On " How to Round Complex Corners in SketchUp"

Box

@gus r said:

I can get the fillet to loft but it just doesn't connect with the two main elements.

I'm unsure what you mean by this. At the most basic level you do understand that the lofted part is a separate group and needs to be exploded to connect with the other parts.
If that's not the issue could you perhaps explain a little what the problem really is.

Gus R

Yes, it's a group. I can get it to close with no gaps when I use single cubic Bézier curve (2nd image) but it leaves a gap when I use the B-spline smoothing (1st image) which is the effect I'm looking for. That doesn't allow for a solid without time consuming repair even though it can render OK. I tried doing it with the model at 100X the size and that didn't work. I think it might be this particular form.

It works fine with simpler intersections although the yellow one needed some coaxing. I can see a bump on the surface.

Box

My guess would be that your edges don't have corresponding vertices. If the edges are too different it can force overlaps. I'd also scale the middle profile somewhat as shown in the tut.
It can also be easier, or more controllable, if you use an arc to join the profiles.

I haven't tried to make this nice and smooth, it's just thrown together to show another technique.

GIF 25-09-2023 1-57-41 PM.gif

Box

I've done a quick bit using your model. Here I just used a few straight lines to create a path for the beziers. This helps to create a smooth transition.

GIF 25-09-2023 9-05-09 PM.gif

Gus R

Thanks for giving it a shot, Box. I tried the skin contours method using a different technique and that worked too. I thought I found another method early this morning and when I went back to try it again it either didn't work or I didn't do it like I did earlier in the morning. I forced it to fillet and everything matched up but it wouldn't turn into a solid even though it looked much better. I guess the need for an object to be a perfect solid is a sort of obsession.

I think the non-matching number of segments and that middle loop is causing the distortions

Maybe someone will develop a round complex corner/bevel/fillet plugin.

Gus R

I think I found a solution with the original process. I just copied the loop at the end of the spoke to the top position of that center loop replacing that center loop. I was able to make it a solid with solid inspector and it needed some very minor clean-up.

Gus R

You can do some pretty cool things with this.

Box

If you are wanting to do a lot of that sort of thing you may find SUbD works for you.

GIF 26-09-2023 11-18-35 AM.gif

Gus R

@box said:

If you are wanting to do a lot of that sort of thing you may find SUbD works for you.

That's funny because I'm working on a re-render of a Ferrari GTO wheel where I used exactly that. I was thinking about SubD for this too. Thanks.

rv1974

@gus r said:

Making things more difficult is that I can't find any other instructions on this technique anywhere on the internet. I'm sure Blender could do this in seconds. Just a matter of learning Blender.

Learning chamfering in proper program would take a fraction of time you spent messing in vain in SU and discussing it here.

Gus R

@rv1974 said:

@gus r said:

Making things more difficult is that I can't find any other instructions on this technique anywhere on the internet. I'm sure Blender could do this in seconds. Just a matter of learning Blender.

Learning chamfering in proper program would take a fraction of time you spent messing in vain in SU and discussing it here.

True and my intent is to learn Blender but it's about the challenge and this is after all a Sketchup forum and not a Blender forum and it's good for those that want to continue to use Sketchup to learn from these things so I don't see it as being in vain.