Convert Surface to Solid

[Anonymous]

Ok, I give up.

I need to manipulate a mesh body.  I've been working on it for HOURS...reading threads here and elsewhere, and also trying whatever I could think of on my own (I've been doing simple CAD work for many years).  None of the several suggested processed I've followed have worked so far and I'm exceptionally frustrated.

In an empty design, I inserted an STL of a hummingbird. It's a surface only, not a solid, with about 250k faces. I got it from reputable source for use in a CNC router project. I'd really like to convert my CNC processes over to Fusion 360 if possible.

I simply want to move the mesh body to the ground. In the process of inserting, there is an option to do so (both center and move to ground). But after the insertion is complete that option no longer exists.  Why can't I simply select the body, select MOVE, specify "point-to-position" and move it to [0,0,0]?  Better yet, why can't I simply "move to ground" after insertion?  If it can be done "during" insertion, why not "after"?

I tried simply "moving" it.  I can free translate it, but that's not exact. I can't seem to select any edges or points on the body to move it exactly to [0,0,0].

So I tried converting it to a solid.  Reduce the face count to < 10k, convert mesh to Brep. It's still just a surface, not a solid.  To make it a solid, I tried boundary fill (when I attempt to select a "cell" part of the surface, but not all of it, disappears).  Thicken doesn't seem to be the answer.  Stitch isn't it.  Building a box around it and joining/intersecting/etc. won't work (because the bird isn't a solid body).  Everything seems to work only for solid bodies.  I can't select specific points on a mesh and I can't convert the mesh to a solid.  So I'm at a dead end.

I understand that Fusion 360 can be used to design everything from micro circuits to space shuttles.  Why can't I simply move this bird to ground?  What simple thing am I missing?

Thankful for any advice.  I don't know how to include a file for you, but if that's necessary, give me some hint and I'll go try to figure that out.

[Anonymous]

@PhilProcarioJr  thanks for chiming in.

I took a look and your work is amazing.  It's incredible that a random woodworker like me can get instant advice from experts across the globe.  We live in great times (despite current challenges...).

Anyway, I'm not likely to draw a design or even take one and build a quad mesh around it.  I don't have the artistic talent to draw something like this, and I don't have the patience to build a mesh on top of a 250k facet STL.  Just being realistic.

What I really need to do is take this STL (which was already designed by an expert and made available for CNC router execution by people like me), incorporate it into my F360 design and go on to milling.  In the design process, I need to be able to move, size, reposition the object, make it solid (instead of a hollow surface), grab onto a face or vertex, etc.

Maybe Meshmixer will be the answer.  Of course, plan B is simply to stick with Vectric VCarve, as it's designed to do just this very well.  But I haven't yet given up on converting my process over to F360.  I think it has some advantages in the overall process, if not in the manipulation of individual objects.

Thanks again.