Spin tools

Coding Python Support
1

I love the spin tools. Them, and the bezier curves, are perfect for getting nice round shapes like wine goblets, the bases of chess figures, and table lamps. However, there is a problem.
I’ll tell you how i get the shape i want.

  • Make a profile of the shape in a bezier curve
  • go back to object mode and convert it to a mesh with alt+c
  • Position the cursor thingo (the red thing) where i want the shape to revolve around.
  • go to top view with ctrl+7
  • press a until the whole thing is highlighted
  • change the spin settings
  • click spin

While that is a very useful system, when i use autodesk inventor, the similar tool is called revolve. It is essentially the same. The difference is, revolve lets you go back and edit the profile a lot easier. In blender i have to make a copy to avoid losing the bezier curve profile. That’s kinda annoying. If this could somehow be rectified, it would be a massive advancement.

ps. I know autodesk inventor is a CAD program, but i didn’t use it for one.

2

it could become a modifier, it would keep the curve until you apply.

3

check out the 2.5 videos

you will be impressed

and you don’t need your poll

4

Yeah, i’m really looking forward to 2.5. However I have had trouble envisaging how this would fit into blender as i know it.

ps: I like polls

5

Polls don’t write code.

6

Neither do i really. I try, but i have no idea about blender’s unique hooks into python. I know enough python, but not enough blender.

7

There is a patch on the tracker to do that : https://projects.blender.org/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=6838&group_id=9&atid=127 (need to be register to look at)

Picture : http://members.optusnet.com.au/cjbarton/lathe2.png

8

nice !
is there a chance to this modifier integrated into the incoming release ?

9

you can use bevObject and do this already, or am I missing something from this conversation?

10

Nice! That looks about right. Although rather than just being constrained to the 3 axis’, perhaps a way to make it extrude more along the diagonal.
I hope this is going to be in v2.5

11

do you mean extrude along a path?
you can already do that too

12

no need to convert the curve ino a mesh to spin it. just use 2 curves to create any kind of lathe object: --> http://www.cgcookie.com/articles/working-with-curves

13

I would die less ignorant, danke schön :slight_smile:
(see second part of sebastian_k tut)