Once you have drawn or edited the scaled up copy in the Dave method, you just close it and delete it. If you need it again, just recreate the scaled-up copy with the scale tool
What the heck does that mean?
(newbie’s head just exploded, I mean is there something in this thing that I don’t understand? 
)
I’ve been using that method for many years and never had any problem with getting precise dimensions. As far as using the origin and axis lines, when the component is open for editing, you are looking at its axes anyway. And the Dave Method avoids incorrectly scaled component definitions
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What the heck does that mean?
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Faces have front and back sides. They are delinieated by the two different colors. You need to keep the back sides on the inside of the model.
If you are intending to use the bolt models for anything other than printing one-off on a 3d printer or looking at to admire their smoothness, you need seriously to consider how many segments to use in your circles and arcs.
As components in a larger model, as suggested earlier in this thread, a simple hex polygon cylinder is usually quite adequate to indicate bolt heads.
I frequently see on the 3D Warehouse small components with hundred or thousands of edges, that will render to only a large handful of pixels. Serious overkill.
LOL, as I use this message board I really like the interface 
It lets you do a lot of things quickly, the only problem is that they’re hidden
Does that mess something up?
I’m assuming just highlight and reverse faces?
better:
I can. Face orientation is important in 3D printing and rendering. Get the face orientation wrong and you create problems. Generally it’s just sloppy modeling. Stay on top of the face orientation as you go and it’ll be easy to manage.
Yes indeed.
Or right click on a white face and choose Orient Faces.
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I like that better… Less work 
FWIW, the knobs on these pins are 1 in. in diameter. These were drawn using the “Dave Method” and are accurate in size.
This clamp was done the same way and it also is correctly sized. It was 3D printed and fit the tube it clamps to perfectly.
It usually works well but not always so you need to know both methods.
Sometimes other faces that were correct get reversed, too. It has a great deal to do with how you’ve drawn your model.
Yeah, it usually only works well on good modelling, if the model is badly made SU gets confused.
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Well then clearly I shouldn’t have any problems 
With all these scaling questions I just got to wondering, is it possible to scale to specific dimensions without doing the math?
Like in this case I was modeling a 3/8" bolt hex (9/16" hex), but I just had a thought about something really cool that I could do with a 9/16" nut (.861 or .821" hex depending on the type of nut), and instead of re-drawing I was wondering if I can take this bolt head and scale it from 56.25" across to 86.1"
Yes, either with the Tape tool or the scale tool.
Tape tool, click two ends of the thing you want to scale, let go of the mouse and type the specific size you want and hit Enter, it will ask if you want to resize, say yes.
Scale tool, drag the relevant handle, let go and type the specific size you want including the unit and it will scale to that, even along three axes.
Watch the input box.
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Note: this will scale the entire model, not just the current selection.
Unless you are within the context of a group or component.
Yes, that’s true: tape measure will uniformly scale everything within the current edit context: model, group, or component.
LOL, resized the hex into a 9/16" nut, cut the middle up to .667", drew a cross section in 2 different planes and push pulled them into a solid and applied the intersection from 2 directions and I have a size 6 ring
I have a few lines on surfaces that I can’t seem to get rid of (the surface opens up if I do), and I don’t know how to round the edges (how do I do that?), but this turned out OK:
Now does anyone know where I can get a 9/16" nut (not a really common size) in stainless or even regular grade steel?
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If surfaces disappear when you erase edges, it means the resulting boundary is not planar. The easiest fix may be to just hide or soften the edges so they aren’t visible.
Well I got it cleaned up, I even added some engraving in the front (which I removed in the pic in case someone searches for my pics), and I think it looks pretty good (as in is a good representation, actually I kind of like the proportions of this thing too).
The only thing I can’t figure out how to do now is how to round the edges of the band part (like a comfort fit curved profile on the inside).
Its funny how much you can learn tinkering with something stupid like this… I need to get back to finishing the bolt so I can see if there is something hard about adding threads.
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