Pattern Archive - Who's Mantaining It

[Craig Nadler]

I noticed that the armour pattern archive http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/ doesn't look like it has been added to in years. How does one go about adding to it?

Best Regards,

Craig Nadler (a.k.a. - Sinric)



(Edit by JT... stickied to the top)

[Halberds]

I second the motion.

Do I hear a third and call this to vote?

Craig Nadler has the floor.

[wcallen]

This seems to come up every so often. It appears that there isn't a current process for adding patterns and the area is pretty dead. I would be happy to be proven wrong.

Wade

[Emeryk]

Yes please, I used one of his patterns to make my first helm. It was much appreciated. Last year we tried to make DXF files available to anyone to cut parts by machine but that kind of fell to the side - although I have made a helm from the parts i cut on the plasma table and it turned out ok.

[Mac]

I would be pleased to donate some of my template collection if someone else did all the "geeky work".

Mac

[Craig Nadler]

Mac:

I would be honored to scan in your templates and turn them into JPEG and AutoCAD DXF files. The more information that we can get out there the better.


Best Regards,

Craig Nadler (a.k.a. - Sinric)

[Giles de Bois Guilbert]

I've sent a pm to JT a long time ago with a patten but I never received a response or confirmation

[Scott Martin]

I'll donate patterns and I can also provide a place on the web to park them for distribution. In addition I have free access to a large format (11x17) scanner and I can probably get larger pieces scanned or photographed "flat" with a grid behind them.

Craig, if you have a process to convert patterns to DXF format that would be a useful discussion topic, since I need to convert segments into arc / radius segments to get this done.

Could I propose that patterns that get uploaded contain some information encoded into the file - I'd suggest

• who the designer is
• the number of pieces in the pattern
• the date of the last pattern revision

The easiest way to do this is probably a header, although having notes on each pattern piece is probably also workable.

My last set of gauntlet patterns is available here:
http://blog.borealissteel.com/1480-goth ... t-pattern/
and permission is granted to reproduce for personal use. I will be adding the gorget based on Wade's 1560 Ausberg once I am happy with the pattern, and will go through my collection looking for suitable patterns to add to the mix.

I'll also add a post asking what patterns folks would like to see in a revived pattern archive.

Scott Martin
(Edited - Wade's gorget is 16th, not 17th century)

[Craig Nadler]

My process for converting the patterns is based on the one from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=147742&hilit=dxf+convert+patterns .

The one step that I add is to redraw the pattern over the top of the converted pattern to clean it up.


Best Regards,

Craig Nadler (a.k.a. - Sinric)

[Aussie Yeoman]

Mac, if you were to take high-res photos of your templates on a flat surface from a reasonable distance, square on (of course you'd know this already for reducing foreshortening), I can convert them to DXF for the CAD folks, and PDF or JPEG for the rest.

Dave

[Scott Martin]

And if you're taking photos, please include a ruler so that we can apply appropriate scaling - scanners are nice because they tend to be 600, 300 or 200 dpi, so you can get scale from pixels readily - not so much with a camera...

Scott Martin

[Louis de Leon]

I would be pleased to donate some of my template collection if someone else did all the "geeky work".

I volunteer. If JT doesn't have the time, I'd be happy to.

[Pitbull Armory]

I offered to add some a few years ago but it seemed to be a really in depth process that I never found the time for.

Archive patterns are where I got started building steel armor, I was using Craigs patterns 10 years before I even met him here on the aa. Thanks to all who have patterns in there.

Mac and everyone else who volunteered to add more.....Bless your hearts.

GO LOUIS


Have a good week

Pitbull

[Louis de Leon]

Been talking through PM with Aussie Yeoman and I think we're going to do this. Here's what I propose.

I'll get some web space somewhere and make a new pattern archive. I'll take what we've currently got here and give it some spiff. Aussie will digitize and dxf and do his image magic for Mac and Wade and Craig and anyone else who needs it, and I'll sort/store/arrange it.

Scott Martin, your input is also welcome. I'll throw your contributions in there too. And anyone else's. There are mentions on the other pattern thread of other goodies out there that people are offering up. Let's have them all!

Then once I get something up and running I'll let JT know about it. I'll be sure to set it up so he can simply slurp the site into his setup and make it part of the AA proper. My page will be the demo.

Give me your feedback. Tell me how this should be arranged. Should we do it by date? Geography? Item type (helm/gauntlet/legs)? What do you think?

And let me know if something sucks! I'll fix it.

[Jan van Nyenrode]

Hi Louis,

Excellent idea. Personally I would do it by era and within that group by armour part. I suspect most armour patterns won't be too specific to really group by geography.

