Workflow to model this bird bath pedestal?

[davef]

Hi All.

Over the past few months, as a side project, I've been trying in fits and starts to model a part like this.  I keep getting stuck.  Can Inventor even do it?

Any ideas of the workflow to model this part (a bird bath base)?  The features that are killing me are the repeating embossed patterns around the permiter of the revolved, non cylindrical, part.  (That pattern in the middle of the part is a vine with grapes.  It repeats around the object three times.)

Thanks for your ideas, advice, and help. 

[mpatchus · Accepted solution]

As with any part, there's usually more than one possible workflow.

Try experimenting with 3D sketches and SPLIT faces.

I'm sure with a little experimentation you can come up with something workable.

I only spent a couple minutes on this just to give you the workflow approach.

Take a look at the part attached.

[davef]

Hello Mike,

WOW!  Thank you very much!  You solved my problem and opened my eyes up to tools and methods that I haven't used before.  I had it in my head that the vine had to be some sort of embossed or extruded feature and this tunnel vision kept on sending me into dead ends.  Not only will I be able to solve this current modeling dilemma - I am now better equipped after your kind help to tackle future modeling projects.  Thanks again.

Dave

[BonnieWinchar7122]

I am trying to open bird bath.ipt using Inv 2014 so I could learn from what you did, and I keep getting an error msg.  
Error in reading RSe stream (582 not equal 72)
Any idea what I need to do to open your ipt?
Thanks, Bonnie

[mpatchus]

Hmm  not sure about that error message Bonnie.

The part was done in 2012 and the EOP rolled up to reduce size.

I've attached it again without the EOP rolled up.

See if that works.

[BonnieWinchar7122]

Thanks you.  That worked this time without an error message.

Bonnie