3D shelf with four rabbets

[Peter N]

This evening I got stumped. I need to draw a 3D shelf with rabbets on four sides. Each rabbet is 1/2 half the thickness of the shelf. One rabbet is on the top half of the shelf the other three rabbets are on the bottom side of the shelf.

I can do a rabbet on two sides but have not been able to figure out the third and fourth side. I appreciate any help.

[CipesDesign]

First draw a 2d (side/section view) poly with two of the notches in it. Then extrude the poly to the desired length. Then change to the frontal view which is 90? (perpendicular) to the original view and draw two rectangles which will become the 3rd & 4th notches. Make sure to draw these in their proper places. Select both of the new rectangles and extude them (make the extrude longer than the shelf). Now switch to a top view and drag or move the new extrude so that it is positioned over the original shape and so that it extends beyond it in both directions. Now (finally!) select the first extrude and the second extrude and go the menu item MODEL>SUTRACT SOLIDS. A dialog will pop up asking you confirm which shape will be subtracted from. Make the choice and then hit OK. You should end up with what you wanted. Hope that helps :-)

[mike m oz]

Peter

Have as look at the 3D Modelling Tutorial - Extracting Curves from Solids. You should be able to use the groove technique to achieve what you want.

http://www.nemetschek.net/3Dpowerpack/tutorials.html

You could also achieve the same by modelling the individual elements up and combining them into a single object through Add Solids. You could also do the reverse by using Subtract Solids to achieve what you want.