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It always starts with a line. Some of you cross that line and go really crazy adding extruded fillety curviness and such. That’s exactly what we’re doing today and there’s even a sweet video to show ya some technique and one way to work inside SolidWorks 2008.
Start with a line
What could you create if you start everything off with a line? Anything right? Seems like a ridiculous question, but sometimes we look at creating models from perspectives of planes or assemblies and forget the simplicity of just starting with a line.
Drawing that line is probably the very first thing you did when learning SolidWorks. Then as your brain symbiotically meshed into the intricacies of SolidWorks you turned into pure evil that line into something amazing. Takes ya back huh?
Give yourself a starting point
I do a bit of furniture and lighting design. Sometimes I have no idea where I need to start, so I draw a line… and throw a bunch of crap at it till it looks cool. It’s that whole blank canvas thing, but getting that line down, going through a couple scenarios and I have a better idea where I want to go.
Video Goodness
The best way to show what I’m talking about is through the magic of video.
Other tips
Keep some different versions
You start off one way, but after seeing it complete you have some other ideas. Plus, you have multiple version to show off.
Set up some templates
Add some planes, set some materials or add material densities. Sometimes it’s just easier starting off with things set-up already.
Jump up and down
You need the exercise too.
So, what could you create if you start off with a line?
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Well, some of the stuff I’ve done requires MUCHO lines, but the concept is the same:
http://www.60hzproductions.com/Temp/Forums/Mercer-Sketches-01.jpg
End Result:
http://www.60hzproductions.com/Temp/Forums/MERCER-BLOCK-01.jpg
Wow, Nice Work Bruce. Is that rendered in photoworks?
MUCHO cool Bruce. Do you use Sketch layouts to create your stuff? Cause it looks an awful lot like the sketches I layout for things I create. That rendering is nice and smooth looking. you have fun don’t you?
Hello Bruce-
That’s very nice work. thanks for sharing.
Devon
Now I see that I can do the Revolve from one line
Thank you for all the comments. Yes, it’s rendered in Photoworks. Not sure about sketch layouts, you mean the ones you do for Top-down assemblies? This was just sketches and manually created planes. The client had the drawing for it (dating back to the 1920’s), so I simply created those views in sketches, then started to create the features.
Hello Bruce-
Is that a combo intake/exhuast manifold for an inline 8? told us more about that part.
Devon
yeah, you got it, sketch layouts for top-down assemblies. That is an interesting story. I understand how you did the model now. very cool.
Devon,
The engine itself is a Mercer 4-cylinder engine. Whether or not the intake manifold was also be used on an inline 8, I have no idea. All I know is that this is REALLY OLD. This guy creates patterns for engine parts needed by car restoration aficionados.
This guy still does everything by hand, paper, etc. I’ve tried to explain to him that he could do some wicked pattern design using SolidWorks and CNC machines. He doesn’t want anything to do with it. He just likes the pretty pictures. If one of you out there could do what he does, but using CAD, you could probably put him out of business. You can see more of his stuff at http://empiremotorsinc.com/
More of my renderings for this guy here: http://www.60hzproductions.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=35&g2_itemId=2503
Correction, the curvy part is the exhaust manifold. Oops.