Extruding polygon with variable radius along curve

[wallisjm]

Hello,

I am trying to model and 3d print a toy rocket ship for a Christmas gift. I am using the the references below:

1. Outline 
2. Picture 

What makes this hard is rather than being smooth cone, it is a 12 sided shape that forms a cone.

My first idea was to create a series of construction planes on the Z axis every 5 mm and put inscribed polygons of the correct radius on each plane. Then I tried on using the Loft tool to combine them all together. 

Attachment 1 is the construction planes, and attachment 2 is an example of what I was able to create. 

The problem I am having with this is it is very tedious and the loft tool fills in between the shapes using paths that are not necessarily what I want. 

Is there a better way to do this? Perhaps creating a curve (seen attachment 3) and only one polygon (centered at the origin) that I then extrude using the curve as the guide for the radius?

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

I believe it would be easier and give you better results if you create one Surface Panel and then pattern it.  I did a very rough one to illustrate and attached it.  The Planes and Sketch sizes can be refined to your desired shape very quickly.  Step through the timeline and see if this suits you needs.  If you do not understand what I did, let me know and I will explain further.  Model attached.

[wallisjm]

Hello,

Thank you for letting back to me so quickly! I have never used the surface tools before but by stepping though what you did it makes sense. I think I can try to re-create it to learn how to use it.

The one thing I didn't understand was how you did sketch 6 (photo attached). This led to two questions...

1. How did you create a curve on not on a plane?

2. How did you make a second curve that was exactly the same as the previous?

[jhackney1972]

A single panel is created using a Fit Point Spline in a 3D Sketch between the vertexes of the polygon sketches.  I only have to sketch two Fit Point Splines, then use the Surface Patch tool to join them and the lower polygon side together.  I then patterned it and Stitched it together to make a solid.

By the way, I want to bring something to your attention. When responding to a post from someone, do not use the "Post Reply" icon as this will address your post to yourself. Instead use the "Reply" icon on the post you are responding to address your post to that person. Look back at the messages in this post and you will see what I mean.

[wallisjm]

Thank you so much!

That is way above and beyond anything I could have expected. That makes sense and I can easily adapt for my purposes. Have a great rest of your day.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! This can also be done by using Guide Rails Sweep. Use the arc as the rail and a straight line in Z-direction as the path. The catch is that the Sweep distance cannot be 1.0. It has to be 0.9999 to avoid rail and patch coinciding.

Many thanks!