Why is Shapeways sealing an opening?

 From:  Involute
8485.7 In reply to 8485.4 
I spoke too soon. After initially accepting the STL Shapeways later identified some thin walls. Some I was able to fix but not the ones in FilletProblem.jpg (below). I tried the fillet tool but it never stops calculating (using a variety of radii). I've tried subtracting and merging things from/with these edges, but that just creates other problems. Suggestions?



On a possibly related note (related to the initial question of this thread), I'd like to make a tunnel between the two rectangles in LoftProblem.jpg (below), on the top and bottom of the plate they're on, but when I loft between them there's no opening created (though the outlines of the loft are visible inside the solid being lofted through). I try selecting the interior of each rectangle to delete it, but it's not isolated from the plate. Since they're offset, loft seemed like the easiest (only?) way to do it. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for all your help.