It allows you to determine either the size of raw material needed or the number of gore sections to fit on your available material.
How to make a cone out of sheet metal.
Here is one way to make a cone from flat stock.
Sheet metal cone calculator.
If you want to get more specific however you should start with a circle instead then cut a wedge out.
Cut a length of string with a loop at one end and the other end held at the pivot mark.
This is just one way and i find that is the easiest and quickest way.
There are many different ways to lay out this pattern.
The easiest way to make a cone is to start with a semicircle then overlap the straight edges until they form a cone shape.
If the metal is flexible just take the remaining sheet and bring the two straight edges together.
Toss out the pie slice.
How to roll a metal cone.
Drill a few holes through the overlapping rectangular shape.
Now you have a cone.
The cone has a diameter at the top smaller than the diameter at the bottom and to accurately trace the shape onto sheet metal you need to make a template out of construction paper.
View the cone instructions below to learn how to manually layout the flat pattern for a truncated cone in single or multiple gore sections.
Once you know how to make a basic cone you can experiment with other materials such as plastic sheeting.
Roll the cone template into a cone shape starting at the wide end working toward the pivot point end.
I used aluminum sheet coil but you could use paper or any flat material.
You will now have a circle of sheet metal with a cut from one side to the center.
You can find cone calculators online.
Cut out the cone template from your sheet metal using tin snips and file the edges smooth of any burrs of rough sections with your file.
Cut out a circle of sheet metal using snips a jigsaw or bandsaw cutting torch a nibbler etc then cut a pie slice out of it.
Mark one end of the line pivot and.
Using the anchor point of your compass as a target and stopping point cut up to it in a straight line from any side.