Need help enlarging and printing a PDF FILE.

[kevin king]

Can anyone help me learn or find out how to enlarge a pdf file and print it on to multiple pages? I want the top and bottom of the wing enlarged and printed to exactly 63". It doesn't have to be on one piece of paper, I can tape the pages together. Hopefully this will help me laying out the panel lines on my spitfire. Lookin back and forth from my plane and a small diagram and trying to interpolate it is more than I can handle. Hopefully a scale size drawing wilI help make the task less aggravating! The highly detailed PDF is attached below.

[Avaiojet]

Can anyone help me learn or find out how to enlarge a pdf file and print it on to multiple pages? I want the top and bottom of the wing enlarged and printed to exactly 63". It doesn't have to be on one piece of paper, I can tape the pages together. Hopefully this will help me laying out the panel lines on my spitfire. Lookin back and forth from my plane and a small diagram and trying to interpolate it is more than I can handle. Hopefully a scale size drawing wilI help make the task less aggravating!

Kevin,

I would just take it to my local printer and be done with it.

CB

[ericrule]

Best ways I have found to do this are:
1) take file to Kinkos or any other print shop or blueprint house and ask them to download, scale it and print it out for you.
2) Have someone with AutoCAD import the pdf file, scale it and print it out for you on a plotter.
Either way works fine. I have used both with success when I owned RSM Distribution.
Regards
Eric Rule

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

This is a relatively easy problem.  The "tile" method of taping together sheets should work fine.  The trick, which is not hard, is to put in a scaling factor.  I'm calculating now.

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

I got 345% (updated.)

Here's how I did it:

1.  Printed the PDF at 25%.  This gave a single page printout with the wingspan 4-9/16".
2.  Multiplied the small printout by 4 to get 18.25".  This is the size that printing the PDF without scaling would yield.
3.  Divided the goal wingspan, 63", by the 18.25" current size.  This yields the multiplication factor, 345%.

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Looks right in this preview.  I've printed a number of plans in this fashion, mostly from kits missing plans in estate sales.

[john e. holliday]

Staples is where I go to have PDF files printed full size.  The gentleman even measured several places to make sure it printed correctly.

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Might be closer to 342%

[Dennis Nunes]

Hi Kevin,

Attached is a "enlarged" PDF file that was scaled 342.2% to get the 63" wingspan that you are after. However, the sheet size is 90" x 120"! I don't know of any printer that can that size sheet.

Dennis

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Dennis,

Your 342.2 does look highly accurate.  That is a lot of paper.  Taping the 8.5 x 11 sheets together would work, likely followed by cutting out the different views.  144 sheets, some blank, is a lot of paper.

Peter

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

Dihedral?  Did we take that into account?

[kevin king]

Thanks all who contributed! Much appreciated! It's mostly the wing I am after, because it's pretty much identical in shape to the models wing. That should save alot of paper. The fuselage I will manage on my own. Thank you again ! 👍

[ericrule]

I am always amazed at the many different methods we all use to accomplish the same goal. The fact that they all seem to work well is a tribute to the inventiveness of model builders. Kind of explains to me why the hobby we all love is infinitely enjoyable. As my friend Mike Griffin says "as long as it works it's good"

[Fred Cronenwett]

the FEDEX offices have 36" wide printers that will scan the 3-view or plans and do enlargements or reductions.  If the plans are drawn at 50" span and you want a 63" span you will want a 126% enlargement.

63 / 50 = 1.26, or 126% enlargement

I have come in with a PDF of a 3-view and then they can enlarge up to 400% of the original size. So bring in your PDF document or the original and tell them you want a 63" span they will figure out what enlargement or reduction % to get your result.

good luck