Cheers,

Jan

[losthelm]

It realy depends on how much content you endup with.
once you have things hoasted and properly formated ajusting the database should be straight forward.

In the past the archive patterns where clustered based on who contributed the patterns, what part of the body they covered, and generic SCA persona.

I suspect one of the early steps would be searching the archive for things that have already been posted and then getting permision to refine the format for use as well as hoast photos.

There are a number of other articles on the web that are useful, so getting permision to hoast copys may help fill in some spaces.
I'm thinking of the oxidation color charts and the 4 point chin strap diagrams that seam to be reposted or linked to quite often.
Links may work well for a time but a lot of content was lost when geocitys went away or people change image hosts.

[Ingvarr]

I'm able to help with dxf conversions as required as well and can also scan up to 11x17

[JT]

Quick note (from work and iPad)

I'd love to see things get expanded on and to have more patterns. If we can get some agreement on what should be included, and how it should be included I'll see what ca be done.

[Grischa]

Just want to say: I want to thank everybody who is contributing to the pattern archive!

[Aussie Yeoman]

I think the best order to do it in is to put things up in whatever order the owners of the patterns contribute them.

If Wade and/or Mac decide to send a bunch of photos of all their pauldron templates, then we will see a lot of pauldron patterns to begin with. If they decide to provide a progression of bascinet profiles to emulate, then that is what we'll see at first.

So really, the releases will depend on the organisation of the storage of the originals.

Exciting times!

[Scott Martin]

Gothic gauntlet pattern is here:
http://blog.borealissteel.com/1480-goth ... t-pattern/

JT you're going to want to have some kind of release / public license for patterns so that you don't have the headache of IP issues. I'm in favour of something like the GNU license, or some mechanism that allows free redistribution for personal use. This is probably a separate thread though...

I will look through my pattern archive and see if there are any patterns that are close enough to be released - I have a decent set for SCA demi-gauntlets, the 1480's gauntlets are a period-based pattern (I haven't put the flute lines on yet) and I have a demi gauntlet pattern based on the A254 that does have flute lines included.

I also have a decent late 15th century breast and back pattern, but suspect that this will take a bit of work to convert - any takers for a photo to printable pattern conversion please drop me a PM - I can photo on a sewing grid (1" or 2" squares) to make it easy to rectify the patterns.

Perhaps a thread needs to be opened for folks willing to donate patterns, and folks willing to convert / digitize them?

Scott Martin

Scott

[Swete]

The more patterns the better!

[Craig Nadler]

This is an example of my new format for project pages and patterns: http://www.nadler.us/COP.html

BTW, my vote is for grouping the patterns by the contributing armourer.


Best Regards,

Craig Nadler

[johnpowers]

I may have access to a .dxf for the suit of lorica segmentata on the bottom of your archive, Sinric. If you like, I'll talk to my friend about it.

[Craig Nadler]

I made that lorica segmentata over 20 years ago. I didn't use a pattern, I just looked at a diagram of a lorica segmentata in a book.

[johnpowers]

Well, it's a dxf for a similar suit, based upon the same archeology. Not based on your work.

[Craig Nadler]

johnpowers:

I definitely think that it's worth putting it in the pattern archive.

[Tostig]

This is an example of my new format for project pages and patterns: http://www.nadler.us/COP.html

BTW, my vote is for grouping the patterns by the contributing armourer.


Best Regards,

Craig Nadler

Nice example! Would you consider adding a links section to the template where relevant threads can be added. This would consolidate access to advice on using a particular pattern.

BTW, my vote is for grouping by type because that's how a think a pattern will most often be sought.

Cheers,

-- Tostig

[Buster]

I have a few patterns I'd like to add, but I don't have a scanner. I'll gladly pay a small fee if someone is willing to upload them.

[Aussie Yeoman]

If you take good quality digital photos of them with a ruler in shot, you can email them to me and I will turn them into PDF and DXF.

[Buster]

Thanks Aussie Yeoman, but after doing a few test photos, I'm not sure my camera is seriously up to the task.

[Aussie Yeoman]

It may not be the camera's fault. Did you try in full sunlight?

[Buster]

thanks for the tip, it worked much better.
I received another PM, though did you want me to try sending you some?

[Aussie Yeoman]

If you mean me, then yes, sure. Send them over.

[The Iron Dwarf]

on a different note....

I dont make armour or have patterns but I could write something about making tools for those setting up a shop on a budget, maybe others could add related stuff.
Hal wrote a long time ago about making different hammers IIRC
someone wrote about how to make a dishing stump

if you want a tool / shop section somewhere let me know and if I am doing anything that could be used you can have it.

I dont want to do the geeky bits though so could just send stuff to someone and let them put it together or send a link to a thread where I was discussing things and say use what you want