Paper....or plastic?

[rookie]

Hi all. I have seen people turn out beautiful metalshaped panels using Paper patterns and the same result using reinforced tape patterns. For those people without a heck of a lot of experience (like myself, lol) what are the benefits, or drawbacks of each.

Seriously curious, not choosing sides...lol. Thanks.

[CaptonZap]

Here's my take on it.
Paper works well on low crown panels, and tape is not any better than paper about telling you what need to be done.
Tape works well on high crown panels, since it will hold it's shape when applied to test fit.
You still need to be able to feel shape with your fingers/hand, see fair lines, and to be able to visualize mentally where the metal need massaged.

CZ

[BTromblay]

Hi,

I like paper verse plastic, for most projects. Paper will lay out the initial flat sheet size and you can transfer most/ all info from paper, to steel/ aluminum. If I have a high crown or odd shaped panels with alot of detail I will take the time for both, a paper and plastic FSP, (FLEXIBLE SHAPE PATTERN). I use the paper, but confirm my shape with FSP.
I like FSP if I want to make a pattern now, but build the parts later. Paper will tend to loose detail and info, if it sits for months.

Hope that makes sense.

Cheers, Bill

[rookie]

Yes it does...thanks guys.

[AllyBill]

Calico and pins (dressmaking style) works well too. It's a stiff fabric but it will stretch and mold a little and you can pin tucks in it where you need to shrink.

Will

[Marc Bourget]

I've formed the opinion that using paper has a "hidden" attribute missed by some.

While it doesn't adapt to the shape like tape, it will provide guidance for blank size, and the degree of shrinking or maybe where to choose between shrinking (to some degree) or separating and joining after forming. The amount and degree of tucking of the paper, and where and how much is doesn't tuck can tell you a lot if you pay attention.

I came to this opinion after watching the Tinman "do his thing." What struck me was his degree of concentration and awareness of "what's going on" some distance away from the actual forming point - during the process. The metal, if you "pay attention," talks back to you and paper has its own "language" - should you choose to learn it.

Its all a matter of choice and what works for you.

Onward and upward!

mjb

[Mike Motage]

The big thing about FSP 's is that it is your comparator, since it's a model of the intended shape. They are very useful if the car or project is some distance away.

[KAD]

Some thoughts on how I see it (not to be confused with anything related to facts)

Paper might tell you where the shape is vs. where the form is, if you can wrap a sheet of paper around an area and it conforms then that area is reproduced with mostly form changes to your metal.

If the paper needs to be cut or folded and taped to conform to an area then that will be an area that will require shape to be added to the metal. It doesn't really tell you to either stretch or shrink in those areas which is where some confusion can be, for instance if you make a paper pattern of a simple bowl shape some will form the shape with all stretch others see it as all shrunk and still others might use a combinations of both to get the same shape object. As you can see the original pattern did not "tell you how to accomplish it" that is your choice.

While making a paper pattern you get a really good feel for the areas needing shape and you are a bit more hands on "touchy fee-lee" and as your doing it your also gaining knowledge getting the paper to conform is a bit of a challenge and it can "speak" to you as your struggling to get it to conform.

Paper is also easier to use to get your blank cut out as it unfolds better than a FSP.

FSP's if carefully "opened" up will show you a good indication of where and how much shape there is in a panel, if you place that shape in the same location on your metal in the same amount all that will be required to do is to rearrange the metal (change the form) to make it look like what you want.

FSP also have the advantage of being able to easily be turned inside out giving you perhaps the other side of an object which might be missing completely.

FSP's "seem" to be an easier way for people starting out to see the shape in a panel making it easier to keep track of how far along your shape is compared to your goal.

If you have the talent you can learn how to make anything with just paper patterns, and some shapers refuse to use FSP's at all...I'm not sure why that is but I suspect that they just "Always do what they have always done" and feel more comfortable sticking with what they know works for them.

Both forms of information gathering have their uses and speak to different shapers in different ways depending on how their mind sees them as being useful and how willing the person is to try and use them.

Just my .02 on things

[Oldnek]

I've only used Paper and profile gauges, just cut them from 3mm MDF seems to be a quick and efficient way.

[Marty Comstock]

Originally Posted by KAD

Some thoughts on how I see it (not to be confused with anything related to facts)

If the paper needs to be cut or folded and taped to conform to an area then that will be an area that will require shape to be added to the metal. It doesn't really tell you to either stretch or shrink in those areas which is where some confusion can be, for instance if you make a paper pattern of a simple bowl shape some will form the shape with all stretch others see it as all shrunk and still others might use a combinations of both to get the same shape object. As you can see the original pattern did not "tell you how to accomplish it" that is your choice.

This is exactly my issue with paper, or rather when people say "it tells you where and how much to shrink". Not really. It serves a as guide perhaps, but you will never shrink exactly how paper tells you to because of the invariable inconsistencies of shrinking, manual or otherwise.

I prefer FSP's for all the reasons mentioned, yet I will utilize paper for quick and fast patterns where there is little or no shape in a panel. I will also use paper to demonstrate quickly to someone how much shape a panel has, say for example showing a customer that a wheel lip is not as easy as it seems. Reverse curves are a great demonstration tool here.

That is not to say that people cant use paper and get good results, they do, and will continue to do so. It is just that I prefer doing things that I find comfortable, and I can do it in ways that for me are quite fast, repeatable, and with a level of high quality. You may find ways that are just as efficient, and as different.

Marty