Hey everyone, I was looking around for a tutorial on how to best model a circular saw blade, and I couldn’t find one, so I’m hoping someone here would be able to help me. I’m really unsure of how to start this. I was thinking that it would be easiest to start from the inner open circle, and then work out to the blades. This is where I run into problems. I could probably model each blade by just stringing vertices together, but I really want this to be symetrical, and the result of doing it this way will be anything but symetrical. Your input/direction would be greatly appreciated! 
one way would be to make one segment then use spin dupli
see wiki pages on spin
can you upload a pic so we can see the model
salutations
Yeah, I was thinking that the spin tool would be the way to go, but I was unsure of how to use it for this purpose. As for the picture, I am still trying to find a good one. When I find one (which should be sometime later today), I will post it.
Ok, here is a picture of basically the kind of blade I am looking for:
I don’t think I want that many blades, but I’m pretty sure I can control that with the spin tool.
Ok, so I just did a little playing around, and I’ve come up with something (not quite what I am aiming for, but it’s close):
now, comparing it to the blade I am modeling it on (above in my previous post), I can see that I don’t have the curve on each of the individual blades, which I think would really help to clean this up. What would be the best way to do this? Also, and it may just be me, but there seems to be something wrong with some of the blades. I’m not sure if it is the angle, or the size, or what, but some of them just seem off. Let me know if there is anything else that would improve this model.
Ok, now when i see what you want exactly:
- start by centring background image ortho top view. Add circle to help that.
- add bezier curve. Switch to edit mode BEFORE you move it.
- move it to what would be one tooth; upper one would be good to go.
- zoom so that tooth image takes all screen estate
- select circle while we have not started and scale so that you know where to start and end outline
- go back to edit bezier. Good idea would be to switch it to 2D.
- grab start of it (you could switch off normals for bezier on N panel Display section - less clutter), position on image and on circle.
- Ctrl click to extend curve and move handles to adjust, some points will be Vector, some Free (on T panel)
- end of tooth should be on circle and image outline again.
- Alt C to convert curve to mesh
- edit tooth mesh - select and dissolve not needed vertices.
- almost there; in object mode, Shift S cursor to center and add an Empty
- select tooth mesh and add Array modifier; set count as needed, click Object Offset and choose Empty as object
- from top view select Empty and rotate - 24 teeth start to move in circle. Zoom in on first one and rotate empty holding Shift while it looks that it is in place.
Some manual stiching will be needed most likely. Snapping and Auto merge in Menu helps. - as soon as outline is ready select all vertices and hit F to skin this thing.
- Add smaller helper circle with some 12 vertices in centre and with K -knife cut centre hole.
- delete helper circle, select cut hole vertices, Shift S cursor to centre and hit Space, write To Sphere, select that command and hit 1. That will improve look of hole. To get it more precise you gonna need Loop tools addon and Space there. Select cut hole vertices and press Space in Loop tools; then again Space, To Sphere. Perfect circle. If it looks like you need more vertices in that circle, W subdivide vertices on circle and To sphere again.
- next apply Solidify modifier (you might want to make all smaler stuff with K knife before that).
- now carbide stuff. Add cube in centre, switch to edit mode, scale, move to place, edit a bit and…
- apply Array modifier with Object Offset - same Empty. You even don’t need to move that!
That’s all.
