Protoshaper© is the only program written expressly for designing Ring Master® vessels. It utilizes the concept of “Protoshapes”. Some Protoshapes are pre-designed bowls and vases.
It's easy to use this program! You simply enter your blank thickness, ring wall thickness (spacing on the index plate) and the diameter at the top of the bowl or vase. Protoshaper© sketches the vessel and gives you a table that includes the diameters, cutting angles, and Precision Angle Guide (PAG) settings for each ring. Choices include curved sides as well as the standard straight sides. For those who wish to modify the designs offered or create an entirely new design, Protoshaper© offers many more options.
For all but the simplest bowls, Protoshaper© allows you to change the Protoshapes by modifying either diameter or angle so that you can quickly design your own pattern. Another feature is the ability to design vessels using double spaces on the index plate.
For those who want to carve their vessel, this is a significant opportunity. One worksheet allows the user to design straight-sided bowls with steeper sides than the standard Ring Master® bowl. For those who want to design large vessels, one Protoshape allows the input of 26 layers. The total of 27 Protoshapes provides many choices for designing any vessel that is possible to be made from Ring Master® rings. Either copy one of the designs provided, “tweak” the design to fit your needs, or start afresh.
The only prerequisite to using Protoshaper© is that you have Microsoft Excel. This software is available direct from the software developer, Jim Staley. Jim Staley is an expert with the Ring Master®.
Once we recieve your order from the site cart, we email you the software download dock location.
Price: $29.99