What's the easiest way to make a raised plane at an angle?

[mgianzero]

I have a few extrude objects at an angle but raised from the main sketch.  The only way I know to do this is to make an offset plane, then draw a straight line on a sketch on that plane.  Then I select a "plane at an angle" option and turn the plane an oblique angle using that line I drew.

Is there a simpler way to do this?

[jhackney1972]

No, you have the best method.  It is often you have to use one construction feature to create another.

[mgianzero]

Darn.  Was hoping there was an easier way. 

I have a design with a bunch of sketches at angles and that's 5 steps for every new angled sketch I need when it seems like there could be an option to draw a plane at BOTH an offset and an angle at once.

Thanks for confirming my technique.

Marc

[HughesTooling]

How about creating a 3d sketch with the lines you need for the centre line of the rotated plane.

Something like this.

[mgianzero]

Yes!  This makes it much easier - I can now replace 4 steps with one.  And I don't even need to use the "construct plane at an angle feature"  but simply create a sketch immediately and select the angle I choose while drawing it.  I think this comes with the updated features of 3D sketching in F360.

This leads me to another question however.  How can I make edits to these sketches (for example - if change the angle and even the location in 3D space of my sketch?  I did this using the move / copy command, but I'd like to have a parametric way of doing that instead so I know exactly what my settings are in my timeline.

Marc

However, 

[HughesTooling · Accepted solution]

Experiment with 3d sketch. I find it best to set the line lengths as I go if you're sketching off the XY plane. Screencast below should give you some ideas. I'd sketch the 2d locations first and fully constrain them then add the vertical and horizontal lines. As you can see at the end of the screencast you can edit the sketch later if needed.

Mark

[HughesTooling]

Something I forgot to demonstrate, when you select a curve tool with 3d sketch enabled you can just select a start point by clicking and the axis widget will move to that point.

Mark 

[mgianzero]

That's awesome!

I notice you selected "plane at an angle" AFTER you made the 3D sketch. But why can't you do this in 3D sketch? Can you just draw your object and tilt in the direction you want as you are drawing it?

Also, I see how you can edit your dimensions (such as line lengths) in 3D, but how can I change the angle of those sketches later if drawing them in 3D sketch? I see how if you select "plane at an angle" you can do it that way as a separate step in your timeline, but not if you draw-as-you-go in 3D sketch.

[HughesTooling]

Personally I avoid 3d sketches if possible because it difficult to create a fully constrained sketch that will be predictable if you change a dimension. I'd keep the sketch simple like I did if you think you'll need to change anything and add planes, it's an extra step but more reliable.

Mark

[mgianzero]

Good point and probably a good technique I should use. Keep the sketches 2D unless my design really calls for it. And if I needed to add angled planes, I can add them in 3D sketch by drawing a line out of plane like you suggested.

[etfrench]

Why do you need a 3d sketch?  A 2d sketch works well for creating a Plane at Angle:

[mgianzero]

Because I wanted a RAISED plane at an angle.

The 3D sketch works well because I can just show the elevation difference between two different sketches with the 3D option, or I can represent the entire project in one 3D sketch, provided my sketch doesn't appear too cluttered.