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Loft is giving me fits.

David_M441David_M441 Member Posts: 3
I'm brand new at Onshape, and 3d modeling in general. I'm just poking around trying to get a feel for it, considering using it for some cnc routing soon.

Anyway, I though a neat project would be to make a model of a greenland paddle (http://www.qajaqusa.org/QK/makegreen2.pdf)

Its got lots of interesting shapes, and I had tried to do it in SketchUp previously and couldn't do it. I'm basically trying to sketch cross sections along the paddle shape and join then using the Loft tool, which seems to me like it should work. It's been fighting me every step of the way, though. I thought I finally had it whooped with guides, but this latest issue has me stumped.

It won't use half my guides for this particular loft. The error is "All guides should intersect each profile boundary." I cant figure why these guides are any different than the many others that do work. Any advice?

https://cad.onshape.com/documents/2a77bf77a3f17ee3747f612e/w/841bb73cf668efcadf8bbfa7/e/c5bcf47731205aa214c5ad6b

Best Answers

  • David_M441David_M441 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2019 Answer ✓
    I think I found the issue/a solution. For some reason, as I'm putting in the guides using the "use" tool, some of the points don't register on the point I'm clicking. Instead, the new point comes up offset in a random direction a tiny bit, and won't let me use a line attached to it as a guide. I have not been able to figure out why this happens, or get it to not happen on the points it happens to..

    I cleaned up my sketches some then put my guides on different planes and got pretty close to fixed. Theres still a little twist on one side I need to iron out. I hope these functions get quicker and easier with practice, because this seems like a ridiculous amount of effort for a pretty simple model.

Answers

  • David_M441David_M441 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2019 Answer ✓
    I think I found the issue/a solution. For some reason, as I'm putting in the guides using the "use" tool, some of the points don't register on the point I'm clicking. Instead, the new point comes up offset in a random direction a tiny bit, and won't let me use a line attached to it as a guide. I have not been able to figure out why this happens, or get it to not happen on the points it happens to..

    I cleaned up my sketches some then put my guides on different planes and got pretty close to fixed. Theres still a little twist on one side I need to iron out. I hope these functions get quicker and easier with practice, because this seems like a ridiculous amount of effort for a pretty simple model.
  • David_M441David_M441 Member Posts: 3
    edited June 2019
    Hey, Jake

    Thanks for your detailed explanation on this. I restarted this project from scratch this morning, and with your advise I finished the model in 1/4 the time with much more consistent results. Maybe I can learn this thing after all!
  • jakeramsleyjakeramsley Member, Moderator, Onshape Employees, Developers Posts: 657
    Hi david_menke574,

    That's good to hear.  To me, CAD has always been a learned skill that you improve with practice and learning new approaches.  

    If you haven't already, I would recommend checking out our learning center and following some of our self-paced courses:
    https://learn.onshape.com/

    We also have some instructor lead training offerings, for a price, that you can register there.
    Jake Ramsley

    Director of Quality Engineering & Release Manager              onshape.com
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