Loft or surface command?

[delnorte91]

Hello,

  I am helping out with a school play and trying to model a trident to cut on my CNC router.  I am not sure how to model this part.  Basically I want to create a half round profile of the sketch and will cut two and stick together (easier to machine).  I am comfortable with solid modeling and CAM in fusion, but haven't done much in the surface space.  I have attempted variations of loft and sweep, but to no avail.  I have tried searching the forums, but not even sure what I am looking for..  Any help or pointers would be much appreciated. 

[Beyondforce]

Hey @delnorte91 ,

What kind of an edge are you looking for? Are you going to cut it out of sheet metal or wood? Do you need only the edge or...?

It all depends on the end goal. If you have a paper sketch or a picture of something that looks like what you are looking for, it would be very helpful!

Cheers / Ben
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[laughingcreek]

given the nature of the object, you could try t-splines.  here's a screen cast of at least partially doing it that way. (sorry it's rough, just started recording and went for it.  There are several things that I would do differently a second time around.)

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/4ec2a36c-ee79-43a5-abb1-1c276a724df2

[davebYYPCU]

Sketch 1, is not symmetric, and needs to be, also needs to have tangent connections. 

I fixed some of it to show you what a Sweep with Guide Rail, can do with an ellipse.

Your model is symmetric so do half and mirror - ad fillets after the main bodies are created.

Some idea of the other two arm profiles, 

File attached....

Might help.....

[delnorte91]

This is fantastic!  Thank you for the screencast.

[delnorte91]

Ok, makes sense.  I just downloaded a pdf and converted to SVG to import into Fusion.  I assumed I would need to convert to splines so the segments are continuous.  This looks like a good method too.  If I were to continue the sweep around to the ends with the hooks, would the form follow that guided profile?  Thank you for your help!

[delnorte91]

Ok, I somewhat answered my own question, but still not sure how to handle the pointed tip and the connection between the side arm and main body.  Tried to loft that but had errors about "One or more profiles have multiple edge loops".   File : Tridenttdb-jh

Also tried extending the path for the arm into the main body so the surfaces would overlap, but didn't know how to combine the bodies since they are surfaces and not solids?  File Tridentdb-jh-2.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Jon

[davebYYPCU]

I have gone a bit further with available time, 

this time I modified the arm sweep and then filleted it to the main body, 

was intending to Loft the arm down to a blade type shape, but Loft is not behaving for this geometry, and ran out of time.

@jeff_strater is it possible to manipulate mapping handles in surface loft, the red handles don't present for a loft in this pic.

Might help.....

[laughingcreek · Accepted solution]

how's this?

[delnorte91]

Thanks! I learn a little more each time.  I appreciate your help and time.

[delnorte91]

That is fantastic!  I think I can work with that, split the body and 3d contour in CAM.  Did you do that all in sculpt space?

Thanks again!

[laughingcreek]

Yes.  Done with t-splines.   And is easy to continue adjusting if it's not quite right.   it's centered on the origin axis so splitting will be easy (but may not be necessary, depending on how you set up your tool paths.)

circle back and post a pic of the prop in use.

[delnorte91]

Ok, thank you!  I will cut it out this weekend.  Play opens next week so I will post a pic..

[delnorte91]

@laughingcreek sorry.. forgot to post these after the play.  I ended up tweaking your design slightly, but it gave me a great start!  Appreciate the help. I machined as two halves to make it easier (no front-back registration..).

I actually had to make it twice.  First one I made out of some scrap MDF I had lying around, but it broke opening night on stage..  Second one I made out of 3/4" Baltic Birch.  Totally solid.

In full disclosure, I was King Triton, my daughter was Prince Eric in the picture next to me.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Johnc911]

**** that was good. This came out better than Poseidon's own trident - and his was forged by magic.

Bravo.