Official Luthiers Forum!

Late last week I got the SJ plans back, and to my dismay they were printed off scale.
After a long discussion with the copy shop it turns out that the guy that has been doing all the previous plans no longer works there, and the new guy converted the DWF files that Michale Payne provided into PDF files and in the process changed all the dimensions.
After I through a HUGE fit, they have gone back to the press with the DWF files this time.
All this to say, I am sorry for the delay, I am really trying to get these done and out to you folks.
I will keep you all updated.

Lance

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Oh well, it could have been worse!
No worries, take your time but hurry up!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

The frustration is understandable Lance, sure thing is, this new employee will have learned something!

Sounds like maybe the new guy wont be there next time, either.

I guess that you will have extras for new orders when they finally do get in, won't you? Please?

Seriously, I will be watching and hope to order a plan once you get them. Take the time to get them right.

Donovan

[quote]All this to say, I am sorry for the delay, [/quote]

   That's OK!! Just don't let it happen again!


You will have extras in the future?

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

What you need these to a real scale? Da!!

Glad to hear the plans are moving in the right direction despite all the problems. I guess I will keep working on building my motorized dish sander and radius dishes until the plan comes.

Thanks for the update.

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Brad
Avon, OH

Lance-

I'm looking forward to both the OM and SJ plans but no hurry. Thanks for doing this for everyone and sorry it's a pain for you.

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John Lewis
Wannabe builder owned by 2 crazy dachshunds

Would it be possible to make available a dwg or dxf of just the outside shape of the SJ and the OM to those that have purchased plans?

I like to draw up my bending forms and various jigs in AutoCad, and it'd be nice just to be able to pull in the outside shape and offset by the thickness of my sides and print out as an accurate pattern for my bending form, or to profile the neck/tail blocks, etc... It'd save the extra step of scanning it and tracing it in CAD, or taping photocopies together and cutting and pasting.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Jon I will send you a PM

Back in the beginning of the library of plans we asked everyone then if they would be interested in DWF format as apposed to hard copy. This format is a viewer and print format only that requires Autodesk's Free DWF viewer software to open. We decided not to make DWG or DXF available to avoid the possibility of alterations or unauthorized distribution. Back then It was the opinion then that not many had the ability to print large format images and that trying to work off a CRT screen was not worth it. Recently many of our members have cad and large format printing capabilities. Also most Kinko's now have the ability to print from DWF format.
So my question is there interest in the DWF format? If you have questions on this format pm me. It would sure mean less work and expense for Lance, and the ability to have your plans with in a day. I have not spoke with Lance about this in a while but it would cut down the need for printing and the mailing. this would only apply all the plans I have donated.MichaelP38987.4906597222

[Quote=MichaelP]So my question is there interest in the DWF format?[/QUOTE]

Michael....I would have paid full price for this option months ago. The process of printing the drawing and sending it in the mail has only made the process more complicated for what I need. I am sure there are some that this is a great service but I am confident that many are using CAD and could plot their own drawing much quicker and easier.

Is it too late to get a digital copy?

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Brad
Avon, OH

PM Lance and ask him if he minds make your copy DWF files instead of hard copies. I doubt he would have any problem with this as it is just an email. But that said it is Lance's call if we want to offer this or not. I doubt that we will want to discount the price for simplicity sake but look at it this way you would have the ability to reproduce clean prints and have the plans now.

Understand that these files will not open in any cad program. They require Autodesk's DWF viewer software to open. This software suports any Windows based ooperating system (sorry Mac') and any Windows printer drivers. You can download the software for free at autodesk.com\downloads. Again the free software is DWF viwer not DWF Composer.MichaelP38987.5778703704

Michael, can't you make the file a read only or impose some other restriction so that alterations couldn't be made? I would assume too that DWF Viewer is a lot like Acrobat Reader, can't do much with it.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

DWF viewer is not at all like Acrobat reader. this is designed explicit for to scale autocad drawings. and the line quaility is the same as an autocad drawing plaotted on a line plotter.

On a DWG or DXF file that is made read only, all you have to do to make it editable is "Save As" to a new name and all the write protection is gone and you can make the drawing you to do what you want. The original that you saved as from is still write protected but the file you created using Save As in in no way linked to the original. This has always been an issue in the disign and engineering industrys.

You are right you can not do any cad functionality to this format. You can only print, view, Zoom extence, zoom window and zoom view. The advantage to DWF Viwer ofer Acrobat is True scale. In essents a DWF file is a viewable and reusable Plot file.

For copywrite reasons I will not ever offer the plans in any DWG or DXF format.

Now if someone wants a body bounrdy in DWG or DXF to use to cut a mold or bending form with on CNC I will be glad to help out. but only the body profile. Never the plan set.

You must keep in mind that the membership of the forum is not the only ones that can buy the plans. I have no fear of one of our members trying to take advantage of the forums rights to these plans. but a non member can also buy them.MichaelP38987.6261574074

Thanks for clarifying this Michael. I was just speaking from ignorance.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Guys,
I would prefer not to send out any of the DWF files.

Sorry

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

No ignorance! Like I just said in my edit of the last post. The copy or save as issue has always been an electronic trasfer issue with Autocad drawings. That and the scale and line quaility issues with Acrobat is what drove Autodesk to come up with this format.MichaelP38987.6286342593

You send out files and they are gone!!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

[QUOTE=Billy T] You send out files and they are gone!![/QUOTE]

?

I think he means that once you send out easily and accurately reproducable dwf's (even if they're not editable), then you'll lose lots of sales.

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Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

Bingo!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)