Card Model design

[rocketsharma]

I am a total beginner to designing models, though I've built ones which are readily available online.
Therefore, if someone here could point me in the right direction as to how I can start designing rockets and spacecraft for making card models, I'd be very grateful.
I have no idea on how to do the calculations, also how to use software, which ones can I use for the design.

 

[OverTheTop]

I don't know of any of the design software and things like that, but have you seen AXM Paperspace Models?
https://axm61.wordpress.com/
https://axm61.wordpress.com/2016/08/01/apollo-soyuz-test-project-diorama-1100-scale/

Well worth a look if that is your thing.

 

[rocketsharma]

I don't know of any of the design software and things like that, but have you seen AXM Paperspace Models?
https://axm61.wordpress.com/
https://axm61.wordpress.com/2016/08/01/apollo-soyuz-test-project-diorama-1100-scale/

Well worth a look if that is your thing.

I am in touch with Alfonso of AXM almost everyday. Thank You.

 

[GlenP]

If you are talking about simple rockets, body tubes, transitions, flat fins, simple nose cones, you can make artwork in something like InkScape, where a 1" square on the screen is printed as a 1" square on the paper. You can do some simple calculations for the Circumference = Pi * diameter to make a body tube, add some tolerance for paper thickness, or just do some test parts with scrap paper and use a ruler to measure it, then adjust your drawing accordingly. I use spent engines for mandrels to wrap standard size body tubes in 13, 18, 24 mm sizes. For transition shapes you can use the template maker to get a PDF from PayloadBay.Com then import that PDF into InkScape to make patterns or drawings on it. Check out the Project Paper thread here for some existing body tube and nose cone templates you can use to get started.

If you want to tackle more complex models, then you need some kind of 3D modeling and flat pattern printing software like PepaKura
https://tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/productinfo/index.html

for some other sources of paper models check out PaperReplika, that is where I found the Star Wars Rebels C1-10P (Chopper) model and a nice R2-D2 model that I converted into model rockets, but I did not like their BB-8 model and found a better one elsewhere.
https://paper-replika.com/

 

[rocketsharma]

If you are talking about simple rockets, body tubes, transitions, flat fins, simple nose cones, you can make artwork in something like InkScape, where a 1" square on the screen is printed as a 1" square on the paper. You can do some simple calculations for the Circumference = Pi * diameter to make a body tube, add some tolerance for paper thickness, or just do some test parts with scrap paper and use a ruler to measure it, then adjust your drawing accordingly. I use spent engines for mandrels to wrap standard size body tubes in 13, 18, 24 mm sizes. For transition shapes you can use the template maker to get a PDF from PayloadBay.Com then import that PDF into InkScape to make patterns or drawings on it. Check out the Project Paper thread here for some existing body tube and nose cone templates you can use to get started.

If you want to tackle more complex models, then you need some kind of 3D modeling and flat pattern printing software like PepaKura
https://tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/productinfo/index.html

for some other sources of paper models check out PaperReplika, that is where I found the Star Wars Rebels C1-10P (Chopper) model and a nice R2-D2 model that I converted into model rockets, but I did not like their BB-8 model and found a better one elsewhere.
https://paper-replika.com/

Thank You so much Glen, for the detailed reply. I will try to get back to 3D design software and then unfold using pepakura.