Shorten Extruded Components

[delaing]

I realize I'm not supposed to be using Fusion to do architectural type work, but I don't have time to master multiple programs so am pushing on F360 to do what I hope to do. I intend to use F360 for detailing woodworking projects I build.

And I'm certain my workflow on this is terrible, but I'm still learning.

I've copied these wall girts and now need to shorten them by 3-3/4".

What do I need to do/which command do I use and can I use it on the five wall girts at the same time?

Thanks in advance,

Delain

[TrippyLighting]

I think what people are referring to with "Architecture" is more large-scale architecture. For what you are doing Fusion 360 is perfectly fine.

Before I can answer your question, I have a few of my own. Are all the poles going to be the same?

Or is each of them different than any other?

One thing I noticed in your design is that you moved components and then used the position capture feature to "freeze" that location. That is not recommended! 

I would add dimensioned location points for all of the poles to the first sketch. Then I would use a rigid joint to join each pole to it's  location point. If there is a pattern, only make a location point for the 1st instance. and join the 1st instance to that point. Then create a component pattern for the other poles and use a rigid group joint to join the patterned instances to the first one.

Keep in mind, that you cannot edit component instances individually. You edit one and the edit applies to all instances.

You can edit the extrusion feature in the timeline to change the length of a pole.

[delaing]

@TrippyLighting 

I recently saw a cast that @jhackney1950 put together which shows the dimensioned location points concept. I'll try to find it and take another look.

The majority of the poles will have the same dimensions, but four or so will have varying heights. The spacing between them is not consistent and is why I had to kill the rectangular pattern approach I did at first.

To the Girts (horizontal rails), the second set of Girts will be slightly shorter than the first set I used to copy from. So, I copied to make the second set and now need to shorten them slightly.

What is the approach I should use?

I'm getting better, but it is amazing how after watching countless tutorials, and sometimes following step by step in a Fusion session, then I start working on a new modeling project of my own and it's like I didn't learn a thing from all the time invested.

Yeah, I know working my own models is where this stuff will sink in.

Like the Capture/Revert actions. Seems like most of the Youtubers are capturing the moved component positions and going forward from there never mentioning the negative aspect of doing multiple capture positions.

Thanks for your help.

Delain

[etfrench]

The easy way would be to select the 5 end faces of the girts to shorten, then either use the Press/Pull or Extrude command to change their length. 

You can create more complex rectangular patterns by using the suppress option on unnecessary clones.

[delaing]

Somewhat related to this since the suggestion was to use Rigid Joints.

Why does one of my Rigid Joints show a black dot at that point?  Some sort of error/status indicator?

Thanks in advance,

Delain

Edit: Not sure how, but I located two Sketch Points on top of one another. Deleted both and set a new point; black dot is gone. No idea what caused that.

[TrippyLighting]

Hard to say without the .f3d file 😉

[etfrench]

The black dot indicates a fully constrained point in the sketch. Turn the sketch off and the black dot will disappear😁

[delaing]

Not sure how, but I located two Sketch Points on top of one another. Deleted both and set a new point; black dot is gone. No idea what caused that.
Thanks

[delaing]

Still needing to understand how to shorten the Girts. I cannot seem to be able to multi-select the Girts so I can use Extrude to shorten.

I can do them one at a time, but I know I've seen that I should be able to select more than one component-face to do this. Tried using Ctrl-clicks, etc.

[TrippyLighting]

Use the press/pull command to do that, not the extrude command. That will add a new "offset faces)" feature to the timeline.

[delaing]

I'll give it a try once I figure out what I've messed up with the way I've created the Girts.
I'm - apparently - still struggling with using Copy-type commands and Instances, etc. and how editing subsequently to the Paste-ing affects things.
Now I've got errors to decipher. May just start over on creating the Girts.

[davebYYPCU · Accepted solution]

Sent a PM.

How I would do it, without knowing your intent..

[davebYYPCU]

Non Symmetric doors.

[delaing]

Prior to modifying single patterned instance.

[jhackney1972]

OK, you have a nice corral, what are you planning to modify?

[delaing]

Posted design file here for someone who is assisting me outside this thread.

I'll post later for additional request for help if needed.
Thank you.