What is your PERSONAL Pepakura Procedure?

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daxter

Jr Member
Hello All! I was wondering if you all had any tips or tricks for pepakura! I have my method, but everyone has little shortcuts they never put in tuts. Here is my process:

1. Download Pepakura File
2. Rescale as necessary
3. Mess with Print Setting for letter printing, vector printing, margins, etc.
4. Print, keeping pages all in order
5. Separate pages in sections of 5 pages
6. Put sections in individually labeled file folder
7. Cut out all pieces in a folder, and return pieces
8. Score each piece in individual file folders
9. Start gluing them together with pepakura open for quick reference
10 Finish yo' project, foo'!

My whole method with the file folders was born out of my last project. Last time I cut out all of my pieces and spent a good couple hours trying to find the piece I needed next. So Now I'm hoping that it will work out better! What are your pepakura-fu secrets?
 
What?!? dude you are organized!!!

haha jk jk what I do is basically
1)Do the parts on the computer( they do not matter for everyone does them and the purpose of this thread is personal stuff)
2) I go through ALL of the pages making notes where I should use scissors or ex acto knife ( spelling?) at the same time I score them with the back end of the knife
3) Cut em' all out
4) Get Pepakura Veiwer/ Designer out for reference and I start building with a glue stick ( Glue Stick? you ask? yes a GLUE STICK!!)
5) A tip: I always build from the ground up for my helmets because you can slip it on to your head to see if it is the right size so you don't get all he way through pepping and you figure out it's too flipping small

So those are my steps hope you found them useful
 
you guys are actually really organised compared to me.

1) i get all the files that i need
2) i go about doing the math for each pieces scale
3) i do all the computer pep work for the first piece, scale, re-adjust the unfold etc.
4) print it all out and put it all in one pile
5) crease all the lines
6) keeping the pages in a big pile i work my way from a certain piece that i pick and work off of that cutting out pieces as i go and keeping the pep file open on my comp for reference.

as for going from the bottom to the top i find that in alot of helmet files the bottom doesn't fit when the helmet does so it's not too great of a size checking method. but to each his own.

that's my way, all one big pile really.
 
@laxmaster
I totally started my first pepakura in two sides from the ears, and I didn't really read up all that much on scaling, so I did nothing to it. Luckily, it ended up being being perfect. Hurrah for surprise perfection!

@paradoxdj
I started with a pile! I may end up going back there if I determine these folder's are an absolutely horrible idea :)
 
wow dudes that is organized ^^

1) donwload files
2) scaling them to my height and formating them to A4 format
3) printing
4) open pepakura viewer to look where to start best
5) cutting out the first piece, cutting out the second piece and glueing it on the first piece, cutting out the secon piece and glueing it onto the third ......

jeah thats it
 
^way to much thought in it...(all above that i read)

i myself.
#1
download and rescale
#2
i add a few more glue tabs. to make it so some glue tabs arnt 1mm big...
#3
refit everything to page. and print
#4
start with the top and work my way down. i kept the pages in order last time and did 1 piece at a time. i flew threw the cutting/scoring/folding/glueing part
#5
1 piece at a time with no numbers and pep viewer up.



mats i use
my way of scoring is metal ruler and a huskey flat head screw driver.
with making the tabs bigger were i can, i end up not needing scissors. use my x-acto (new to that to)for cutting everything out.
i use good old fashin glue sticks that were $1 a pack of 4.
and atm my new suit is gonna be rondo'd. last one was glassed.
 
Lately it has been:

1. Download file
2. Evaluate unfold for parts issues(long, narrow pieces with lots of tabs are usually a no-go)
3. Export OBJ
4. Import OBJ into Maya
5. Fix all the geometry issues I can find
6. Import OBJ into Pepakura Designer
7. Flip all valley edges along flat sections to mountains, if possible.
8. Begin to unfold model
9. Locate more geometry issues
10. Flip back and forth between Pepakura Designer and Maya, fixing geometry. Detailed geometry gets simplified in areas where it can be carved out later if it makes the pep process difficult
11. Finish unfold
12. Layout pieces in assembled, exploded order
13. Fix tab locations for ease of assembly and strength/shape holding
14. Double check all pieces for overlapping tabs and other oddness
15. Layout pieces to use minimum amount of paper
16. Print and assemble
17. During assembly, fix areas that are difficult to assemble by unfolding differently
 
Here was my first procedure.
1. Download an rescale
2. Print then notice it cut of one of the pieces because i forgot to set it to a4
3.start cuting out
4. Glue together wondering whether numbers go on the outside.
5. Accidently glue half the tabs on the outside
6. Glue together the rest the right way!
i use pva glue and pens instead of a nife
 
1 download
2 scale
3 save record of scale settings
4 print
5 score and cut all pieces
6 start folding and assemble pieces into larger pieces.
7 glue using scotch fast dry tacky adhesive
I don't look at the 3d reference much.. usually by the time i have scaled and looked it over I remember how it goes together.
 
Hey Maj. Pain here. Just a couple of quick tips for the community:

Doing a custom unfold to match your building style is key to great pep. Rearranging the pieces to be next to the adjacent piece can save you time in the long run(especially if your building style is like mine where you build page by page).

Try setting the line edge or threshold between 153 and 143. This will make for smoother models with less scoring(in some cases you may want to add folds to give the model stronger definition in certain places).

If you have some knowledge of unfolding, try to combine as many pieces as you can while rearranging for less cutting. You have to ensure that none of the pieces overlapped to ensure a buildable model. If your combination does overlap, just press ctrl + Z to undo.

Hope these tips help. Good luck to all.

