Hi Michael
here is a file, the object on left is my master, I used Transform-> copy to make the two copies on the right, when I try to boolean-union them , the bottom petals on the right most fleur disappear.


Also just remembered something else I wanted to ask, if I line up 5 copies of the master and flow them around the curve, and have to use "stretch" to complete the ring, a small bulge forms where the ends meet, if I design things so the ends come together has close has possible, will that reduce the bugles that form? or is it just a side effect of using stretch? ( I have started make my masters, with out the top and bottom rods and add them last , so after the flow there is only 1 join, but I still get a bulge. ( most likely, the bulge would not be visible if I actually had the ring made up, but the wife see it in the renders which is bad enough :) )