I may have answered my own question to issue #2. Using a global fit spline looks like it does the trick.
In your example there’s nothing for the ends of the curve to be tangent to.
If there was an edge for the curve to be tangent to as in my example, below, you will get an indication.
- You could also set a guideline at the middle of the apron and one that is 1-5/8" up from the bottom and snap the control point to it.
Dave,
Perhaps the wording of my example was not the best. I am trying to draw a curved leg like the one on the Moser Wing Hall Table which you showed in a video on the FWW blog Dec 19, 2011.
(in the video you used the Bezier Curve extension also by Fredo6)
When I draw the curve I want to see an indicator that the bezier curve is tangent to the edge of the leg blank.
In the screenshot below I show the curve on the right portion of the leg blank. I am moving the control point along the leg. Should I expect a cyan tangency indicator ?
I used that because FredoSpline had not been released yet.
The curve will be tangent to the vertical edge of the leg if the control point is on the edge as you show in the screen shot.
No. See above.
This may indicate ignorance of the fundamentals of Bezier curves. With a control point at each end, the curve is tangent to the lines from the center control point to each of the end points. If you have target tangency at both ends, you must place the center control point at the intersection of the two desired tangent lines.
Thanks @DaveR and @slbaumgartner for taking the time to answer.
Yes, since the Bezier Curve has one of its points on the line which I want to be tangent to, moving the control point along that line will insure tangency. I can of course move the control point off of that line. So what I was looking for was a color indicator of tangency but as Dave answered no, that will not occur.
I have used the FredoSpline and previous Bezier extension but many times making fair curves does not always occur, especially if I use (and move) more then one control point. Having an indicator of tangency , similar to the way curves are drawn in Layout would help. I don’t know if that same type of indication/control exists with FredoSpline.
In some cases, as I showed in my first reply to you today, FredoSpline will indicated tangency but not always. There are a couple of things I often do when to make sure I wind up with fair curves. The first is to set out guidelines and make sure I get guidelines on them as appropriate. The other is basically the same as in the shop. I will sight down the curve from the ends to make sure there nothing weird or unwanted. That’s done by orbiting in SU.
Thanks Dave so much for you advice.
I was thinking exactly the same about making fair curves in the shop, sighting down the curve, often with much squinting of eyes. As I said, I was hoping this indication of tangency was reliable and built in to the extension to insure a fair curve is drawn. I’ll try and make use of plenty of guidelines and orbiting and do several more curved leg examples. Moser’s website is a great place to work these issues with pictures of completed pieces.
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