The PEPAKURA question thread - PLEASE READ RULES IN FIRST POST!

[89Forever]

unfortunately his wasnt a pep file, just a pdf.

I need to watch a tutorial or whatnot on unfolding as the only way i know how to do it is by clicking the unfold button, and then it does it for me which is no good.

also, not really worried about the build, just the hardening as we wont be able to harden the inside.

 

[Deelite]

I need to watch a tutorial or whatnot on unfolding as the only way i know how to do it is by clicking the unfold button, and then it does it for me which is no good.

Here is a video series:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIdTvnyFSrc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAUbrxfAYXM

also, not really worried about the build, just the hardening as we wont be able to harden the inside.

depending on the size, you don't seal one end, and you do a "slush" cast inside (pouring the resin/smooth cast into the item and you "swirl" it around inside to get everything coated).

 

[89Forever]

dude! you and i could have just written our own thread. thank you for your help here. i'll watch those tonight when i get home. you have been vital to my success. if you want to follow me, i'm adding a link in my signature.

I made a signature, but it doesnt appear to be showing so: Feel free to follow me on my first costume build: Shredder

 

[Deelite]

dude! you and i could have just written our own thread. thank you for your help here. i'll watch those tonight when i get home. you have been vital to my success. if you want to follow me, i'm adding a link in my signature.

I made a signature, but it doesnt appear to be showing so: Feel free to follow me on my first costume build: Shredder

you have to make sure when you post that the "Show your signature" is checked below the reply box.

It should save that setting once you do so (after you submit the reply)

BTW: Not a dude ^_^

 

[89Forever]

it was already selected...

never mind, there it goes. thank you for the patience, understanding, & guidance.

 

[Chaotic Descent]

You want a good example of how a search engine fails me?
I can't get a WoW model into a papercraft model. The only way to do so seems to be... to downgrade WoW to Burning Crusade so that it's compatible with a 3D Studio Max 2009 plugin that can import .M2 3D model files (the .M2 files being extracted by either an MPQ viewer or WoWModelViewer. and this is of course assuming that the plugin works. I could go to the trouble of downloading an old copy of WoW for nothing.), or to pay for a premium copy of Machinima.

I ran into problems like this when I first had delusions of this craft project years ago. I had to wait for a website that provided the 3D models and textures (from a different game, Sage of Ryzom) because the alternative was to learn how to program something with the open-source engine. HAHAHAHAHA.

This is me "working" on my craft project. (except without the ending)

and you've missed the point entirely.

I disagree. RTFM is TL;DR for "don't ask me, read what exists". (even that's short)

- All the information people need to know exists already, and the purpose of people having to rewrite what is already there is quite pointless. Seriously, all we can write is exactly the same as what has been written elsewhere (google search).

Did you not read my post? Not everything out there is (still) true/accurate. Of course it takes more time for YOU. It takes more time for US to read both the true and untrue, digest it, and figure out which is which. So repeating the true parts is more efficient (for the person learning), unless perhaps there's an argument about how dissemination is a superior learning method. (I think it has limited educational value. It's still inefficient for most things.)

- This forum is mostly a great place to show what progress you've made, and receive advice where to head. If there is nothing to show, and only a one way communication, the system fails.

I'm not really sure what you're getting at. Are you saying that you don't have the time to personally teach me? I could understand that.
Teaching is not a passive activity. (Well, it SHOULDN'T be.) Being attentive to the student's feedback doesn't exactly make it use any less energy.

-If a community around a hobby can't provide comprehensive material for people to start out, either create it, or expect lots of "stupid questions" from people who have no idea what's going on. = = = This thread has recapped the same thing MULTIPLE times (Search feature up top )

I said "comprehensive". Forum threads are not well organized. They're single, linear threads. At best they awkwardly branch with quoting, but only backwards, not forwards.

I read the first posts very carefully, all of the links, the rest of the 1st page, and I think scanned the second page to see where it was going.

I don't think I'd be very successful searching the thread. What would I search for? How many people are going to specifically use the word "comprehensive", rather than ask questions about their specific projects? It would take quite a while to read all 34 pages.

- Search engines are not good teachers, and I know this from experience. = Thats why reading was made. Of course asking a search engine a question wont answer it, you have to click links, go to the page, and start reading.

I think you missed the argument I made that said it's inefficient for people to just pour over material on the internet that they're completely ignorant about.
but whatever.
I already wasted an entire day with no progress.

 

[elro]

*INSERT excessive amount of typing with no real point*

You sir are a lost cause, No one really has the time to insert your name into the existing tutorials to make it personalised. Good luck with your future projects.

 

[Chaotic Descent]

You sir are a lost cause, No one really has the time to insert your name into the existing tutorials to make it personalised. Good luck with your future projects.

How can you get it completely backwards again? The problem is that the material on the internet is personalized instead of comprehensive.

I haven't been sitting on my ass demanding that everyone do my work for me! I've been searching the internet for hours on end with nothing to show for it!

 

[tk1055]

Chaotic, I learned how to unfold from the video I linked you to. If you are slow on the uptick watch it several times and then experiment, find out what ways work for you. There are no hard and fast rules how to unfold a model, it just takes practice, time, and (OMG the real secret) Patience. If you have been searching the net have you found the birthplace of Pepakure costuming (the 405th) and read all the stickies in the noob area? If not check them out, they have done most if not all of the legwork...all you have to do is read and study then practice. In fact here is the link to the grand library of Pepakura knowledge, http://www.405th.com/forumdisplay.php/14-Pepakura-and-Cardboard-Armor! (this link is from Page one of this thread).

