Multiple surface thicken issue

[Anonymous]

Hello, I am trying to model a kayak paddle to make a mold to lay-up my own fiberglass blade. I successfully modeled the blade I want and now need to extend the surface to make a smooth curve for the molds. 

1.) If there is a better way to do this besides making the surface model of the paddle, making a flat, large surface, and patching the two I would like to know that.

2.) I am receiving errors when trying to thicken the surface.

• I tried as three seperate surfaces
• I tried as stitching them together
• I tried copying all the surfaces and making one surface and composite and thickening as a quilt
• Each one will thicken on its own, not all three

The error I get is "The thicken operation did not produce meaningful results. 

Thank you,

Kevin

[JDMather]

Can you attach the original file here rather than a Derived Component?

[Anonymous]

I sure can, it is attached below. I modeled the part in inches in the mm dimensions. I have not been able to find a way to switch the units to mm without converting the numbers as well. This was the best solution I could find among the forums.

[JDMather]

You can either type in units as you go

or

Tools>Document Settings>Units set the units you want to use at the start

or

start from the appropriate template for the units you intend to use.

I think you have made this a more complex part that it really is (if I add one more dimension it is up to d501).

I recommend that you start over from scratch (with correct units) using what you learned from this first attempt to simplify the effort.

(For example:  Loftsrf13 is (or should be) a simple trimmed planar surface.)

Edit: Looked at it a bit more - I think it can be done with 5 or 6 simple sketches.  Maybe 1 or 2 user created Work Planes.

Do you have some original artwork or image you are working from?

Top, front, right, pictures of an actual object?

Edit 2:  I recommend that you forget about the mold for now and simply model the finished paddle.

[Anonymous]

So the truth is there is not a way to fix the easy mistake of starting in incorrect units in inventor, just to start over. 

Also there is not a way to combine surfaces either?

SMH

I appreciate your help, I'll try starting over.