I’m doing some practice part modeling and I’am trying to model the handle in the JPG drawing shown below. I’ve also attached my SKP file for reference.
I’ve been able to use Fredo’s Curvilot Loft Along Path extension to create half of the total shape using the upper center curve with the horizontal slot shape and the vertical rounded rectangle shape. I can also create half of the total shape using the lower center curve with the same the horizontal slot shape and the vertical rounded rectangle shape.
I’ve then used the Flip tool to mirror the half shapes about the center rounded corner rectangle shape to create a full handle shape from one slot to the other slot.
My problem is that the actual morphed shape has one curve radius along its top and a different radius curve along its bottom. And I’ve been completely unable to get either shape to also follow the curve that makes the handle shape bulge out slightly as viewed from above.
I’ve got a whole boneyard (scene) full of everything I’ve tried so far.
Also note that I have separate scenes showing the a Top, Front, Left, and Right orthographic views of the model in the Working scene. These ortho views match the front, top, and end views shown in the practice drawing.
Any advice on how I can skin out to curved handle to match the practice drawing’s 3D views? There is most likely a way to do it I’m just not seeing.
Thanks ahead of time.
#SU 2026.2.242 #MacBook Pro (16" M1 Max 64GB RAM) #macOS Tahoe 26.3.1
Before even trying, my first instinct is to look at the top view and side view and do simple extrusion of each without the rounded edges, and then intersect them - either intersect faces or solid tools. Then a round over plugin for the R1.0 and R3.0 radii?
If you wander through my boneyard scene, you’ll see that I’ve tried a few different iterations of what i think you suggested. Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten to the final shape as shown in the practice document.
My experiments with Curviloft Loft Along Path got me some close approximations with the two path selections I mentioned in my original ppost, but not 100%. I’m just flailing around now with Curviloft while trying to select the multiple paths I was hoping it could used to morph between the slot and rounded corner rectangle forms. Most of the time I get very weird geometry and I do not understand how Curvilloft is generating what it’s generating.
Thanks for all your time and efforts in showing me the way. I got Method 2 to work for me, although it took me a few iterative attempts to set the proper options for Curviloft’s Loft By Spline tool to generate the same vertical and horizontal skins you did. Specifically, I had to turn on the Pseudo Quads option for the vertical skins and turn off Pseudo Quads for the horizontal skins. I was also able to use the bevel tool to get the desired handle lower and upper round overs.
The only other niggly issue I still see is that the shape of the curved handle where it meets the mounting plates is not the same exact R2.0 slot shape as indicated in the drawing. Then again, I don’t think it’s really physically possible to get that perfect slot shape at the ends of the handle when they are also specifying the handle with a R1.0 lower round over and a R3.0 upper round over. It seems to me that both round overs would need to be R2.0 to match the slot’s R2.0 semicircle ends.
I have not taken the time, yet, to learn and practice Quad modeling like you showed for Method 1. It does look like another good SketchUp tool to have in the proverbial tool box though.
I was thinking about that while looking at it. It’s an example of a multiple orthographic view drawing that looks like believable, but isn’t really correct.
More than that, the intersection isn’t square, so being a miter, the arcs would be ellipses instead. It’s a bit open to interpretation, and @Mihai did a great job as usual.
You’re welcome!
If you want, you can try this too (method 4). You will have both end sections with the dimensions you want (marked on the plan) and using Curviloft for the two different parts (top, bottom), you then join them together.
