tractor:

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Ace-Garageguy

[cobraman]

That's paper ?  Soooooo nice !

[Dave Van]

I made a few laser cut kits. Only one was automotive. 

 

This was a conversion kit to turn Mixer into Yeller. AMT soon issued Yeller so no more need!!!!!

I did a few HO model train kits. One was a diner.....

 

Edited December 2, 2021 by Dave Van

[randx0]

Thanks guys . 

I have access to a laser cutter , outside of those tool organizers I have complete writers block on what I could do with it . 

I figured something along the lines of basic open trailers or different fonts of signage letters . But those seem a little basic for the technology .

 

I like the idea of putting the paper model technique onto plastic and that diner looks cool . 

 

[peteski]

You could laser-cut micro-plywood into pickup truck beds, and flat-bed trailers wooden decks.  Not sure if anybody else is doing this type of thing.

[Bugatti Fan]

I had access to a laser when I was working at a high school as a CAD CAM Technician.

Yes it has its limitations being a flat 2D production machine. To produce things with compound curves such as a car body means laser cutting vertical shaped formers for outer strips of cladding to attach to. It would be a bit like the old bodybuilders practice of making a wooden frame for a car body to be built up on it.

The OCCRE website has many good videos of how laser cut pieces are used on their predominately wooden kits. They make kits of ships, trams and locomotives. One of their San Francisco  Cable Car videos shows how the gently curved roof is done laying strips of wood over formers and using filler to shape and smooth it after trimming the excess off each end. Occre has many how to videos on their various subject builds where transferable techniques can be learnt.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Bugatti Fan