Some tips and tricks from out of the Box

Box

or tutorials for using both the radial bend

Here's the very basics of Radial bend.
You choose the direction, then the extent, then you bend it.
So click to set the protractor (click drag release if needed, or arrow keys),
Click to set the length of the bend area
then click to start the bend and click to finish the bend.

Radial Bend Basics.gif

ntxdave

Once again, thanks for the reply.

The first 3 are pretty straight forward but I am really doing something wrong on the fourth one (like when you bent the paper page in the original post). I am feeling really stupid here. It is not like I have not been using SU for a good while but I am missing something curtail to the process. In particular, I think I am not getting the reference points and orientation of the bend correct.

Box

@box said:

So click to set the protractor (click drag release if needed, or arrow keys),

I have to go to bed, but it sounds like this is your issue. All four examples set the axis. The forth is setting the axis Off Axis, Click drag release to set the axis.

ntxdave

@box said:

@box said:

So click to set the protractor (click drag release if needed, or arrow keys),

I have to go to bed, but it sounds like this is your issue. All four examples set the axis. The forth is setting the axis Off Axis, Click drag release to set the axis.

I am obviously missing something very key to controlling how to accomplish this (and feeling dumber by the minute).

First of all, what keys are you using to set the various points and what do you mean by "Off Axis"? In several of your steps in the four drawings I see some dashed lines. What keys are you hitting to make that show up.

My real goal here is, of course, to learn how to use the tool correctly but in particular, I want to be able to reproduce your first video in this thread with some accuracy.

Box

I'm not hitting any keys, nothing is happening that you can't see.
I'm sorry, I'm not sure how to show it more plainly.
Off axis means it isn't on the green red or blue axis.
Click drag release is how you set the axis of rotation, for both the normal rotation tool and in this case fredo's.
The dotted line is a guide that appears as you use the tool, it isn't a magic wand that I'm waving.

ntxdave

It is just that fourth method that I am having a problem with. Bending the "page" at an angle with it winding up with one corner bent up at an angle. The other methods are pretty straight forward.

Box

Can you rotate a single face off axis?
Off Axis.gif
It is the same process, set the angle of rotation then bend it along that angle.
But I'm to bed now.

ntxdave

Thanks for your patience Box. I finally got it to work. Yes, I need some additional practice to learn how to control it more accurately but here is a sample I finally created.

Curved Page

Box

Well done, glad to see you got there.

Box

Ok, here's another one to drive you mad.
How do you make a hollow torus from a spiral that is one continuous solid sausage.
Spiral Torus 03.jpg

Truebend by Thomthom

ntxdave

All I can say is WOW!

That one will really take some studying and a WHOLE LOT of practice.

cotty

The right tools in the right hands...

HornOxx

how is it possible to think that before even?!?? - even before you start thinking about the necessary tools for the imagined ?! I love this spiral thing !!!!
again so much more than the cool model idea itself

baz

@ntxdave said:

All I can say is WOW!

That one will really take some studying and a WHOLE LOT of practice.

Good. And hopefully you recognise that this thread is not meant to be a one on one tutorial.
What I think it is, is Box putting his slightly insane sketchup imagination out there.
And you are bogging him down.

But. About your questions...How about a new post.EG: 'Boxions No1'?

I"ll follow...

not a trump fan. xx

ntxdave

@baz said:

@ntxdave said:

All I can say is WOW!

That one will really take some studying and a WHOLE LOT of practice.

Good. And hopefully you recognise that this thread is not meant to be a one on one tutorial.
What I think it is, is Box putting his slightly insane sketchup imagination out there.
And you are bogging him down.

But. About your questions...How about a new post.EG: 'Boxions No1'?

I"ll follow...

not a trump fan. xx

SORRY!

Maybe someone can remove my posts or move them to a discussion thread.

Perhaps we could get Box to add a tip numer or name to each and then we could have a discussion thread for exact of the tip names/numbers. If that is done, maybe a monitor can move my posts/questions to the appropriate thread.

baz

Just repost the gif as a post and give it a name...'How does this Box gif work' would do it...

ntxdave

Good point Baz but how do we clean up the junk I created in this thread so we get it back to the way it should be?

Box

It's not that important really, I don't think there are that many people interested in the thread.

baz

@box said:

It's not that important really, I don't think there are that many people interested in the thread.

2000+ views, but I wonder how many are following? No way to see that info from this side I presume.

jljolin

I’m definitely following this thread and intend to go back and try to recreate the lessons in each gif. I didn’t find the questions and comments distracting, as some of the questions were ones I had myself!