Back side of stairs - Advice for begginer:)

msciwiarski

Hi all,

My name is Michal and I'm new on the forum. I'm using Sketchup to visualize my new house which I build.
I have one question concerning modeling back side of the stairs. What is the best way to create smooth faces on the back side of the stairs? as in the attached picture..

I've tried to use Extrude tools plugin, but without success

thanks for any help..

Cheers

Michal

TIG

Draw diagonal lines across the quadrilaterals forming the rear areas behind the steps,
These triangles should now auto-face.
If the face is the 'wrong way round' - showing the face 'back-material' then select it and right-click context-menu 'Reverse'.
To smooth the diagonal edges use Erase+Ctrl.

msciwiarski

Hi TIG,

Thanks for reply...

I did as you wrote, but it's still not smooth enough ) I mean it's not looks like this :

made by Extrude Tools

Cheers

Michal

TIG

I was explaining how to do it without my tools...
To do it with EEbyRails you need to make copies of the edges.
To do this select the edges forming the bottom edges of the swept strings, and the top/bottom edges of the treads.
To add to a selection keep Ctrl pressed as you pick [Shift+Ctrl to remove things selected by accident].
When they are all selected right-click and context-menu 'Make Group'.
Now you have the edges copied into a group.
Double-click the group to edit it.
To help see what you are doing use Menu > View > Component Edit > Hide Rest of Model - everything else will be made invisible while you are in the edit mode.
Now you need to make four curves - the top and bottom 'profiles' from the steps' edges and the two side 'rails' formed by the copies of the bottoms of the strings.
First make a 'profile'.
This is one edge and you can't make it into a curve as a curve needs at least 2 edges.
Select the edge and right-click context-menu 'Divide' and type say 6 [or any other number >1] to divide it into 6 pieces.
The pieces remain selected, now use 'Weld' [weld.rb is available free from Smustard] to make them into a 'curve'.
Answer 'No' when asked if you want to close of face the curve.
The split-edges should now select as one thing - a 'curve' [really a 'polyline'!]
Repeat for the only profile using the same number of split-edges.
Now make a 'rail'.
Select all of the edges forming one side rail and 'weld' these into a curve.
Repeat for the other rail.
Run EEbyRails and select the profile, then a rail, then the other rail and lastly the other 'melding' profile.
A smoothly curved mesh should now be made following these four curves. It is grouped.
Do what you need with it...

msciwiarski

Thanks very much for huge info I have one more question (the last I hope:))
Could you explain this words.."select the edges forming the bottom edges of the swept strings, and the top/bottom edges of the treads"
Sorry but my English is not so good to understand all sentences.
It would be graet if you could select the edges which I need to make as a profile and rails on the picture which I've attached in first post??

I've tried to convert divided edges to curve by weld.rb plugin, but they are still split and I can't select them as one thing...

thanks again for your help...

Cheers

Michal

TIG

You must separate the profile/rail edges from the rest of the stairs by copying them into a group - otherwise the connected geometry re-splits them where they touch!
A 'string' is the side part of a staircase.
In your case it is a swept curve.
You need to use the bottom edges of this shape as the rail's edges... see this simplified example

msciwiarski

Wow!.. Great, great, thanks, you're very kind and helpful...

cheers

Michal