Solidworks or AutoCAD Bearhawk 4-place

[NSLaw]

Has anyone done any work to generate an operational computer image of a 4-place like the super cub in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJcClSmCXu4&t=27s

Would be awesome to see. I'm in a holding pattern to start my build - might be something for me to fill my time with until I get rolling.

Thanks.

[S Lathrop]

I would hate to see the size of the file for that assembly. But that is what is possible with Solid Works, even the version that EAA has for members.

I find that for me, drawing a part in Solid Works is a very valuable and even a time save as I started out to build my 4 place. If nothing else, you can refer to your electronic drawings to get any measurement you want to any accuracy you want. I am not comfortable scaling something from a drawing. In the case where I need to make a fixture, the fixture can be done with very good accuracy by working from electronic drawings. The sheet metal tools in Solid Works are super for making accurate layouts for bending sheet metal parts. And I frequently make full scale drawings for parts and glue the drawing to the metal and cut the parts that way verses doing a layout on the metal.

The Solid Works Weldment tool is super valuable. You can draw the fusalage or similar structure, then extract individual tubes. You can take that individual tube and make a flat drawing of the tube to use a a template to cut and miter the tube. If nothing else, you can better plan how to cut you tubing to minimize scraps.

When working with 2D drawings I am more comfortable with AutoCad. I frequently take Solid Works drawings and save them as AutoCad files because I can do more things in AutoCad with the 2D drawings than I can in Solid Works. I even have a third program I use called BobCad for generating CNC programs for my CNC mill. I will sometimes move drawings between all 3 programs to get something like a spline curve just as I want it. Each program does things a bit differently and you can get a better curve fit in one program relative to the others.

You will not be wasting your time making electronic drawings from you BearHawk drawings. AutoCad is a equally valuable compaanion tool. Solid Works has a free 2D drawing package similar to AutoCad called Draft Sight. It is a free down load. It works very similar to AutoCad. The only short coming I find with Draft sight is that it does not have the commands and tools to do 3D drawings as AutoCad does. But, Draft Sight does read and you can view 3D drawings in Draft Sight, and if you know the Auro Cad commands, you can do #D drawings in Draft Sight.

That is probably way more than you or anyone else wanted to know about this subject. Sorry if the answer was too long.

[NSLaw]

Not too long at all - that’s the info I was hoping for. I’m not very savvy with solid works so I appreciate the background.

Question: what would you anticipate the time commitment to creating a full 4 place model on solid works?

Thanks.

[way_up_north]

A master builder can build a plane from the plans...but most people need the build manuals ....ect... to decode the plans....

3d views of the Bearhawk parts ... like the spar...with the ribs and steel hardware placement would be great and something I’d pay for

[fairchild]

That place in Canada which makes the CNC cut tube kits (cartesian tube) must have the tubing (FOR BEARHAWK) as some kind of computer model. good luck on them giving you a copy ! :-)

[S Lathrop]

I have not done a complete drawing of my 4 p in Solid Works. I have drawing a lot of the parts as I prepared to build them.

A couple skills you will want to have in SW is doing 3D sketches, weldments and sheet metal parts. The fuselage took me maybe 4 hours. But I have worked with SW for many years and use it almost daily.

My fusalage is built from a VR3 kit.

[rodsmith]

I have the free addition of Solid Works through EAA but don't know how to use it. Can someone point me to videos that would provide the necessary education.

[S Lathrop]

I have the free addition of Solid Works through EAA but don't know how to use it. Can someone point me to videos that would provide the necessary education.

In the top tool bar, there is a section called help. In the help section there are tutorials. Work you way through those tutorials. I find them very helpful and I have been using SW for several decades.

In addition to the 3D Solid Works program, there is a 2D program called Draft Sight. It is a free down load and it also has some good tutorials. If you are new to CAD drawing, this would be a good program to get and it will help a lot with SW.

