Mitre on 3D moulding

[Lambkin]

I am self-taught with Vectorworks, and I'm sure a lot of my procedures could be done differently and more efficiently.  For example, I'm designing a crown moulding, and extruded the final moulding.  For mitre corners, I make a triangle extruded shape on either ends of the moulding and do "subtract solids" to give the moulding a 45 degree end.  Surely there is an easier method.  Any suggestions?

[Kevin McAllister]

Many people are drawing a path and using extrude along path to make a continuous crown moulding. I sometimes approach it the way you are and use the second or third mode of the Split tool  to make the 45 degree mitre. If you have two extrudes mitring at a corner, you can trim both pieces in the same action with the split tool.

 

Kevin

 

[CipesDesign]

In my view, Extrude Along Path (EAP) is the way to go. 

[AlanW]

@LambkinHi You can use Marionette to do this quickly to do Crown mouldings, Baseboards and window trims.

 

See attached file and look at the video at for how to use it as you need to set up your symbols correctly.

HTH

 

Video available at  www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxKvPrunoJE (Copy and past but you may need to add https:// to the start)

House_001A_v2017.vwx

Edited May 17, 2017 by Alan Woodwell

[Gytis]

I see the drawback to Extrude Along Path as the finicky-ness of editing the path, especially given a more complex one.  The nice thing (among other things)of a Marionette Object like Alan's is that when you edit the  control geometry you are using the standard polyline editing protocol.

[Kevin McAllister]

42 minutes ago, Gytis said:

I see the drawback to Extrude Along Path as the finicky-ness of editing the path, especially given a more complex one.  The nice thing (among other things)of a Marionette Object like Alan's is that when you edit the  control geometry you are using the standard polyline editing protocol.

^ this is a good point. The destructive nature of the Extrude Along Path with respect to the path, which it converts to a NURBS curve, is a significant drawback.

 

I wonder if Alan's Marionette could be adapted to do discontinuous paths where parts of a polyline were visible (where you want molding) and parts were invisible (eg. edges off where there are doors and other openings). This would make it very powerful.

 

Kevin

 

[AlanW]

Hi, Give me a picture of what your thinking, image or ?? and we can play.

You saying a picture rail that stops either side of a door?? and moves when you move the door??

 

The good thing about the EAP in this network is its not like the VW one where it extrudes down the center of the object all the time. Its controllable.

 

I will redo this in a few weeks when I get back from Hols to have a drop down menu allowing you to select the symbols easier and will look at a split line proposal.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Alan Woodwell

[Itchy]

Hi @Alan Woodwellwhat do you do when the gutter needs to be on an angle? At the moment I use the framing member tool with a custom profile - which then allows me to be able to have some flat and some sloped, it is a nuisance though getting the mitres to play nicely.

[AlanW]

Hi, Will have a look and may have to include for 3D polys to allow the EAP to go up and down.

 

Will see how I go. Good suggestion.

[Lambkin]

Thanks so much for this input.  On my own, I discovered the split tool, which is very handy.  Haven't tried extrude along path, but will look into it.