Some times I can do this and other times I can't - would love to know where I am going wrong.
When I try and join the second loft to the first I get an error message, and I don't understand the message!
Have attached an image of the error message and the drawing
@susan458 - branched forms are hard. The error message, I agree is not informative. I suspect the problem is that, on the second loft, the geometry is very nearly identical to geometry from the first loft, near the shared profile. Joining geometry that is nearly the same is a problem for the geometry engine. You can see this by creating your second loft as a new body and just selecting both, or changing the color of one:
there are likely ways to approach this that will work better. I'll see if I can come up with something. @mango.freund 's approach is one way, but that only works if this is truly a pattern.
here is one way. Not 100% sure it is the geometry you want. Basic idea is to add a profile so that you just create one body for the part that overlaps:
then, do each branch as a separate body loft:
and, finally, combine them all together:
model is attached
hi @susan458in the end, because all colleagues had the same problems with combining and the final form as you need them. the foot end is conical - so be it. greetings mango
@susan458 - can you describe what you mean by "strait loft" here? Thanks.
"Have just used strait loft and this works very well"
There is at least one thing no one has commented on yet.
There is no need for 3D sketches for this design. You only would need three sketches. On each for the loft end and start profiles and if did not want to connect those directly without a center line ( I assuming that's what you meant with "straight loft" ) then you need one sketch for the center line the loft is going to follow. All of these sketches should be 2D sketches.
Here is a screencast what I mean with 2D sketches only. Dimensions were chosen arbitrarily. Also, sometimes it is not necessary to have a rail if you want some curved lofts.
