Merging geometries smoothly

[tuelreyn]

I need to make a cone (easy part) transition at some point into a square at the bottom.
so plan view is a square but the top view is a circle much smaller than the square.

To be specific a 3" square into a 1-1/2" circle 9" tall

if anyone can steer me in a direction it would be great!

tuelreyn

[Dave R]

Hi Victoria. Welcome to SCF.

Is this something that you would make for real? How would you make it? Out of what? Do you want sharp corners on the square or would they have small radii? Do you want to do it manually or with a plugin?

I would use Fredo's Curviloft plugin. Draw the square and a circle at the required distance, select them both and start the tool. I'll get you the link for the plugin and a quick illustration.

[Dave R]

Curviloft: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=28586 Make sure you read the first post and also install LibFredo as directed.

Square and circle on the left. After joining them with Curviloft on the right.

[tuelreyn]

Dave, this is awesome and I will download plug in. Since you are curious, I do custom metal work and have a line of furniture and lighting. Right now this is a design drawing, then it will be a full-size mockup in wood cut out with c and c router, then it will be a pattern for sand-casting in cast iron, then it will be a fireplace grate, or part of it.

thanks so much for the help! Victoria - tuellreynolds.com

[Dave R]

That sounds pretty cool. would you be willing to show your SketchUp drawing, the wood core and the resulting casting when you get that far. I think it would be intersting. It's always fun to see how folks make the jump from the SketchUp model to a real object.

[massimo]

Hi Victoria, maybe you could be interested also in this one.
http://www.drawmetal.com/home

[Gaieus]

Yeah, you will love drawmetal (good that I have read all the way down - thanks massimo!)

[Jean Lemire]

Hi tuelreyn, hi folks.

If you want to practice with the native tools of SketchUp (SU) before plunging in the plugins universe, see this SU file for ideas.

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Square to round transition.skp

[T_Osborn]

Count me in as someone else very interested in seeing Sketchup applications in the design and making of real-life "stuff". I tinker with SU for drawing and thinking my way through potential carpentry projects.

[djh]

Jean, thank you for the tutorial!