[PFalkner]

You tube has some really good tutorials also. I find Go Engineer channel is really helpful

[spinningwrench]

I am creating full SolidWorks drawings of all my assemblies as they go together on my Patrol. I find this to be really helpful when I refer back to what hardware goes where. I am in the process of drawing out the complete fuel system with all the fittings called out. I taught SolidWorks for many years and used it professionally for creating user manuals. I think hands down I would recommend learning it before AutoCad which I have also used extensively. In AutoCad you think in two dimensions and extract from there, in SolidWorks you create parts more like you actually build something. The beauty of SolidWorks is seeing all the individual parts coming together to build a complete assembly. Get the free EAA version and work through the tutorials. I will be teaching SolidWorks at Oshkosh this summer in the technology center. Sign up for a free intro course. I have the complete Patrol steel fuselage modeled in SolidWorks.Contact me if you want to see some sample drawings. I am also creating a variety of step by step assembly manuals for the Patrol using SolidWorks as the basis.

[Korben88]

Question,

Are the plans sufficient to create 3D models? the small handful I've seen seem to be lacking in detail.

more of a template than actual drawings.

[S Lathrop]

I have found the plans to be sufficient to make very detailed drawings. I have done drawings for many of the wing parts, especially the spars, and I have done the fuselage and a lot of the other components. The drawings I do are mostly 3D models.

[Korben88]

Thank you.

I plan on ordering my plans soon.
I manage a machine shop and have access to a cnc punch, so I hope to do a lot of the sheet metal parts using it.

[geraldmorrissey]

I used CATIA for 25 years. I got as far as mocking up the Patrol spars then gave up. The time I spent was better used building flight hardware. If your in a holding pattern, build aileron nose ribs. Small, easy to build and your moving forward. While mocking up the aitframe is an admirable endeavor, staring into a computer screen is not going to get the plane built.
Just my .02.
Gerry
Patrol #30

[spinningwrench]

Here is a sample of one of my Solidworks drawings, I have these for all of my assemblies on the Patrol
SHOCK STRUT ASSEMBLY.jpg

[geraldmorrissey]

Impressive, but I would be concerned about sharing this data. Has Bob reviewed your work? I see a basic problem with plansholders creating cad files. If it's for your own project, thats great. Solid modeling and Digital preassembly is a wonderful tool. But when that data makes it's way out to other plans holders, liability concers are sure to follow. I'm not a lawyer but here are some concerns I would have;
1. Does this work violate the planholders agreement?
2. Does this work infringe on any copywright laws.
3. Has this work been subject to any design review.
4. Has this work been submitted to a checker for review.
5. Has Bob seen and reviewed this work and would he sign the tital block.
6. Has Bob offered written authorization to distribute this data.
If the answers to all this is yes, have at it. I want to be first in line to see it all.
Correct me if I'm wrong but the only aurhorized document that defines the design intent of Bob Barrows is the drawing packages you purchase.
Gerry
Patrol #30

[Isilverone]

Those are great Bruce,, that’s a whole new level of professionalism that I’m sure Bob and Mark would really appreciate. Hope you guys can work together

[spinningwrench]

Bob has seen and reviewed the shock strut drawing and approved it along with the tailwheel drawing which Eric Newton has also approved of. I have offered it to him for distribution which he has accepted. Bob personally feels the only other drawing that would be helpful is the wing assembly drawing as builders seem to need additional support on that. I don't think he is interested in reviewing any other drawings at this point nor feel the need for them. My drawings do not deliberately give any dimensional data so they don't compete with Bob's original drawing package which every builder would still have to purchase. I don't see how showing an assembly violates any design intent this is no different than Eric Newton's manuals which pictorially show how to build the kit. This is a bit of a conundrum as I feel there is quite a bit more clarity to be brought to these projects in terms of detailing assemblies which show all the hardware much in the style of RV drawings. At this point I will do them for my own interest and share with others on request.