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Gah, struggling with loft feature.

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Message 1 of 47
artisticdirection
2071 Views, 46 Replies

Gah, struggling with loft feature.

Hi all. I'm currently rendering a guitar neck and having the darndest time lofting the heel to the shaft (or neck body). See screen capture. I continue to get an error that my rail is not smooth, or my rails do not intersect. Some of my sketches are made from DXF files. Is this my problem? So frustrating.

46 REPLIES 46
Message 21 of 47

@artisticdirection 

Note that you have blue sketch geometry (actual color depends on color scheme).

Click and drag geometry.

What to  you observe?

TheCADWhisperer_0-1697625464112.png

 

Message 22 of 47

@artisticdirection 

You should observe that the horizontal construction line is not constrained to Horizontal.

Add the Horizontal constraint.

TheCADWhisperer_0-1697625681887.png

Notice the change in color of the sketch geometry.

 

Message 23 of 47

Let's add 3 more Construction lines to Sketch1.

TheCADWhisperer_0-1697625833532.png

Add two Colinear constraints between appropriate angled lines (Fusion might do this for you - if you hover over original lines you can get Fusion to add these constraints automatically - otherwise do it manually.)

 

TheCADWhisperer_1-1697626126377.png

 

Add the 16.95 dimension as shown above.

 

TheCADWhisperer_2-1697626192668.png

Add the line shown above.  We want it vertical and if you are careful Fusion will automatically add Vertical (or Parallel to another vertical line).  But it might do Perpendicular to the angled Construction line which we do not want.  (Again, you can force Parallel by "scrubbing" one of the vertical lines.)

Edit: And be careful that the first point does not snap to the midpoint of the top angled construction line.

 

TheCADWhisperer_3-1697626405593.png

As a beginner let's just manually add the Vertical constraint and Trim the excess length.

 

TheCADWhisperer_0-1697626566834.png

Select the line and mash x on the keyboard to toggle to Construction.

Add the 5.635 dimension as shown above. (Click on image to enlarge.)

 

TheCADWhisperer_1-1697627233397.png

Now select Plane at angle and create a Workplane 90° to the 16.95 construction line.

TheCADWhisperer_2-1697627310275.png

Start a New Sketch on this new workplane and the mash p for Project and select the Construction line that we used to create the plane.

TheCADWhisperer_3-1697627389193.pngTheCADWhisperer_4-1697627615479.png

Create a Construction line from the Midpoint of and perpendicular to the Projected line.

Dimension as .6 inch.

 

Add 3 lines as shown below connected to the Projected line.

TheCADWhisperer_5-1697628301068.png

Add a Midpoint constraint between the bottom horizontal line in the image and the endpoint of the .6 construction line...

Change these three lines to Construction.

TheCADWhisperer_6-1697628394166.png

 

 

Message 24 of 47

@artisticdirection 

Now add another horizontal line being careful no to snap to the midpoints of the vertical lines.

TheCADWhisperer_0-1697628566114.pngTheCADWhisperer_1-1697628610127.png

Add a 3Point arc clicking on the endpoints first and then the end of the .6 line.

 

Dimension the arc as 1.05 and change the horizontal line to Construction.

TheCADWhisperer_2-1697628730533.png

(Later we might experiment with Spline rather than arc - but for now lets keep it simple.)

 

Having said that - I made a mistake. No problem - we will fix that now.

 

 

Message 25 of 47

Click on one of the endpoints of the arc.

TheCADWhisperer_0-1697628971780.png

You will see two Coincident Constraint glyphs appear.

If you hover over one you will see the horizontal line subtly highlight.

If you hover over the other one you will see the vertical line subtly highlight - select and delete that constraint.

Repeat on the other side.

 

Now drag one of the endpoints...

TheCADWhisperer_1-1697629116084.png

Add a smaller 3 Point arc as shown (be careful about automatic constraints).

 

If not added automatically - then manually add Tangent constraints between the smaller arc and the vertical line and larger arc.

 

Repeat on the other side.

TheCADWhisperer_2-1697629299266.png

The sketch should once again be fully defined.

Note that with everything we have done the model is fully parametric - we can double click edit any dimension and edit (within logical reason) and the geometry automatically updates.

