Creating This Desk, Need Help with Several Areas and Workflow

[Anonymous]

Hi there. I'm pretty inexperienced at CAD, and started trying out Fusion a week ago. My question concerns the following design that I plan to make, which is to be 3D printed and assembled as a small model:

So, these are some basic sketches of what I'm trying to do. It's a simple design with two y-shaped supports that cross through each other. The top and bottom are both simple planes that slightly taper towards the top, so they're not perfectly straight like a plank of wood. This would be printed in four parts, two supports and the top and bottom surfaces of the desk.

Worth noting: The side of my design has a chamfered-type edge where the supports and the table surfaces meet. Think of it like how The edges of some picture frames kind of "cave in" towards the picture.

I'm having trouble coming up with a good workflow as well as accomplishing specific tasks. Here are two things I tried:

I've made a basic drafted and tapered plane on the right, but I thought using this method, It might be harder to add the y shaped supports later on and use sketch dimensions. On the left, I extruded a 2D sketch. I've split the top face using a line. Problem here is that I can't find a way to draft both sides inwards (the picture frame analogy); the program will only select the entire face and draft that in one direction if I try.

I'm assuming the second method would give me more flexibility if I need to change dimensions later on. So here is the workflow that I think works the best starting from where I am, although I don't know the tools I need to do it:

1) Draft the top and bottom edges in two directions, inwards.

2) use the upper plane of the bottom edge to separate the angled solid into two pieces. Draw a y shaped sketch (using some sort of mirror tool?)on the short part of the solid and extrude to subtract.

3) Repeat process, except with a slightly different y shaped support for the top shape.

I don't know how to make all the pieces connect after that, so I can assemble after 3D printing. Also, maybe I should be using symmetry or a mirror tool way earlier and only working on half the desk?

If somebody could show me (screencast would be helpful but not needed) the techniques I'd need to make this design and separate it into physically connecting pieces for 3D printing, I would greatly appreciate it. I can provide the F360 file and explain the sketches further if needed.

[davebYYPCU]

Your file will be a great help, as you are new to this stuff, presume what you mean is not the words were are reading,

Best I can say is to treat each piece the way you would make it in real life,

example table support starts as a 4 x 2, and plane the edges down to become tapered,

as a 3d object you would make a sketch on each end, to the shape, dimensions you want,

If the profile is the same both ends (same triangle), then one sketch and Creat > Extrude,

but if the profile at each end is different, ( eg, rectangle to triangle) then Create > Loft them together,

Looks like you have planed a chamfer on the table tops, All ok there,

The joining is a little harder to make out from the diagram, will be ok in the long run,

and yes only do one side / set, so the other is mirrored,

It is recommended to make the parts in place, for easier Assembly later on, but lets get the parts made first.....

Happy to help

[Anonymous]

 here is the link to the file, as well as what I'm trying to do to the top edge of the solid:

http://a360.co/2r9aW3O

I marked the two sides and the direction I want to draft/chamfer both sides, however the program will only let me draft the entire face one way or another. 

[davebYYPCU]

I will have a look at the file - have sent you a PM as well.

Later.

[davebYYPCU]

checked the file, I made a 10 degree "draft", change the angle dimension for your purpose.

by using your intersect line, and making a sketch plane with it, then connected a 10 degree line and an enclosing arc, to

Sweep > Cut the profile alone both outside edges in the same operation.  Mirror the Feature to the other side.

Might get you going....

[davebYYPCU]

The side view and front view of the legs, with red edges, looks something like this, but the size and shape is easily edited.

There is other detail in the perspective view that isn't the same....

Might help....