Stuck on patching holes

[dankG2KYJ]

I'm having a hard time finding a good way to fill/patch the 18 holes along the bottom of this geometry. I want to perform a cut operation with the entire object, but don't want to be left with the difference of all the holes. 

Any thoughts?

[mavigogun]

Could you just Direct Modelling Delete the holes?

[dankG2KYJ]

I keep getting delete face errors when I try that. 

[etfrench]

Do you have the original model including sketches, etc.?

[dankG2KYJ]

All I have is a .STEP file of the original. 

[mavigogun]

I successfully Deleted the holes by first turning off Capture of Design History to provide a Direct Modelling Body.   First attempts at deleting the hole failed as you described.   Subsequently, I achieved success by progressively deleting related features first- Pulled/Offset surfaces, Fillets, etc.   With holes that overlapped seams in the geometry, a more progressive tact was required, such as Deleting portions of the hole center, causing the hole to collapse into 2 holes, then deleting them.  

Of course, in the original model you could just Suppress these elements rather than delete them.

Screencast forthcoming.

Screencast will be displayed here after you click Post.

90f672b9-ffc6-47c9-a9b0-53cb21455d37

[etfrench · Accepted solution]

Another way that may work for you is to patch each side of each hole, then thicken each patch slightly more than half the depth.  This may not give you a clean enough surface where the holes protrude into the chamfer on the main slot.

[dankG2KYJ]

I greatly appreciate the screencast! Thanks! Through a combination of patching and just deleting the two holes, I think that'll work. Thanks again!