How can I trace this

[v1ru5879]

This is the dash tray of my truck. How would I scribe the inside of this so I can make a piece that will fit in there. Looking to get it as close as I can to exact measurements so I can design some mounts with my 3d printer for this.

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[4xdog]

I go olde school for that kind of stuff and trial-and-error trim a piece of paperboard.

 

[Ray-CA]

Flip it over, trace the outer edge. Measure the difference between that and the recessed area and scribe a new line. I'd transfer that to a scrap piece of 1/4 or 1/8 material and do a try fit.

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[joe_padavano]

Typically you'd do it with four separate pieces, each smaller than the inside space. Put the first piece in one corner and use a pencil held hard against the side of the opening to mark that one corner. Repeat with the other three. Trim to the lines, put all four back in the opening, push out to the corners, and tape them together.

 

[adrenalinejeeper]

If you need it to be digital anyway, stick that with something for scale (2-3" of an old ruler?) in a flatbed scanner upside down. That will give you a digital image pretty close to flat that you can trace the shape from and use the scale to set the size.

Unless you are saying you want something with the same 3D contour, that would be more complicated. Start with the above then measure the angle of the walls and add that angle as you extrude the shape.

 

[regguy1]

cut a piece of cardboard or stiff paper maybe an inch smaller than the opening, then put a straight edge down against the outer edge of the opening and trace a line on the cardboard on the inner edge of SE.. Then all you have to do is put the cardboard on the material you want to cut and place straight edge on the line and cut to size on outer edge

 

[steaks&anvils]

foil. use aluminum foil pressed into it. unfold and use the imprinted lines.

 

[Kaizen]

Plastic wrap then clay or anything that will hold shape when pulled out. Not sure if spray foam is crisp enough but worth a shot. Then you have the negative you can map in Cnc or hand measure.




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[rlitman]

Are those straight lines forming a rectangle with radiused corners?
Measure the interior dimensions and use radius gauges on the corners.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

1. Masking tape pressed into the corners tightly inside.
2. CAREFULLY cut with an Exacto knife or single edge razor.
3. Remove and sprinkle talcum powder on the sticky side.

RESULT: You have an exact template of the interior.

 

[lbhsbz]

modeling clay...make a mold, measure the mold.

 

[joey1320]

Jello.

 

[manwithtools]

CMM or 3D Scanner

 

[mcj115]

Fill it with water...place in freezer. Wait a few hours flip over? The possibilities are about endles

 

[510ebl]

1. Masking tape pressed into the corners tightly inside.
2. CAREFULLY cut with an Exacto knife or single edge razor.
3. Remove and sprinkle talcum powder on the sticky side.

RESULT: You have an exact template of the interior.

This, but use a pen to trace, remove, and cut along the line with scissors.

 

[dwasifar]

Pour in about 1/8" of Plasti-Dip and allow to set. Peel up the Plasti-Dip, being careful not to stretch it, and there's your template. Optionally you could tape around the inside edge before pouring, but probably not necessary.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Go to the junkyard and buy a spare one that you can cut apart and use as a test model.

 

[p00p]

Go to the junkyard and buy a spare one that you can cut apart and use as a test model.

x2. It'll save you time & cash in the long run.

 

[Jinks]

Surprised no one has suggested a light coat of oil, pam, any release agent, & fill it with Flex Seal. Allow it to set, & pop the Flex Seal out..........

 

[niget2002]

Surprised no one has suggested a light coat of oil, pam, any release agent, & fill it with Flex Seal. Allow it to set, & pop the Flex Seal out..........

I was going to say silicone, but I guess that's similar.

The other option that I've used a lot is the scanner idea if it will fit on the bed. If it won't fit on the bed, you can also use the camera on your phone. Lay a ruler inside it and take a picture. Import that into Fusion 360 and go from there.

 

[nh_yota]

Mix up a batch of jello, pour it in and place in the fridge for a few hours.

 

[rlitman]

Mix up a batch of jello, pour it in and place in the fridge for a few hours.

What flavor?

 

[zippyslug31]

Purple flavor for Ford, red flavor for Chevy. DUH!

 

[rlitman]

Purple flavor for Ford, red flavor for Chevy. DUH!

Ugh red. You never know if you're getting strawberry, raspberry or cherry. At least we all know what purple tastes like.

 

[PWC Repair]

LOL! You guys are killin' me here! All you need is an old school compass. cut a piece of paper smaller than the ID by an inch or so. Run the needle of the compass around the ID....the pencil will mark the paper. Lay that paper on a larger piece and follow your line with the needle this time, the pencil will mark out the exact pattern.

 

[p00p]

if you add a certain other beverage to the jello, that mold becomes one very fun jello shot.

 

[budget76]

Fill it with water...place in freezer. Wait a few hours flip over? The possibilities are about endles

this is actually quite smart. hoping it stays in my 'easy tricks' brain file

 

[APEowner]

LOL! You guys are killin' me here! All you need is an old school compass. cut a piece of paper smaller than the ID by an inch or so. Run the needle of the compass around the ID....the pencil will mark the paper. Lay that paper on a larger piece and follow your line with the needle this time, the pencil will mark out the exact pattern.

Old school but it's quick, easy and works.

 

[zippyslug31]

There's some pretty ingenious, if not overly complicated, solutions here... guess I'll toss mine in here too:
For the rough sidewall dimensions, I'd just lay in 4 sheets of paper that overlap. Move them each out in opposite directions until they are sitting flush with the inside walls, then tape them where they overlap. Do this in both X and Y directions and you have the overall form.
For the corners I guess you'd have to free-hand those... or we're back to using Jello in some weird way!

 

[gungatim]

LGR!

 

[NUTTSGT]

Purple flavor for Ford, red flavor for Chevy. DUH!

Purple would be for Doge/Chrysler.

Ford use blue rapsberry.

 

[v1ru5879]

What flavor Jello for the Nissan in question? Blue?

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[v1ru5879]

LOL! You guys are killin' me here! All you need is an old school compass. cut a piece of paper smaller than the ID by an inch or so. Run the needle of the compass around the ID....the pencil will mark the paper. Lay that paper on a larger piece and follow your line with the needle this time, the pencil will mark out the exact pattern.

I visioned something similar when asking this but thought that it being angled wouldn't give an accurate result. Gonna try this and the masking tape method a try. From there I can whip something up in tinkercad.

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[v1ru5879]

I used to make wood treasure boxes I sold with felt cut to fit the inside. I decided to add felt after the prototype was built.

I used the same method for making a pattern on vinyl sheet floor. cut 4 scraps, lay them in there around the perimeter, let them overlap, then tape them together.

easy peasy...

That was my first thought but with the rounded corners I figured I would need some radius gauges to get those accurate measurements for a 3d print

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[v1ru5879]

Thanks everyone for all the tricks you've shared. I love this forum for questions like this

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[CN Spots]

Spray a light coat of non-stick on it like Pam or something. fill it with plaster of Paris and let it harden. It won't melt or flex when you try to measure it.

 

[rlitman]

Spray a light coat of non-stick on it like Pam or something. fill it with plaster of Paris and let it harden. It won't melt or flex when you try to measure it.

Sure, but that recipe tastes like chalk.

 

[CN Spots]

Add bacon.

Bacon fixes everything.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Spend this months tool budget on a 3-D scanner.

 

[v1ru5879]

Spend this months tool budget on a 3-D scanner.

I'm only trying to fit the inside to make mounts. Altho that would be a good tool investment, especially for visor clips and other plastic parts that tens to break

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