Awesome result Ed, and Frenchy touched on where I was going.

Basically, break it up into sections that can array to make your chain. As long as it is uniform... which is how I did this model.
The half solids booleaned together, then could boolean out of your block.

In case it's not though, I wanted to add one more part.

I swept only a half circle. This would allow me to remove the top surface of the half sweep, trim out the inner, unwanted walls (Separate and trim parts with parts), then I could have the half shell, essentially what a boolean diff would produce. Then I just have to build the boundry surface, with some type of shape and planar...

Then you could flow.

Anyway, thats one added point to Frenchy's point...




Ed's original file is Heart Boolean Diff.....

Thanks BurrMan - Good input!

Ed Ferguson

Hi ed, please try attached technique. Let me know if you're still stuck.

(started earlier and finished up, late to the party!)

- Michael

@ Michael Why trim the middle little part?
Seems that works without it! If each curve has no overlap itself... :)



@ Burr thx! :)

@ Ed : nice one!

Hi Pilou, I didn't trim there, that was a blend curve I put in since I sketched the pretzel instead of making it out of control points with alignment.

- Michael

Ok because that was writed "break" at these points! :)

Hi Pilou,

re:
> Ok because that was writed "break" at these points! :)

Yes, with the original description of it being one long unbroken curve, that case would need a break in that spot.

- Michael

Thanks Michael -

Yes, that does work and I remade my model as below.

I first performed a Mutual Trim on my curve, took a short section shown in green, Mirrored it, Copied, and Joined to make the longer green & red chain. Then I performed a Sweep on each colored section and Boolean Union into a solid. Then I Flowed the design around the ring and Boolean Diff.

I made no attempt to match up the ends, as they are on the bottom of the ring, and this model is for rendering, not mfg. When I make the ring on a rotary table on the milling machine, the ball-nose cutter follows long continuous curves to produce the grooves. These curves match up on the ends for a seamless design.

Thanks again Michael, BurrMan & Pilou. I'll be making similar designs in the future and now I have a process for making the models.

Ed Ferguson

that's an awesome design. someone is going to be a very happy ring owner.