heard and saw great comments about MOI - especially like the enthusiasm users have for the program and the programmer )))))

Nice work on this one also Neil!

We have a lot of ash wood available in Canada, sadly there's a bug killing them, the Emerald ash borer.

Marc

I can't get ash (the lightweight variety) from my supplier. Sorry to hear about that bug -hope they can do something about that. I have a cousin in Ontario - my great grandfather owned a farm in Saskatchewan - Used to visit occasionally - Canada and Canadians are awesome.

One tool that I like is using blend on 2d curves.
It’s useful in drawing profiles and produces great results

Marc

Thank you for the tip - will practice that next. Any other tips are appreciated - here is a bridge plate that was setup in MOI and cut on my small CNC today - have to get a better bit and raise the z axis some but for the first try pretty happy . . . the slots are for piezo saddles - each has a wire coming out from underneath . . .

I will be posting all my MOI modeling work here from now on as I've been told I need to "learn the basics." So based on what you've seen me post in this thread where should I start? I've already done most of the tutorials on the web site and a dozen introductory videos on youtube by cubify . . .

Thanks,

Neil

Here is a neck I've been working on - it is better but still not solid. What do you suggest I practice to get better at this? Believe it or not - this is good enough to mill and will only require a little bit of sanding. Thought it was pretty good but have been told that I need to better learn the basics - what can I practice to make this a better model?

Thanks!

Neil

Hi VG

For what it is worth I am very impressed with the progress you have made in such a short time. My focus is on architectural forms so I have not learned to do some of the things you are mastering. I think we all learn more nearly every time we use MoI and in my opinion the Forum is the best in the whole spectrum ... so many expert and eagerly helpful participants. Their answers help us all learn, too. Please don't go away.

cheers,
eric

Thank you Mr. Clough,

It's worth a lot! Thanks much for your input and support - sure you know how frustrating it can be when you're learning. Everyone here has been nothing short of very helpful. I won't give up. Just need to give it a rest for couple weeks - taking it too seriously. Love the program and the folks here have been fantastic. Some are some amazingly talented people and it's not hard to understand them loosing patience with a Newbie. By this time next year I should be pretty good at this. :)

Many thanks again, Neil

Hey Neil,

Took a look at your model tonight. Getting better...but few issues as you'll see in the attached pix...which stem from the "basics".

- Alignment of curves/surfaces are still off.
- Not sure how you built some of your surfaces but you can see the density differences.
- With the curves/surfaces alignment off...you won't get a true "water tight" solid model.

...practice the above "basics". ;)

M

Yep knew the headstock was badly done where I attempted to use scripts - but I like the heel. Thanks for the advice Mat10x


Attached is a neck I did from scratch - hence the odd headstock - used Barry's method of filleting. I need to get better at the process - but the main thing is it's solid and there are no big mistakes :)
 

N

Really like the look of this one - but alas it still has issues as it is all surfaces and not solid. Learning to use the rebuild command has helped a lot. This was done with basic commands and one script for the headstock transition area. The heel is just freeform curves built and then surfaced with the network command. Using trim and blend has been really helpful too - but it is tricky sometimes it works perfectly and other times not - and can't seem to figure out why.

Neil - When I started using MoI about 10 years ago I had no prior experience with a modeling program. I didn't even know how to spell "3D" :)

Initially I was having all sorts of problems, then from reading the forums, learned that precise alignment of curves was critical. I was just moving curves, and if they looked aligned & connected, I assumed the Construction Tools would work fine. Only after I began using the Alignment tools did the light bulb go off in my head.

I recommend downloading and installing Max's Custom UI. It places the alignment tools front & center where they are easy to reach. I find that I use these probably more often in a modeling session than any other tool. I suspect Max does too because of where he placed them in his UI.

I operate with Straight Snap & Object Snap turned on and normally with Grid Snap off.

Good luck and keep at it. Enjoy seeing the finished designs realized in wood.

Ed Ferguson

Hello Ed,

Will do! Wow 10 years - many thanks for sharing your experiences, suggestions and encouragement. Not sure where to find the file you speak of but I will do a search. Thanks again for the guidance!

Neil

Update: did a search and can't find Max's custom UI - Daves pops up though.

If you are using MoI ver 4 then look here:

http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6507.268

Ed Ferguson

Works awesome -can't wait to get started using the new interface tools - woo hoo! Thanks again Ed!

Hi Ed,

Michael pointed me toward this more recent version as well:

http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=6507.1

Still failing at networking - if there are any videos or tutorials that concentrate on networking freeform lines on organic shapes - please let me know.

Hi Neil,

re:
> Still failing at networking

Do you mean in a strategic sense, or are you talking about one particular set of curves that you are not able to make a network out of? If it's the latter please post the 3DM file with the curves in it.

re: Tutorials - well, there is the one you found previously here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLaPAeKPuqA

You might try searching for Rhino NetworkSrf tutorials.

- Michael

Am working on a screen cast of me apparently ruining closed crv's. Lol. I start out with shapes that are solid and closed and stand up to the naked script. Then during the process of networking or installing faces the joined shapes must be unjoined or partially so to use the network command. Then when rejoined or attempted - the naked script lights up everything including the originally closed shapes. So - that means there are gaps and spaces correct? If I assign blue to the heel shape and cyan to the profile shape - when I install faces I get a blue wall on one side of the heel and a cyan wall on the other - that can't be right. So I will post doing this so you can see where things go wrong.

The video link posted of the guy doing a neck in Rhino is helpful for a beginner (hello) to a point - especially the heel - in fact I'm pretty good at heels. When he does the headstock he uses more advanced modeling techniques - and as I'm still learning the basics and commands are a tad different in Rhino I'm not exactly sure how he goes about it - although I can see how easy he makes it look (see photos). I'm trying to do the headstock transitions using basic networking first before I move on to the method below.

Conversely, the fillet, trim and blend that I've learned from Barry has been incredibly helpful/useful and am continuing to practice those methods everyday to get proficient. However, want to learn the networking because it lends more control over the shape, length, height of the transition area.