Snapping Rotation

Jim57 · 23 Nov 2010, 17:26

I'm building an arch by making a radial array of tapered blocks. The taper angle is about 2.616°, and I'm trying to make a solid, so I'd like to snap. Problem is, SU is only giving me 10ths of a degree, either too much or too little.

The message at the bottom left of the screen says to stay close to the protractor to snap, but if I do the selected block moves in huge increments. If I zoom in close it moves in 10ths of a degree.

I built it once before after much frustration and had no clue what I did right. I had to take it apart to fix an error and now I can't get it to work. Any hints?

Thanks,

Jim

Dave R · 23 Nov 2010, 17:56

If you are making a radial array can you not snap one copy next to the previous?

thomthom · 23 Nov 2010, 17:58

You can adjust the angle snapping and precision from Model Info > Units.

Dave R · 23 Nov 2010, 18:02

I did a quick little test. This was done without increasing precision or changing the Angle Snap setting although you might find it easier with those things modified.

Arch.skp

Jim · 23 Nov 2010, 18:12

What do you mean by "make a solid"? Make the entire arch a solid? If so, how about modeling it as a single piece and divide it later if needed.

Jim57 · 24 Nov 2010, 15:18

's V4.skpDave R— For some reason, SU was not snapping with precision regularly, only once out of many tries. It would only rotate in 0.1° increments. I wanted a precise snap rather than a specified increment so I could use solid tools later to clean up internal structures. Your model is working perfectly, I don't know why mine didn't.

Part of the problem was I couldn't snap to the image of the block I was moving, though that's how I usually duplicated with rotation. I had to back up a block to grab and that worked fine. SU has been acting funky since I upgraded to 8 Pro, that might be part of it too.

Thanks for pointing out the Units Panel, ThomThom. I will play with the settings and see what that changes.

Jim, it's a carved arch, actually a chair leg. I carved a block then duplicated it and smoothed, rather than extrude the arch and make a million small carvings. Later I found I needed an elliptical arch so I had to do that anyway ;—)

Here is the file of the almost finished piece.

Thanks for all your suggestions.

Jimbo

Jim57 · 24 Nov 2010, 15:34

Whups, try again.

JIm

Dave R · 24 Nov 2010, 15:37

Jim, I'll need to look at the file later but are you making a sort of dentil molding on the parts of the chair? Is the curve circular or elliptical?

Dave R · 24 Nov 2010, 18:19

Jim,

Now I see what you're doing. After a quick look it appears you've done a pretty good job. I do see quite a few missing faces on the diamonds and a few other things.

I wonder if this might be job for Chris Fullmer's Shape Bender. I'm thinking a linear array would be easy to make and I would be inclined to create the curved path with the same number of segments as you have diamonds. Add the little bits at the ends of the pieces doe the feet and so on afterward.

So have you built this chair in real life? Or do you plan on doing so?

Jim57 · 25 Nov 2010, 03:43

Dave R—
Thanks for the tip, I have not tried Shape Bender. I'll look it up.

The arches are elliptical and the carving, on all the small edges, is a series of incised diamonds leaving raised squares.

This is the Deacon's chair for a church I'm designing. I hope to have it built within the year.

Best,
JIm