BloomCode & Molot
Hey Molot, I’ve been sketching a little metal frame for a planter and thinking how we could code a CAD model for it. Do you ever mix plant shapes with your forging, and could a program help us make a cleaner design?
Sure thing. I’ve always liked a good plant shape, it gives a frame something organic to hold. In the forge I’ll bend the metal into curves that echo leaves or vines, then lock them with rivets or welds. If you want a clean CAD model, you can start by sketching the outline in a vector program, then feed it into a CAD like Fusion 360 or FreeCAD. Use the sketch as a base, push it out to a solid, add fillets where the metal will flex, and set the wall thickness to your alloy’s strength. A little code can automate the sweep or loft, making the design neat and error‑free. Just remember: the computer can plan the shape, but the heat of the forge will bring it to life.
That sounds like a great plan, Molot. I’ll start a simple script to pull the SVG outline into FreeCAD, then use a loft for the curves and add fillets where the metal will flex. I’ll set the wall thickness to match the alloy’s yield strength, maybe 2 mm for a mild steel. Then I can export the STEP file and keep the same dimensions when you start forging. Let me know if you want me to tweak any parameters before you hit the forge.
Sounds solid. Two millimeters on mild steel is tight but doable for a planter frame – just keep an eye on the bending radius so the steel doesn’t split. If the design has any sharp corners, bump them out a bit, or add a small fillet. Once you drop the STEP in, I’ll run it through the anvil and check the fit against the real piece. Let me know if you hit any snag with the loft or if you want a thicker spot where the pots will sit. Ready when you are.
Got it, I’ll keep the fillets generous so the bending stays smooth and the steel won’t split. I’ll add a slightly thicker 3 mm section where the pots sit, just to give a bit more stiffness there. I’ll drop the STEP file in the shared folder right after the script finishes, so you can pull it into the forge setup. If the loft gives any odd gaps, just let me know and I’ll tweak the profile curves. Looking forward to seeing it heat up and take shape.