About This File
This is a set of tools I made to help with detailing the dome. Some are attachments for a Dremel router base. These are useful for working on wooden domes. Others are more generic and can be used on any dome. All tools are shaped to fit along either the top curved part of the dome or the bottom cone part. Raft and support required where noted. They are numbered on this image and described below. The wrench is not included.:
1 Drill Guide - Guides drill bit perpendicular to dome surface
2 Dome Protractor - Marks out 45 degree angles
3 Dome Ruler * - Measures cm along the surface of the dome and from a center point
4 Long Longitude Arm * - Guide for longitudinal cuts, used with Base Adapter (7) maximum span
5 Short Longitude Arm * - Guide for longitudinal cuts, used with Base Adapter (7) span for lower dome cuts only
6 Latitude Arm * - Guide for latitudinal cut (back half of dome), used with Base Adapter (7)
7 Base Adapter * - Adapter which fits the Dremel router base. Key attaches to Longitude and Latitude Arms (4,5,6) or freehand
8 Angle Guide Bottom - Guides cuts on the cone portion of the dome, used with Angle Guide Top (9)
9 Angle Guide Top - Guides cuts on the cone portion of the dome, used with Angle Guide Bottom (8)
10 Cone Ruler * - Measures and marks the cone portion of the dome
11 Port Template - Marks the eyestalk port
12 Front Indent * - Marks the front indents
13 & 14 Rear indent * - Marks the rear indents, pieces glue together at chamfer angle
* raft and full support required
The Drill Guide, Dome Protractor, Dome and Cone Rulers, Port and Indent templates are pretty obvious how they work
The Base Adapter attaches to a Dremel router base and gives it a solid contact to the dome. It attaches to the router base with two rectangular keys and a pair of bolts/wingnuts. It can be used freehand or with one of the Arms which attach to it with a key block.
The Angle Guide pieces are joined by two 3/16" x 16" metal rods. The bottom mounts to a board and the Dremel router base rides the rods at the proper angle to fit against the cone portion of the dome. Like this:
Here's a build diary entry describing their use
Here's the whole thing: NSD Dome Detail Kit.zip