topic Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid in AutoCAD Forum

Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

bencharlton5C8EZ — Wed, 28 May 2025 12:54:20 GMT

Hi folks

3D numpty here but I routinely find myself banging my head against a problem whereby I've drawn a shape using lines, polylines, arcs etc and I want to rotate it for form a solid. The problem is that it either wont let me or I end up with a surface rather than a solid. I try join and or pedit but this some times helps some times doesn't. I have attached an example which is half the section of a column I want to rotate by 360 degrees to create the solid.

Thanks

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

bencharlton5C8EZ — Wed, 28 May 2025 12:56:02 GMT

The really stupid thing is sometimes I seem to do it and it works fine so I dont know what I am doing wrong.

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

will_young — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:05:00 GMT

Have you tried REVOLVE?

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

bencharlton5C8EZ — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:28:12 GMT

Yes, that is the command I am using, sometimes it works for me fine but other times, as in the file I attached for example, it uses the lines to make a surface rather than a solid (or doesn't work at all).

I must be doing / not doing something with the lines. I try join and pedit/join as I said which sometimes solves the problem but hasn't in this case.

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

will_young — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:34:44 GMT

I think it's based on the mode chosen in the command: AutoCAD 2025 Help | About Creating a Solid or Surface by Revolving | Autodesk

Also whether it's open or closed will affect it:

Open curves always create surfaces, but closed curves can create either solids or surfaces depending on certain settings.

AutoCAD 2025 Help | About Constructing Solids and Surfaces From 2D Geometry | Autodesk

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

bencharlton5C8EZ — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:52:14 GMT

did you take a look at the file I shared?

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

tramber — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:55:17 GMT

The polyline is open.

A good knowledge of their editing is required for 3D...

But we are not far, are we ?

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

tramber — Wed, 28 May 2025 13:57:24 GMT

Get very close and suppres this vertex

Then close the polyline with PEDIT or the properties palette.

That would be my way of fixing.

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

bencharlton5C8EZ — Wed, 28 May 2025 14:10:14 GMT

That's got it, thank you!

Re: Rotate a line drawing to create a solid

will_young — Wed, 28 May 2025 14:30:49 GMT

Yes, did you read the link? 😋