Spiral stair rails

[SLW210]

Hi Guy This Method Is Too Long, U Guy Have Any Easy Method Thanks

 

With 2007 use the sweep command along your spline.

[Lacan]

I'm trying to model what is supposed to a concrete spiral stairway. The actual steps are no problem at all.

 

They are supposed to be smooth along their underside (like a ramp). They are also supposed to have an edge around the sides (somewhat like the region over to the right on the 3rd image).

 

Using either sweep or extude along a path gives me a result that ends up twisted in funky ways when attempting to do the smooth underside and or edges (doesn't work at all with both together like that region on right of 3rd image). You can see what I mean on the 4th image by all twisted.

 

Anyone know how to handle this one? I'll keep trying different things but I didn't want to waste a couple days on it if it is something that could take me less time if I knew the correct way to do it.

[kencaz]

Not an easy one to sweep. Especially with that section. You could attempt to re-align the UCS and rotate the profile using SWEEP and turning off alignment but it's just to thick and extruding into itself.

 

You could try lofting 2 lines along your spline to create a surface and thicken. This will give you a solid. Then loft the sides and thicken using the same method.

 

Then move your new solid under your treads and combine into one solid. This may or may not work. My stair example is a helix and steep so you may have better luck.

 

 

KC

[Lacan]

I ended up getting it to work using the helix command and sweep. Splines work great for circular section objects but for anything else they seem to get all twisted up where the lines created by the helix command don't seem to do that when you sweep along them (I wouldn't be able to explain why though, just how it seems to have worked for me).

 

Another thing that didn't help was the fact that the helix started in one direction and then near the top reversed in the opposite direction.

 

Took me 3 days to get it all figured out and working but looking on the bright side I learned how to do something I previously didn't know how to.