Enjoy and good luck, I think you will need it.

 

[89Forever]

I love the wonderful people here that provide links! Thank you tk1055, I WILL NEED THIS.

 

[tk1055]

You are welcome. There is truly a wealth of knowledge in that link.

 

[Deelite]

I haven't been sitting on my ass demanding that everyone do my work for me! I've been searching the internet for hours on end with nothing to show for it!

Before anyone posted the tutorials listed here and on various sites, including YouTube, THEY had to figure it out themselves. Nobody taught them how to do it.

I learned by watching videos and asking questions, specific to what I was already attempting. Posting progress threads help.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Learning how to unfold a 3D model in pepakura is really, really simple. Starting with a simple object will teach you the basics. Pepakura is one userfriendly software, not much to figure out. I bought it quite a few years ago for my own 3D models. Perhaps it´s the basic knowledge of how 3D modeling works that gave me an advantage. For beginners without any background on 3D modeling it may be a bit more complicated, but not much. Patience is the key

 

[89Forever]

i have none. i find some features rather frustrating. like i'll resize an object, toy around with it for a few minutes print it out, build it and find its smaller then i expected. i do some measurements and find out that, well, it reverted itself to the original scale. never can figure out why.

 

[Deelite]

i have none. i find some features rather frustrating. like i'll resize an object, toy around with it for a few minutes print it out, build it and find its smaller then i expected. i do some measurements and find out that, well, it reverted itself to the original scale. never can figure out why.

this can be due to the version of Pepakura software (Viewer not designer) you have. I'm assuming that most people have the free Viewer and not the Pay-for designer version.

Viewer allows you to scale, but you can't save those settings. So everytime you open the file, it reverts back to its original measurements.

 

[elro]

Learning how to unfold a 3D model in pepakura is really, really simple. Starting with a simple object will teach you the basics. Pepakura is one userfriendly software, not much to figure out. I bought it quite a few years ago for my own 3D models. Perhaps it´s the basic knowledge of how 3D modeling works that gave me an advantage. For beginners without any background on 3D modeling it may be a bit more complicated, but not much. Patience is the key

I did mention this earlier, but yes this is what actually helps in unfolding. Building a premade PEP file (PHYSICALLY DOING SOMETHING) unravels the most important knowledge you can gain via experience. Whilst building, take note of how pieces join together and keep in mind the sort of edges present, so that when you unfold your own work you have an idea of what doesnt work so well.

 

[Pilot]

Search engines are not good teachers, and I know this from experience. The rest of the internet is not as great as wikipedia.

The Internet is a fantastic teacher, you are clearly inexperienced, and Wikipedia is one of the most horrifically unreliable references known to mankind.

Please reset your connection and try again.

 

[89Forever]

this can be due to the version of Pepakura software (Viewer not designer) you have. I'm assuming that most people have the free Viewer and not the Pay-for designer version.

Viewer allows you to scale, but you can't save those settings. So everytime you open the file, it reverts back to its original measurements.

i have the free designer and free viewer. the designer i have does not allow saving, but all the changes should remain until it is closed.

Also, i was having a problem with my resin hardening... i took the advise of adding a couple extra drops of hardener to my resin. i woke this morning to check my work from last night and again, i had spots of gummy resin that wasnt quite hardened.

Upon further inspection, i realized only the first few parts were dried properly. about halfway through my hardening, my cup started to disolve. So I'm thinking that the plastic of the cup is what is gummy, not the actual resin.

Do others use plastic cups or paper or what?

 

[elro]

Also, i was having a problem with my resin hardening... i took the advise of adding a couple extra drops of hardener to my resin. i woke this morning to check my work from last night and again, i had spots of gummy resin that wasnt quite hardened.

Im not sure what the equivalent is for where you are, but here I use plastic containers known (common name) as 'Chinese Containers'. Basically cheap plastic square containers. ***Edit**:Oh, just found a picture :

What sort of resin are you using? I use polyester, and have never had it melt or dissolve the container - Along with that, is the resin 'eating' the plastic, or is the exothermic reaction 'melting' the plastic???

In the event its not actually the plastic that is gummy, the next thing to check is that you're really getting in there and mixing the resin + hardener thoroughly - Resin reallllllllyyy needs a good mix, or it will produce the gummy spots problem. Perhaps try mixing smaller batches of resin, spend longer mixing in the hardener?

 

[The Ronin]

I did mention this earlier, but yes this is what actually helps in unfolding. Building a premade PEP file (PHYSICALLY DOING SOMETHING) unravels the most important knowledge you can gain via experience. Whilst building, take note of how pieces join together and keep in mind the sort of edges present, so that when you unfold your own work you have an idea of what doesnt work so well.

Amen to this. It's amazing how much easier you can make something just by unfolding it properly. I swear some of the unfolds I've seen look like some monkey just started clicking on random places, hoping it would work. Before I print anything out, I make sure to go over it in pep designer VERY thoroughly to look for annoying spots that can make what should be an easy job into a difficult one.