Hi Gord,

re:
> That looks to work for some reason.

The reason is what I wrote earlier - the top of that new one is not skimming right along the same surface area as the top of the other object so it doesn't have to try and resolve a complex intersection between 2 surfaces that are overlapping over top of each other.


re:
> However, I can't reproduce that over the whole surface. How can a flat object be 'bent to fit'?

The Transform > Deform > Flow command can be used to map a flat object onto a curved surface:
http://moi3d.com/3.0/docs/moi_command_reference8.htm#flow

So for your case you would probably want to build a surface that is not pinched together at the ends, something like a sweep like this:



Then with a set of flat objects you can put a base plane around them like this:



And the Transform > Deform > Flow command can map them from the base plane onto the curved sweep surface:



- Michael