flatten surfaces

Support Basics & Interface
1

hi everyone
just a quickie does anyone know a quick way of flattening one side of a rounded cylinder?

thanks

2

I’m not quite sure what you want, but if you want a half-cylinder, you can border select (B) half of the cylinder (down the length of it, but without the center row), and press X>Vertices. Then you select the four vertices that surround the hole you just made and fill them (F).

If you actually want to flatten the topology, select half of the cylinder (down the length of it, this time including the middle row), change the pivot to the 3D cursor (period), making sure the cursor is at the point you want the flat side to be aligned with. Now press S and then the axis you want to flatten along (X, Y, or Z) and type 0.

3

Select an axis parallel (in the view) to the one you want your vertices to be flattened to and scale them on that axis.

For instance, in top view (numpad 7) you look down upon the x and y axes. If I want my vertices flattened so they are perpendicular to the x axis, I scale them along y until they all have the same y coordinate (or close enough, you may have to do this two or three times to get it perfect), and then they will be flat with respect to the x axis. I tried this with median point selected (shift comma).

Otherwise you could always press ‘n’ in the 3d view and copy/paste locations so they are flat. [looks like egan beat me to all but this one]

4

Here’s a trick…

  1. Select your cylinder and enter Edit Mode.
  2. Add a plane and align it to the side you want flattened.
  3. Subdivide the plane several times.
  4. Turn on Proportional Editing (O key), and select Linear Falloff.
  5. Move the plane towards your cylinder, and watch the side flatten.
    You may need to adjust the falloff radius (mousewheel up/down).
5

works like a charm thanks !!