[req] follow me helix

boofredlay

@tig said:

Watch this space...

He's working!!!!!!
This will be a cool plugin for sure if it happens.

TIG

IF
that's IF! - not IF?

TIG

Here's a way of using ShapeBender with appropriately oriented/sized 'bits'; followed by Weld and then EEbyFace...

pilou

Allo ?

sdmitch

Something like this?

Helix Maker.jpg

Rich O Brien

You nailed it. Is it a plugin?

solo

@sdmitch said:

Something like this?

Exactly like that!

sdmitch

Yes it is a plugin. It is a little rough around sharp corners and may take a little trial and error to get the input parameters just right. Pre-select the centerline then run plugin. You are prompted for the radius of the helix, and the linear and angular increments.

Create a helix along pre-selected path

solo

Excellent.

Helix around bent helix:

helix around helix.png

Most appreciated mate.

mitcorb

Congratulations, sdmitch, and thank you.

boofredlay

Woah, great work Sam!

solo

Eric,

That must have taken some time to 'follow me'

EarthMover

Reminds me of the days before cordless phones!

boofredlay

Ha ha, no Pete, I just changed the profiles of the lines to 5 and did a screengrab.

tridem

it works magic! Thanks sdmitch

numbthumb

Thank you, sdmitch!

boofredlay

You know what Pete, it was late last night and I think I read your question wrong. It did take some time for the helix to follow that path. I thought you meant I did a pipe along path afterwards. Sorry.

This plugin is nice for making stitching. Just run it then scale the helix to almost flat. Around a curve might take some tweaking like I did for this one. I actually made the helix on one segment, scaled it "flat" then copied it around the curve. I am also finding out that the longer the helix the less responsive it is to moving or editing. Even though the straight line one is just that, a straight line, it was difficult to manipulate. Best bet is to do a short segment then copy it inside a group or component.
Anyway, enough of my rambling.

EarthMover

Perhaps change the OP to reflect [Plugin] and attach the script to the first post.

Jim

@earthmover said:

Perhaps change the OP to reflect [Plugin] and attach the script to the first post.

But best to start a new post.

ivreich

cool plugin!

next step: allow the helix radius to change along center path according to target points.

joel