contour along a 3d spline ?

[rumpelstielz]

i am trying to figure out how to do this but it seems neither contour nor trace does what i want. basically i want atrace operation that is not cutting on the path but on the side of it like a contour, here's the trace:

it does what i want and follows the angle of the headstock but the problem is that trace only runs the cutter centered on the path. i thought i could fix it by using stock to leav -> axial offset but this doesn't seem to work and produces no result and the cutter is still centered on the path.

with contour the problem is that i only get an overall depth, but i want an equal depth all around the contour:

then i thought i might be able to use offset in the sketch but it seems you can't offset 3D splines at all.

i tried using the 3d contour operation but for some reason i cannnot select the outline neither from the model nor the one i created as a sketch. but although it sounds like what i need i don't think 3d contour does what i want.

what am i missing ?

[daniel_lyall · Accepted solution]

In the Passes tab for traces you have Sideways compensation what you can use to have the cutter on the right side, center or the left side of the line you are tracing 

[rumpelstielz]

thanks so much, not sure how i missed this