Okay, so I’ve been playing with a design and instead of just knocking something out quickly at the beginning, (which I’ve been kind of forced to do due to time constraints lately), I actually took the time up front to set up a few variable parameters in it.
By the way @markevans36301 …I used your box joints tut for the rectangular array… stupendous time saver! Thanks for that tip!
Just received the supplies I was waiting on to actually cut and build it, and realized the design was going to be too large for the pitiful quantity of supplies I received, so I placed another order and went back to the design.
Input one number to completely change the dimensions and the whole thing changed! Makes the final design completely customize-able.
Sweeeeeeeeet!
Back to designing… I am so squeee over this…
(Now if I can just find time to rework the problem child…different file.)
We’ll be posting his tuts one of these days pretty soon.
Chuckle! I can’t build it without the supplies. I’ll post the proto-type for the problem child tonight, though. Even though that one is going to take a major overhaul.
ROFL! Nope, this one is a surprise…in case it doesn’t work out.
Also going to be a stepping off point into inlay for me…(aside from that bling tray, which was more of a cutout thing)…so I’ll need to pick @marmak3261’s brain about the engraving depth settings for the veneers.
This is the main reason why I prefer Fusion over any vector package. The ability to make adjustments non-destructively. And also to flip to different points in your history to make feature changes.
I still have so much to learn with the whole parameterization thing though…most of which, I’m sad to say, I’ve forgotten since the summer when I worked on it.
(Sometimes the results of my attempts at parameterizing something turn out to be pretty amusing though.)
Recently I did a box for a project and had to use AI, instead of CAD, and OMG, I realized how accustomed you get to constraints based sketching. Yes, AI has a sort of measurement system, but not even in the same league as a real CAD system. Of course splines, etc are pathetic in CAD compared to the insanity of AI’s incredible curve manipulation…
That’s why I like to use both. Each has it’s strong points for different kinds of design.
When you get into the 3D modeling - F360 (or Rhino) have a ton of benefits - but for quick manipulation of more natural shapes - you can’t beat Illustrator.
And I frequently just import the Illustrator results into F360 for extrusion - best of all worlds, saves a ton of time.
Yeah, although I have to say, when I made the test heart valves for @markevans36301 to test GF’ing the power mesh, the loss of dimensions when I moved from OnShape to AI was a bummer. AI does import DXFs but not well. This will be a slight transition for me back to 2D design, since I am so used to 3D CAD on a daily basis (I do use AI, but for artwork not CAD like stuff). The challenge I find with Fusion is that it is both a regular rigid constraint and sketch based CAD and a freeform cad, which I find problematic when people mix them (you don’t have to but you can) when I go to do a precision fit off their designs and design intent is weirdly mixed…
Yeah there are some issues with importing into AI from the CAD programs. I expect we’ll work something out eventually.
I’ve been going back and forth about even mentioning them to @Rita at this point. It’s not something that Glowforge is responsible for fixing, but they might be able to give us a way to work around some of the problems they introduce later.
And they should be a non-destructive change. We’ll see.
