need help reshaping/adding angles to extruded solids

[Geoff Knight]

Hi all,

I'm still a Vectorworks noob and need a nudge in the right direction. I've looked through the forums and haven't found the answer (but I'm new enough to VW, maybe I'm not asking the right question).

If I have an extruded shape, for this example say a rectangle, is there a way to cut out a angle from the surface, essentially turning said rectangle in to a triangle?

Additionally, if I have an extruded arc how can I add an angle to that? Is there a way to taper the extrusion, both in height and angle? For example: An arc starts with a height of 3' and a 30?, at the center is 4.5' with a 45?, then at the end of the arc goes back to 3' and 30?.

This is for a personal "flex my VW brain muscle" project, and it's turned out to be a bit more involved than I'd originally thought.

Thanks!

Using VW2009 Spotlight w/ Renderworks on a Macbook Pro.

[CipesDesign]

There are a couple ways to create these types of 3d objects. The simplest is to figure out the 2d profile first, then draw it as a closed poly, then extrude it. If the shape is more complex then you may need to Add Solids or Subtract Solids. See Help for more on those.

Remember also that double clicking any extrude (or just about any other object that has been created from another object) will reveal the original poly/shape from which the extrude was made. Once you are "inside" you can edit the original shape and then exit back to the extrude.

There is also a command called Tapered Extrude. Look for it in the Model menu. (Or you may need to add it to your workspace.) See Help for more on this as well.

All of this take patience and practice! Keep on keeping on...

Posting visual examples of what you're doing is almost always helpful as well.

[Geoff Knight]

Thanks, I'll spend some time today and see if I can't get add/subtract to work for me. My practice project is this roller derby track.

I don't have the exact dimension yet, but what I'm having the most trouble with is the banked arc at either end of the straight aways. At the center of the turn the angle becomes steeper, much like a NASCAR track.

[CipesDesign]

Interesting problem! Seems like a Nurbs surface may be best for this. More than one way to do it... Perhaps some of the solids modeler users will respond with ideas...

One idea (sort of out of left field). I know I could get the shape correct using the Site Model command. It would require drawing contours and then, voila. You could then either ungroup the Site Model or use Drape Surface to create your surface...

Not sure if the Site Model is available to you in Spotlight (I would guess it's not, but perhaps...)

[grant_PD]

What you want to do is draw the tracks' sections and make them into NURBs. Then, if you arrange them in a plan view, you can loft them all together to create your track.