Crown Mouldings with Flared Ends

[kittany]

I am trying to create a crown moulding with flared ends. The attached photo shows two sets of objects. The moulding above was created with straight ends (using the 'loft with no rails' tool) and the objects below shows the cross-sections set up for the new mouldings with the flared ends.

Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Guest Frank Brault]

Try either loft with no rails using all of the profiles shown, or try extrude along path operations; one along the interior path and one extrude along path with either fixed or exponential scaling enabled to handle the desired flare at one end, and then mirror with mirror and duplicate mode to get the other end.

hth,

[kittany]

Thanks for the quick response.

Each of the profiles are NURBS curves and so the only extrude command that can be used is 'tapered extrude'.

Using the 'loft with no rails' command produces some strangely curved shaped end. I think I may have to make the end profile a straight flare instead of a curved one.

[Chad McNeely]

By "flare" do you mean a mitered return?

If so then...

As you have learned, VW won't let you use extrude along path to do this in one step. You can make a path that comes out from the wall, across the wall and back to the wall; or you can have a path that has some spring to it when viewed from the front. But not both together.

Probably the reason is that the joint between curved profiles and straight returns is fairly complex. The miter surface is a curve that takes some figgerin to get right.

Your example looks like a gentle curve though, and should be doable by drawing a section plane, inclining it to match the slope at the bottom of the curve, and then doing something similar to the short pieces used for the returns. Example attached.

[Gytis]

Not that I've used it yet, but apparently in 2009, you can have a non-planar path for Extrude Along Path.

[Guest Wes Gardner]

Here's a quick extrude along path based on a NURBS curve

Edited October 16, 2008 by Wes Gardner

[kittany]

OMG! That is exactly the finish I am looking for at the ends. How exactly did you get them to curve?

[Jeffrey W Ouellette]

Chad,

With 2009 you can get the "mitered" return with a single NURBS path with right-angle bends.

[kittany]

By "flare" do you mean a mitered return?

Your example looks like a gentle curve though, and should be doable by drawing a section plane, inclining it to match the slope at the bottom of the curve, and then doing something similar to the short pieces used for the returns. Example attached.

Did you, by chance, use a curved section profile? Or were they straight? And also I am not sure how the concept of a mitred end would relate in my case.

[Guest Wes Gardner]

I started with a 2D polygon shaped like a "U" in 2D top/plan view. I then converted the poly to a NURBS curve which provides you with the ability to go to a 3D front view. I then modified the NURBS curve (in Front view) by selecting a node and pulling it up. This shape becomes the PATH. I then created a molding profile (or you can use a "real" one from a supplier). Finally, I ran the "Extrude Along Path" command.

Edited October 16, 2008 by Wes Gardner

[gScott]

wes

did you do this in 2008 or 2009?

12.5.x has never been able to do it....

[Guest Wes Gardner]

Hi Gideon,

Yes, sorry, I did it in 2009.

Upgrade time! :-)

BTW - cool avatar

Wes

Edited October 16, 2008 by Wes Gardner

[taoist]

How did you create that extrude? Combinatio of arcs and lines, polyline? Trying to figure out so I can create library of mouldings unless someonelse has them. Is there a site for mouldings anywhere to download?

taoist

[John Meunier]

Vectorworks 2009 has a number of profiles for mouldings created. It is in "Vectorworks 2009-objects building Architecture & Interior-Detail Molding Profiles copper beech millwork" Hope this helps.

[Guest Wes Gardner]

Hey taoist...

Sorry, I answered your other post regarding crown moldings - for that particular exercise I just drew something using the polygon tool, but yes, as John says, '09 ships with a bunch of profiles...