Spindles in SU

[Aaron Beaver]

Wanting to know if those curvy spindles (the small ones 1 1/2" high or so) can be drawn in SU. They don't have to be an exact replica even though that would be nice, but I would like something a little close. I even want to show then tenons on the end of the spindle as well.

[Dave Richards]

Sure, you can draw them in SU. Draw the profile and a circular path for Follow Me. You'll probably want to scale them up by a factor of 10 or 100 before running Follow Me. If you want me to do a step by step, post a picture of one and I'll give it a go.

Oh fine! Edit and add an image while I'm writing, will ya.

[Dave Richards]

Here ya go. Zipped SKP file attached.

Step one was to draw the profile of the spindle. In this case, since you posted the picture, I opened the GIF in Picasa and saved it as a JPG so I could import it into SU. I imported it without worrying about size. I just made it large enough so I didn't expect any of those small faces SU couldn't fill.

Although they've been erased, I used some construction lines to lay out guides for the profile. Then I drew the profile with a combination of lines, arcs and Bezier curves. For this example I didn't work at making the chamfers on the tenons correctly. I think you get the idea, anyway.

I drew a circle centered on the centerline of the profile and then ran Follow Me. A little softening of some edges and voila! Be sure to make the spindle into a component.

The next step, which I didn't do, would be to size the spindle correctly. For something like this spindle I probably would have made the extra copy of the profile before running FM. Select the spindle component. Then use the Tape Measure tool to measure the length of the spindle, clicking on both ends of the centerline. Then type the desired length fo that line and hit Enter. SU will ask if you want to resize the selected component to which you would click Yes.

Suddenly the spindle is the desired size.

[Aaron Beaver]

Here ya go. Zipped SKP file attached.

Step one was to draw the profile of the spindle. In this case, since you posted the picture, I opened the GIF in Picasa and saved it as a JPG so I could import it into SU. I imported it without worrying about size. I just made it large enough so I didn't expect any of those small faces SU couldn't fill.

Although they've been erased, I used some construction lines to lay out guides for the profile. Then I drew the profile with a combination of lines, arcs and Bezier curves. For this example I didn't work at making the chamfers on the tenons correctly. I think you get the idea, anyway.

I drew a circle centered on the centerline of the profile and then ran Follow Me. A little softening of some edges and voila! Be sure to make the spindle into a component.

The next step, which I didn't do, would be to size the spindle correctly. For something like this spindle I probably would have made the extra copy of the profile before running FM. Select the spindle component. Then use the Tape Measure tool to measure the length of the spindle, clicking on both ends of the centerline. Then type the desired length fo that line and hit Enter. SU will ask if you want to resize the selected component to which you would click Yes.

Suddenly the spindle is the desired size.

I did the other half at least the outline, I only used lines and arcs, didn't see the Beizer curves option anywhere, maybe thats in SU Pro?

Let me know if you think what I did will work. I will have to work on the importing part. I could of saved it as a jpeg, didn't know thats what SU needed for importing. So I will have to try that later.

[Aaron Beaver]

P.S. I got this error message when doing the Follow Me. "Edit" On the one I made I get the message. I tried the profile you made and didn't get the error message, its just a different color than yours.

Warning: The path you have chosen does not begin or end on the Extrusion cross section. Unexpected results may occur.

It still looks like it did it but I am not sure.

[Dave Richards]

Aaron, the Bezier curve is from a Ruby script. I've mentioned it in other tutorials and posts. It'll work in the free version of SU.

I don't know why you got the error message. It usually doesn't cause a problem. It just means your and path are positioned as SU would expect. I didn't get that error message when I copied your profile and set a circle centered on the centerline of it. Maybe your circle wasn't centered on the circle? Maybe it was a hair forward or behind the profile?

I tried moving the circle back 1/32" and when I ran FM, I got the error message.

The reason yours came out blue is that the back faces are out. SU works around a circle in a counter clockwise fashion. So in the case of your profile the back face is the exposed face. You could select the entire spindle, right click and choose Reverse faces to fix it.

[Aaron Beaver]

Aaron, the Bezier curve is from a Ruby script. I've mentioned it in other tutorials and posts. It'll work in the free version of SU.

I don't know why you got the error message. It usually doesn't cause a problem. It just means your and path are positioned as SU would expect. I didn't get that error message when I copied your profile and set a circle centered on the centerline of it. Maybe your circle wasn't centered on the circle? Maybe it was a hair forward or behind the profile?

I tried moving the circle back 1/32" and when I ran FM, I got the error message.

The reason yours came out blue is that the back faces are out. SU works around a circle in a counter clockwise fashion. So in the case of your profile the back face is the exposed face. You could select the entire spindle, right click and choose Reverse faces to fix it.

Thanks for the help, I will look for that ruby script and try it out. Got the reverse faces to work, but still getting the error on the extrude. I picked the "endpoint" and still got it. Even drew the circle off to the side and then moved it to the intersection and still didn't work, so I will have to look at that more later.

[Dave Richards]

Aaron, can you post the file with the path drawn but before Follow Me? Set it up and run FM to make sure you get the error message. Then click Undo and save the file. Maybe I'll be able to figure out what you're getting and why.

[Aaron Beaver]

Here ya go, its the very last one, I left the circle on as well so you could see it.

[Dave Richards]

Aaron, I figured out your problem. It has to do with the way you drew the circle. delete the one you drew and redraw it. This time make sure that as you're dragging out the circle, the radius line is red.

It has to do with the orientation of the circle. I drew a construction line through the center of the circle. Notice where the "corners" fal on your circle comapred to mine.

[Aaron Beaver]

Yep, that did it, thanks a million. When I was dragging my cirlce I was just pulling it anywhere, good to know that the axis on circles matter as well.


Last one, any special instructions on importing the picture? Just under File, Import, correct?

Edit: I got it to import, just couldn't get it to "stand up" like yours was, do a I need a contruction line or anything.

[Dave Richards]

Yep, File, Import.

Keep in mind that Follow Me needs to start at a "corner" on a circle or else the profile must be perpendicular to the first line segment of the path.

[Aaron Beaver]

Dave, see my "edit" in previous post, about standing up the pic.

[Dave Richards]

After you've imported the JPG, select the image component and orbit to a low view point to the side of the image--so you're looking at the side edge of the component--and use the rotate tool stand the image up.