I Want to Model this pillar.
Problem is i want only outer face of this model.For this if i use SOLID TOOLS Outer Shell.Its said “Not a Solid”.When i use solid inspactor it do some wired stuff… I am using sketchup 2016 Pro. Help me solve this Proz … 
Thanks in advance.
Here’s how I would do it:
- create a cylinder that’s the height and diameter you want. Set the number of sides for the circle to equal the number of ribs you want in the finished model.Make it a component. It’s easiest if you use the origin as the center of the cylinder.
- Trace a path for the Follow Me tool. There are plug-ins, such as Upright Tools, that will generate the path that curves around the cylinder. But you can create a path by turning on Hidden Geometry by opening the cylinder component and drawing a line that coils up the cylinder, following the intersections of the hidden geometry dashed lines. With the path complete, use the TIG-Weld plug-in to make your line segments into a single line. Cut the line (command-X or Control-X), close the component, and go to Edit>Paste in place.
- Create the semicircular shape to extrude along your path. Then run Follow Me.
- Use the Copy/Rotate tool to copy the extruded shape around the cylinder.
That’s it in a nutshell. Hope it helps.
Best,
dh
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Ahaan So the solution is to use semicircle instead of circle… But I want to know the reasons of strange behavior of solid inspector and why solid tool does not recognize this as a solid.
My method would be to create a “gingerbread” shape, push-pull that into some thickness and rotate the top face. Then make the shape into a component, copy up, and, finally, use the Union or Outer Shell tool, then soften edges, if needed.
Anssi
I am seeing the spiral is not smooth by this method.But I will try that thanks for the suggestion.
I used about three minutes to model that. You would get a smoother result by using a smaller rotation angle and shorter segments.
Anssi
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I am trying this method now thanks,I will post result soon.
It’s impossible to say why your component wasn’t recognized as solid unless we can see the SketchUp model. Can you upload it?
I made this example by drawing and then extruding [pushpull] a suitable profile upwards.
I then rotated the top part to give the ‘skew’.
I then delete the horizontal faces and copied the form [Move+Ctrl] up - several times.
The missing top/bottom faces were added back by over-drawing an edge.
I also Scaled it vertically x1.5…
it is now a solid…
HelicalColumn.skp (1.5 MB)
Some of the horizontal edges could be hidden/smoothed - but I left them in for clarity…
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By applying solid tool , can i remove horizontal lines ?
You might do it by Outer Shell (I havent tried it) , but easier just to select the horizontals and hide them. Or hide them first in the slices.
I should be on with other things but couldn’t resist giving this a go. I used Fredo-Scale toolset twist tool to get the turns.
EDIT- Made of separate components then transformed into a single solid component. Boy, that gave the intel something to think about, think it woke the neighbours.
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My example SKP is already solid - group the geometry to see Entity Info’s report…
You could try soften/smooth context-menu or select the horizontal divisions using suitable fences +Ctrl, and then in Entity Info ‘hide’ them…
Ok lets see…
FWIW, here’s another try. This one was done using Fredo’s Curviloft.
Easily made and a solid component.
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Thanks
But what is the actual problem with my model
for a start, it isn’t a component or group - a necessary but not sufficient condition for SU to treat it as a solid.
When I make it a component, then run Solid Tools, it says there are three sorts of problems.
Nested instances
Surface borders (they aren’t closed) and
Internal Face edges
TIG has posted your file above, it should be ok (2 hour ago)