 

Attach your file here for next set of steps.

Message 26 of 47

Got stuck here – Create a Construction line from the Midpoint of and perpendicular to the Projected line.

Dimension as .6 inch.
Message 27 of 47

All good here
Message 28 of 47

@artisticdirection 

Attach the *.f3d file of your progress thus far for next set of steps (will be substantially different than last set of instructions, demonstrating another, more efficient technique).

I have learned over the years to never assume someone is actually following along.

Message 29 of 47

I've attached my progress herewith. Sorry that I'm not more readily available to work on this. My day job tires me out as I stare at a computer screen all day long.

Message 30 of 47


@artisticdirection wrote:
All good here

The latest file that you Attached is not completed up till my last instruction?

Message 31 of 47

OK, I'm stuck here (see screen capture) I don't understand why I'm dragging one of the end points. And where and how do I add the smaller 3 point arc?

Message 32 of 47

Uploaded by The CADWhisperer on 2023-10-21.
Message 33 of 47

OK, with you so far, thanks for the video! I assume you're using dimensions from the vector art I sent you? Interesting way to draw the neck profile shape. 

Message 34 of 47


@artisticdirection wrote:

 I assume you're using dimensions from the vector art I sent you? Interesting way to draw the neck profile shape. 


@artisticdirection 

That is the key to parametric modeling - no assumptions!

Either the dimensions are what you want or not.  If not, double click on dimension and edit to what you really really want.

Absolute precise control by designer.

 

Isn't absolute precise and predictable control the same technique used in Illustrator (I have never used it before)?

 

New problem...

TheCADWhisperer_0-1698062776778.png

You have both Construction Plane1 and Plane2 in exactly the same location.

That doesn't do us any good.

 

Plane2 should be here...

TheCADWhisperer_1-1698062848615.png

TheCADWhisperer_0-1698062983510.png

 

Oops, actually your sketch is on Plane2, so Edit the location of Plane1 instead.

 

TheCADWhisperer_1-1698063082539.png

 

Once you have edited the location of the Construction plane start a new sketch and repeat these steps

TheCADWhisperer_0-1698063384395.png

...this time with a distance of 0.675

 

Sketch the large arc

TheCADWhisperer_1-1698063467875.png

 

Dimension radius as 1.45 this time...

TheCADWhisperer_2-1698063533157.png

 

Add Horizontal constraint if Fusion does not add Horizontal (or Perpendicular or Parallel) for you automatically.

TheCADWhisperer_3-1698063620681.png

 

 

Now here is a pro tip...

TheCADWhisperer_4-1698063715334.png

Select Coincident constraint.

Select the vertical construction line.

Shift select the horizontal construction line at the midpoint.

 

This will put the midpoint of the horizontal line on the vertical line but not at the midpoint of the vertical line.

Now add the smaller tangent arcs...

TheCADWhisperer_5-1698063887463.png

 

Attach your progress here.

TheCADWhisperer_6-1698063976937.png

 

 

Message 35 of 47

Trying to adjust some of the dimensions, when I try to add a new dimension for the width of the neck near the headstock, I get this popup message. I'm trying to change the width of the sketch from 1.675 to 1.65

Message 36 of 47


@artisticdirection wrote:

 I'm trying to change the width of the sketch from 1.675 to 1.65


No file Attached?

No image of the dimension 1.675?

I do not know what dimension you are referring to?

Message 37 of 47

Can you see the attached screen shots? I extended the overall length of the neck to 18.5"

Message 38 of 47

That width is dependent on Sketch1.

Logically, you have to edit the dimension in Sketch1.

Don’t even need a dimension in later dependent sketches.

Edit the original dimension and all will update with predictable behavior.

This is what parametric modeling is all about. Logical, predictable, robust editing.

Message 39 of 47


@artisticdirection wrote:

I extended the overall length of the neck to 18.5"


@artisticdirection 

Actually - I can't see that as you did not Attach your *.f3d file here (see my example Logic Rules in Geometry.f3d file Attached below).

TheCADWhisperer_0-1698668320537.png

 

Message 40 of 47

I tried to edit Sketch 1 from the top view, but I get the same error. "The dimension would over-constrain the sketch. Create a Driven dimension instead?"

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