[Plugin] Shape Bender Beta

charly2008 · 29 Oct 2010, 16:35

It can also be misused for other things

LeoZ · 29 Oct 2010, 17:14

@chris fullmer said:

My guess is that the faces are too small. You might try scaling everything up by 10 or 100, then scale it down afterwards. Can you upload the model here?

You are so right!! I drew a bolt of 10 meters and it worked fine.
The only hitch was sketchup itself. It crashed while scaling it down.
But it has a nice autosave, so ...
This was my result.
It's cool!!!

This is too small to start

Chris Fullmer · 29 Oct 2010, 19:24

You seriously made that with shape bender? Cool!

charly2008 · 30 Oct 2010, 18:49

Hi Glenn,

it doesn't work for me!.

Charly

Chris Fullmer · 30 Oct 2010, 19:00

What scale are you worjing at there Charlie? Is that life size - so a few mm? If so, it needs to be sacled up because SketchUp does not handle small faces well.

Chris

charly2008 · 30 Oct 2010, 19:44

Hi Chris,

it was in mm's. I scaled it up, than it worked.

Charly

gullfo · 31 Oct 2010, 01:51

@chris fullmer said:

You seriously made that with shape bender? Cool!

you see the madness you have unleashed upon us?

added my version: just create the helix and extend a triangle equal to one segment and use shape bender. follow-me doesn't give as nearly a reliable result... then scale down.

azarkesh · 1 Nov 2010, 07:51

I am a mac user and a newbie to SU. I really want to use your bending script on mac. Is that possible. I have SU version 8 running on mac.

MANY THANKS

Gaieus · 1 Nov 2010, 08:34

Certainly it's possible. Are you having any issues when installing/using it?

gilles · 1 Nov 2010, 09:05

a very easy way to screw any face:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15784#p122571

david_h · 1 Nov 2010, 14:24

do ya think you might wanna rephrase that?

GMellow · 7 Nov 2010, 21:47

Hi. I'm trying to bend a helix into following a 3 dimensional path...

I built the helix with the helix plugin
I created the set up for Shape bender; Select shape (helix). select line, and select 3D path.

Seems to hang up...???? I get a progress bar: 1%. Expected End Time:?(1 of 1) 1200 test points.

Do I need to keep my paths to two dimensions?

Any assist appreciated.

maurotekten · 9 Nov 2010, 18:28

I'm not able to let it work!! maybe for the folder!!! the bar was loaded, but it doesn't work selecting the firt line and the second arc!!

IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

derei · 21 Nov 2010, 00:48

Problems with SU8 ? It stucks at some point. After selecting both straight line and curve, it says 1% End @ (1 of 5) Searching for objects to explode.
And the progress bar is doing nothing.

Chris Fullmer · 21 Nov 2010, 07:31

That sounds like you have an old copy of Component Spray installed - it was causing clashes and this is generally the error given. Please look for the component spray plugin on this forum, re-download and install. It should fix shape bender. Thanks!

Chris

jorge.cubells · 30 Nov 2010, 19:47

Thank you for this useful script.

How can I solve this error: Error: #<TypeError: Cannot set the length of a zero length vector)>

Probably it is related to the curved line I am using.
Some parts of my model <bend> in each direction, as in the picture.
No group is created after pressing Enter.
(I have no component spray script installed).

If someday there is a pro (paid) version of this scrip, here are some ideas:

be able to UNbend a profile.
be able to calculate the bend gains (as explained in next link)
http://groups.google.com/group/sketchup-how-to/browse_thread/thread/3c36eba7f4346c99/6e7fef649bcf3e4b?pli=1

http://www.sheetmetalguy.com/k-factor.htm

Again, thank you Chris for this useful plugin

Dave R · 30 Nov 2010, 19:53

I can't tell from your screen shot but I wonder if you have the "curve" laying down on the ground plane or is it standing up. If it is standing up vertical to the ground plane, that would explain why it isn't working for you.

Chris Fullmer · 30 Nov 2010, 20:20

I also can't quite tell what the image is showing. Mind uploading the model?

chris

hellnbak · 1 Dec 2010, 05:19

This is my first try using Shape Bender, usually I use Radial Bending. As you can see, the results are less than what I was expecting

I don't know where the phantom green shape is coming from, or why the object is extruding to that instead of the desired red shape. Any suggestions?

jorge.cubells · 1 Dec 2010, 06:08

@dave r said:

I can't tell from your screen shot but I wonder if you have the "curve" laying down on the ground plane or is it standing up. If it is standing up vertical to the ground plane, that would explain why it isn't working for you.

The curve is in the blue-red plane. It works with the curve on the left, but not with the profile curve on the right.

Here is a new picture and the model.

Thank you both,
Jorge.

prueba.skp