Building around a form

SketchUp
1

Hello,

In my shop, I have a series of forms for various objects which I am modelling in SketchUp. I would like to then model the final product based on the form, sort of like offsetting a 3D model by 3/4". Is this possible?

Thanks,
Chris

2

Yes. Depending on how you’ve modeled the form, you can probably copy edges of the forms and use them with something like Curviloft to generate the skin of the bent shape. Joint Push/Pull could add the thickness.

It would be useful to see what your forms look like.

3

Thanks for the reply!

Here is an image of the form I am using:

1098×552 12.5 KB

4

Ok. That would be easily done. Assuming you’ve made the form a group or component, open it for editing. Select the bell-curve edge of the form. Hit Ctrl+C to copy the selected edges to the clipboard. close the component/group to get out of edit mode and then hit Edit>Paste in place. Next, while the pasted edge is still selected, get the Offset tool. Create an offset edge the thickness of the bent ply or whatever it is. Use the Line tool to connect the ends and Push/Pull to extrude it to the width of the form.

All native tools and it goes faster than I can type it.

5

I did end up using that method, which worked well enough. The front and back of that shape do actually have a taper to them, which cause some issues with thickness (I’m okay with that for this application).

Thanks,
Chris

6

Ah… I couldn’t see the taper between the front and back.

In that case you could copy the bell curves on each side of the form and paste them in place. Join the two curves with straight lines and use the first method I described.

7

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