>Could you post a model file that has the objects you are trying to orient in it?

Well, in the shell file I posted earlier, I'm attempting to model headlights to attach to the front of that cab shell. So, looking down in top view, I create a 6-inch circle, extrude circle 2 inches or so, then try to orient the resulting 'headlight' to the front of the cab so that the headlight sits perpendicular to the surface. The target surface in this case is curved so it won't be flush but that's not a problem as when the headlight is perpendicular to the surface I can just move it back so that the body of the headlight disappears into the body of the cab.

What I'm having problems with is the "sticking headlight to surface" bit. I assume orient is the right tool to use but I find the different options confusing when I had assumed that the headlight would just magically re-orient itself to the surface of the target solid. Obviously I can rotate the headlight and move it around, I just thought orient would be a shortcut...

Regards
Dan

PS re the earlier shelling issue eventually I drew a profile of the cab, offset the curve to form another smaller but otherwise identical curve, extruded the two curves, then copied the outline of the resulting shell at each uncapped end to get a curve the exact shape of the end, then extruded this curve by half an inch to form the side/s of the cab. Seemed easier that way than shelling.