The SketchUp Plymouth DL

[lab-dad]

I did a little research (having built a Plymouth before  )

The frames are not solid, they are channel like.
I will play with that next.

I "removed" the bearing assembly so I could have it printed separately.
I want mine to be in something harder than FUD.
i also deepened the slot for the axle to .250" (it is already .250 dia.)
Plan is to have a .250" O.D. bearing in there supporting the axle.

For now I am working in 1/16 scale, thats why the tiny measurements.

Marty

[lab-dad]

Could not figure out how to make the side-frames "C" shaped from what Russ had.
So this is where I am at.
I figure I can "print" the parts separately and join them like Plymouth did it.

Problem is; I dont know how to make the top plate like the bottoms.
I tried the "follow me" but cant get it to play nice.
"HELP!"

Marty

[lab-dad]

HA! 
I figured it out!
I just copied the curve, put it on the side below the top and used the push/pull.

Now I have a couple questions for the SU experts.
1) Obviously when Russ drew it the curve on the right has less "segments" than the right.
Will this be an issue?
Is it even fixable?

2) The diagonal lines in the flat planes - I can't erase them without loosing the surface.
Should I be worried?

Marty

[lab-dad]

moving along...................

[Chuck Doan]

Looking good. Sorry, I don't know anything to help with Sketch-up issues.

[lab-dad]

Thanks Chuck.

Well is this two of a kind or a pair?

[Chuck Doan]

This whole project is fun to watch. I know you all will figure out whatever comes up.

[Frederic Testard]

Marty

From a math point of view, the problem with the diagonal lines in the flat planes might suggest that in fact the plane is not really a plane, but two triangles with a very slight lack of planarity. So that when you suppress the diagonal, that destroys the two triangles and there isn't a face any more.
Now how this could have happened after a pushpull operation, I really don't know...

Also, I noticed that some holes seem to be open while others (the black ones on the image, for example the one below the T of "PLYMOUTH" on the foreground frame) seem different.

[Hydrostat]

Marty,

great work! I'm not familiar with SU so I can't contribute to construction.
Maybe you can reduce spacing between L and Y in Plymouth; this might be an font issue?

Volker

[mabloodhound]

Marty, when I get a diagonal line like that on a part, I erase the line and then I retrace the rectangular opening with the line tool, thus creating the surface needed.

[marc_reusser]

As Frederic noted the angled line that causes your surface to disappear when erased, means you have coplanar issues..the sides of your bounding box are not in the same plane...this likely happened when you extruded/created the surface.

BTW two easy ways to get the flanges top and bottom:

Option 1:
Select the flat plane of the side-frame > offset inward, the thickness of the flange (you will note that it offsets all the way around ..that's okay) > delete/erase the offset lines at the side-frame ends > draw in the 4 short gaps at top and bottom where end lines were removed (IE...complete the remaining top and bottom lines to the end) > select the flange space > use the push/pull tool to extrude the flange to the distance you want > repeat for other flange.   [If you want a subsequent radiused fillet between the side-frame and flange, you can use the fillet tool to create or extrude one]

Option 2:
Draw the flange in section (including fillet if wanted) > copy and paste the flange section at 90-degrees to the side-frame (top or bottom) > select all the lines along the side-frame edge where you have placed the flange section > select the "follow me" tool and touch/click on the flange section >done [the flange section will extrude itself along the selected lines]  then just repeat process for other flange.


.....there's actually also a third...which is to draw a quick extended rectangular surface off the top of the side-frame (parallel with the side-frame surface)...then use the offset tool to off-set into the side-frame surface....then just do a quick erase of the lines you drew, and any extraneous off-sett lines ...and extrude the offset area [using this approach you don't offset all the sides of the side-frame, but rather, only the one you drew the surface against.


As  to your question of why one curve had more section lines showing than the other....there are likely two reasons for this....

1. the program has gone and "smoothed" one of the curves and not the other...this can happen/occur...it's no big deal...you can select the smoothed curves if you want...then lessen the value of "smoothe" and it will return to its segmented/line state.

2. It could be caused by your coplanar issue...and that curve could be out of plane and parallel.....thus causing it to be made up of polygons rather than rectangles...and the computer has gone and smoothed them for you...in this case the smooth is the least of your problems...the problem is the non coplanar curve surfaces.

[marc_reusser]

Thanks Chuck.

Well is this two of a kind or a pair?

Marty,

Looking at this screen shot...the discolored triangular area in the upper side-frame indicates that that is a non co-planar surface (or a hole in the side-frame, where a non co-planar surface has been deleted.

[marc_reusser]

You also seem to have a hole/lacking a top,  (and thickness) to the cylindrical projections on the side-frame.

[marc_reusser]

Marty

<snip>

Also, I noticed that some holes seem to be open while others (the black ones on the image, for example the one below the T of "PLYMOUTH" on the foreground frame) seem different.

Frederic,

I would venture to guess that the black appearance is caused by the visibility of the  lines/rectangle segments, making up the hole surface....this hole did not get "smoothed" while the others did.

[marc_reusser]

The more I look at this the more planar and parallel issues appear....and studying them, they all go back to the way that you created the offset line for the top flange (by copying the existing line and pasting it next to the other one) this will never work properly ...because the curves will not allow themselves to be truly parallel....which in turn throws off wall/spacing thickness (as can be seen in those areas)...and it will/can cause the non-coplanar issues you are having.

The biggest problem with this, is that this will only propagate and cause more problems as you go along....yes you might be able to do work-arounds...and close up holes and gaps...but it takes a ton of work and effort, and half the time it when you erase something, a surface will disappear or something odd will happen, that need to be fixed and fiddled with...and it will also print out of square and flat (meaning potential parts fit uses, and layers/stepping on what should be flat surfaces)....the only way to fix this is to go all the way back to the beginning and do the flanges properly, so you do not start creating no-coplanar surfaces.