HOW DO I DRAW A 3D HELIX??????

[joejoejoe 0]

Hey there i am trying to make a 3D Helix on Vectorworks 11.

The furthest i have got is like this....

select spiral tool - add dimensions - select square tool - place square where spiral finishes - select both - select extrude along path tool.

how do i make the spiral lift off the ground making it into a helix????

[Jonathan Pickup 271]

you can use the Sweep command to draw a helix.

draw the square.

place a 2D Locus at the centre of the helix

Model > sweep...

set the degrees for the number of rotations. 360? = 1 complete rotation, 720?=2 complete and so on.

set the pitch for the height of each rotation.

[mike m oz 360]

Helix Spirals are covered in:

• Help (look for Helix Spirals).
  
• The Doorstopper 3D modelling tutorial included with Vw.
  
• The corkscrew in the 3D Power Pack Online Video (Example 4): http://www.nemetschek.net/3dpowerpack/qtexamples.php

In the example shown below you need to enter a value in the Pitch field in step 2.

Edited February 21, 2010 by mike m oz

[Architosh 0]

Mike Oz,

You should write the tech manual! Nice explanation graphic!

A

Edited June 7, 2012 by Architosh