Help using Loft for a logo.

[Anonymous]

Hello.  I need help tapering this logo using the Loft tool.  I want the logo to taper out as it extrudes up.  I created an offset plane, projected the logo sketch onto the plane, offset the lines, finished the sketch, and then tried to loft from the new lines on the offset plane to the base logo.  I keep getting error messages but don't know where the issues  for me to fix.  

I kind of suspect that I need to somehow remove the old projected lines.  When I try to choose the first profile for the Loft, I am not able to choose my new offset outline as on complete shape.  But I don't have any clue how to turn my new offset projection sketch into one new image.  

 

[etfrench]

Have you tried the taper option in the Extrude dialog?

You may need to remove all of the sharp angles for either loft or extrude to work.

[ritste20]

I have a feeling this area is causing the issues with the loft operation. At the bottom profile, these two areas are separated by a gap, but at the "top" of the logo, the offset created a joined profile. The curvature is probably too drastic at those corners for the loft to solve. If you separate those areas, you may be able to get it to work.

Regards,

[TheCADWhisperer]

Can you File>Export your *.f3d file to your local drive and then Attach it here to a Reply?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for pointing that out.  I went ahead and redid the offset sketch so that they don't connect.  Still didn't work though.  

[Anonymous]

Here is the file.  When I create the projection sketch and offset the lines and save, it doesn't seem to keep the sketch when I go back in. 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I tried the taper option, and anything value either positive or negative gives me an error.  I have tried about 20 angles both ways.  When I isolated the top left hole and used extrusion with taper it worked up to about 17 degrees.  

[KristianLaholm]

I think Surface Loft the edges, you have to work your way around the the profiles.

I tried some of the profiles and it gives you a way to fix the "bad" parts of the offset profile.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I am trying to surface loft each edge to a new projected offset edge above, but can't seem to get it to work.  How do I loft each section at at time?

[KristianLaholm]

Here is how I would work my way around the edge, not a fast or effective workflow.

This works for me to solve strange "lofts".

[ritste20]

This isn't perfect but your sketch geometry needed some help.

I centered the logo over the origin and redrew the logo with control point splines. I was at least able to extrude the profile with a taper. It's still limited by the geometry as far as the angle of the taper is concerned but you may be able to try the loft again with the cleaned-up version.

Regards,

[ritste20]

Correction: oops, fit point splines, not control point

[Anonymous]

This is awesome!  Thanks so much.  I will try to loft again and see how that affects things.