Hi Chris, so to use Blend a couple of things you want to watch out for is first that you want to hide any of the original generator curves that may be sitting on the same location that you want to blend. That's because to make the blend you are going to want to select surface edges and if you've got some of the original curves in that same location as the surface edge overlapping right on top of it, that will make the edge difficult to select.

Then the other thing is that you want to delete any end caps off of the ends of the pieces you are blending so that there is an opening and the edges that you are blending between only belong to one surface and are not joined edges between 2 surfaces.

Then there is an additional complication in a case like this where the blend is turning by quite a large amount it may get confused and not match up the edges the way that you need because Blend normally tries to match things up in such a way that twist is actually reduced.

If you run into that, then do the blend between the 2 pieces that are aligned and then rotate them into their final place.


See the example model that I've attached.

Do the blends there by picking 2 pairs of edges at a time and making the Blend, then once they are all built, go to the Right side view and rotate each of the end pieces by 90 degrees, the blends will update as you rotate each piece. Then select all the surface pieces and use Edit > Join to glue them together into a solid.

Let me know if you are still stuck after this.

- Michael

Yes, the Sweep command would be the best to use:

Draw your profile - Rounded edges.
Make lines that are offset for the bent sections of the metal strap...



Move the two small lines down and over to represent the edge of the bent section...
Blend the ends of the profile and the lines to get a smooth transition...



Merge the whole thing - Copy and Rotate to make a pair...
Position the copy so that the bottom is as far in one direction as the top ends are in the other...



Make a rounded Rectangle...
Sweep the rectangle using both profiles as a path (2 Path Sweep)...



...There you go... You may need to adjust the transition path to make the bent section work best.

THANK YOU!

=)

Here's another method:

@ Bur : Very cool method!

ps You must increase the speaker level when you reccord for the next time ;)
Because even I put to the max, slider of my headphone, slider of the speaker Windows taskbarre, slider of the youtube speaker
I have only a charming sepulcral carvernous distant voice :)

Hey Frenchy, Thanks... (the swept arc would need to be done different to keep tangency)

Ah, the volume.. I used "headphones" and didnt consider that through speakers would be harder to hear.. I suppose I could turn up the mic a bit. Although, then you would here my wife chiming across the rooms "Get in the bathtub!!!" to my kids.. lol