Maj. Pain
 
So far my process has been:

1. "File Binge" - aka, download too many files for too many armor projects I'll never get to. But hey. I have the file clogging up my fading laptop.
2. Load file into Pepakura
3. Do bad math.
4. Fight cheap printer with cardstock.
4.5: Yosamite Sam cursing.
5. Printer starts working after threatening it with a beating.
6. Get halfway through a few pieces until figuring out it's way too small based on an action figure or screencaps.
7. Destroy bad pieces and get distracted by the screencaps. Tumblr events occur, even though I never use Tumblr.
7.5 Yosamite Sam cursing as laptop overheats and dies.
8. Finally get the math right, print paper out. Cut it out with a drywall knife and proceed to assemble.
9. Various 'nicking' occurs to fingers. Along with hot glue burns if I'm using that type of glue.
9.5 Yosamite Sam cursing.
10. ???
11. Profit.
 
you guys are actually really organised compared to me.

1) i get all the files that i need
2) i go about doing the math for each pieces scale
3) i do all the computer pep work for the first piece, scale, re-adjust the unfold etc.
4) print it all out and put it all in one pile
5) crease all the lines
6) keeping the pages in a big pile i work my way from a certain piece that i pick and work off of that cutting out pieces as i go and keeping the pep file open on my comp for reference.

as for going from the bottom to the top i find that in alot of helmet files the bottom doesn't fit when the helmet does so it's not too great of a size checking method. but to each his own.

that's my way, all one big pile really.

Thats what I do. I don't see why people cut out all the pieces at the same time. seems like it would be really hard to keep track of everything. I just score the pieces that I'm working with at that time. Pep viewer is great to find which page the part is on that you're looking for and I keep all the pages in order even after I cut a part out of the page. I just put it back in order with the piece cut out so everything is easy to find
 
*cough cough* can we say OCD *cough cough*


Just kidding, mine is simple and messy
Print
Cut into jumbled mess
Sort into numerical order
Score
Assemble
Resin
Bondo

Haven't done it yet but
Smoothcast
Pour plastic
Paint
 
1. Scale and resize, save file;
2. Reorganize parts layout, save file;
3. Print file, including page numbers;
4. Score all the lines with blue (mountain) or red (valley) pen;
5. Open Pepakura designer, enable "Check correspondence between 2D and 3D"
6. Select an area to start (helmet at the top, anything else, an end) in Pepakura;
7. Cut and fold selected piece;
8. Check with Pepakura to find an adjacent piece;
9. Cut, fold and attach adjacent piece;
10. Is the part finished? If "no" go to 8, else 11.
11. End
 
I'm a 100% with Kamaro ...
wow dudes that is organized ^^

1) donwload files
2) scaling them to my height and formating them to A4 format
3) printing
4) open pepakura viewer to look where to start best
5) cutting out the first piece, cutting out the second piece and glueing it on the first piece, cutting out the secon piece and glueing it onto the third ......

jeah thats it

Most fun part of all is to figure out where the heck the next part can be found - comparing printresult with pepviewer ;)
 
1. decide what to make
2. resize and rearrange the parts in pep designer
3. fight with the printer to get it printed
4. wait a few days
5. cut out all the parts
6. wait a few days
7. score and fold all the parts
8. wait a few days
9. open pep viewer
10 . lay out parts as they appear on the pages (I put stuff together sat at my desk with the parts laid out on my bed next to me)
11. start building with the smaller intricate pieces.
12. wait until I have a large number of pieces done then resin them.
13. wait until I have everything done and in resin and start with fibreglass, bondo and finishing.
 
1: Download
2: Scale
3: Print
4: Cut out the pieces
5: I the use the sharp end of a pocket knife to score pieces ( pieces that attach to themselves are glued together at this point)
6: START SOMEWHERE!
7: I also try to fit the smaller pieces together and make them a bigger piece before putting it with the rest of the piece
Move on to the next step, resining.
 
This is great guys! It's cool to see people's pep pros.! **Integrates Processes, Scribbles Notes**

So far my process has been:

1. "File Binge" - aka, download too many files for too many armor projects I'll never get to. But hey. I have the file clogging up my fading laptop.
2. Load file into Pepakura
3. Do bad math.
4. Fight cheap printer with cardstock.
4.5: Yosamite Sam cursing.
5. Printer starts working after threatening it with a beating.
6. Get halfway through a few pieces until figuring out it's way too small based on an action figure or screencaps.
7. Destroy bad pieces and get distracted by the screencaps. Tumblr events occur, even though I never use Tumblr.
7.5 Yosamite Sam cursing as laptop overheats and dies.
8. Finally get the math right, print paper out. Cut it out with a drywall knife and proceed to assemble.
9. Various 'nicking' occurs to fingers. Along with hot glue burns if I'm using that type of glue.
9.5 Yosamite Sam cursing.
10. ???
11. Profit.

This procedure has Daxter's seal of approval! :p I love the .5 steps ^_^ **Scribbles more notes**
 
So far my process has been:

1. "File Binge" - aka, download too many files for too many armor projects I'll never get to. But hey. I have the file clogging up my fading laptop.
2. Load file into Pepakura
3. Do bad math.
4. Fight cheap printer with cardstock.
4.5: Yosamite Sam cursing.
5. Printer starts working after threatening it with a beating.
6. Get halfway through a few pieces until figuring out it's way too small based on an action figure or screencaps.
7. Destroy bad pieces and get distracted by the screencaps. Tumblr events occur, even though I never use Tumblr.
7.5 Yosamite Sam cursing as laptop overheats and dies.
8. Finally get the math right, print paper out. Cut it out with a drywall knife and proceed to assemble.
9. Various 'nicking' occurs to fingers. Along with hot glue burns if I'm using that type of glue.
9.5 Yosamite Sam cursing.
10. ???
11. Profit.

I do all of this, but of course, LIKE A BOSS. I also promote synergy and get rejected by Deborah.
 
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