Sending autocad hull section files has become so effortless and common that I sometimes forget that not everybody knows what they are.  When I end up spending a lot of time explaining autocad files, it must mean it’s time for a blog post on them.  First, a *.dxf or *.dwg autocad file is a vector file. That is compared to a raster file such as a jpeg or even PDF.  In a vector file a line for example is defined as being a single entity lying between two points.  In a raster file a line is hundreds or thousands of dots.
That means a line in a vector file is of a definable physical size. Not so with a raster file. In CADD files, that size is almost always real world size. Not to any scale. Real world. What scale are you now? None, you are real world size. Same thing with a dxf file that I send to you. Scale only enters in when it is plotted out.
The one catch however is numeric base or format. Every CADD file has an underlying numeric basis. It could be inches or feet or meters or millimeters. When a dxf file is sent from one computer to another, odds are the numeric base will not be the same. The file you get might be 39.64 times too large or small. Or maybe just 3.something different.  It will be one of  those ratios between imperial and metric usually.  That is why I try to include a scale divot in every file. Its typically on the lower right near the page number. Do a measure distance on it and see if it matches what it should. If not you can easily rescale the drawing to match your own machines real world. Once you have done that, you can do a measure distance on anything and get its size.

Take a look at this video for crowd funding. Is also a nice construction survey. 30′ cat being built in Plymouth, Mass. http://fundanything.com/en/campaigns/dream-home-made-sailboat

I just got a call from Chippy today. I understand that only I and a few select others can call him that. Bob Chilipala. Its been over a year.  I first met him deep in the previous century when he worked for King Fiberglass down near Ewing Street, where my tri was often hauled out.
As far as I can tell, Bob is one of the most creative, gifted composite smiths there is. He creates inventive resins of all kinds. He creates fabrics of all kinds. Jus this week he told me about a new cellulose fabric with properties nearly that of E-glass. Ten years ago he created a basalt fabric. Twenty years ago he had 50 companies. And probably as many patents. Funny thing is he refuses to go online, get a website nor even have an email address.  He usually visits in a beater Toyota pickup stuffed full of composite samples.

We have arranged to catch up at IBEX. Any time spent with Bob is mind bending with all his projects and inventions. I’m amazed they don’t have him giving lectures. Its possible they don’t even know about him.

I don’t really have time for it as my epoxy season is running out, but I signed up for IBEX a while ago, so there I am next week.
Three things. Anything anyone thinks I should look at?
Next, I will be out of the office that week so the retail sales are dark then. You can only get the things once I get back.
Finally, if anyone wants to meet there about any projects, you can call or text me at 206-719-4893 during the show.

I found this unlabeled picture on recent LectronicLatitude. The cool kids will recognize it as Kevin Millet’s cat Kalewa.  This means it is in Cali now.  I did the hull  lines and Kevin designed the rest. Its from Kauai and is the scourge of the races there.  This is its second lap around the Pacific at least.

A very nice shot of the now 64′ KHSD power charter cat Holo Holo running out of Kauai. http://www.holoholokauaiboattours.com/

A nice shot of the 36′ Cat 2 Fold sailing.

One of the nicest pictures I have yet seen of Aolani. Richard has a good eye.

My lunar lander epoxy project has just over a month until the winter rains curtain drops.  Dropped  until next spring. It is all being done on site outdoors.

I will be away a lot this month.  Oddly enough a lot of the work coming to me now has vicious time demand with it. I really appreciate the people giving me some time and will make it worth your while.

Big changes are going on in fiberglass suppliers.
I found prepackaged bits of 4 oz glass at Fisheries Supply. No price but I guessed it couldn’t be too bad. Wrong. It was list at $10/yard (50″) . That is triple what I got it for at Fiberlay and just double with the Fisheries discount.
A fellow there said Fisheries doesn’t want to handle fiberglass anymore. Something about hurting his back.