Thank you very much OSTexo! Your long spent time formulating this tutorial was very worth the wait.

I feel like I just completed a trek to the guru on the top of the mountain. :-)

That was extremely informative and drawn out on a good pace so that most folks could see what happens between point A and point B.

I encourage your future tutorial endeavors.


BTW, do you have a link to a site or official chart for specs on those standard spacings, pitches and angles you were referencing?

Hello,

This is the link I worked from. I am coming to think threading is all about tolerances, so rather than be confused by all the numbers on various manufacturer sites I used this for the reference. Assuming you're using UTS or ISO Metric threads, which is most of the world apparently, you can make any of those screws just knowing the pitch. I really hope my interpretation of this diagram is correct. If not please let me know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ISO_and_UTS_Thread_Dimensions.svg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Thread_Standard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_metric_screw_thread

Hootchie-Mama!



Thanks OSTexo.

BTW: Look what I found: http://www.earnestmachine.com/Images/PDF/training.pdf

Hello,

Thanks for the thanks, do I hear rumblings of perhaps trying a Twist command screw thread?

Tried that a little. The Twist command seems to add a graceful swoop to the faces of anything twisted - as the logic of that mechanism dictates...

Sweeping a profile on a helix is the supreme way to make threads so far.

Hello,

Great reference, thanks. Using this information could a partial thread calculation be made to determine the tapered helix parameters and to accurately place the secondary helix on the bolt cylinder? I know that NSF type stuff specifies this as 3/4" rise per 12" taper, so it's easy to know exactly where the threads are going to leave off cutting the cylinder, but I can't seem to find out the parameters from UTS or ISO Metric. I also can't find the depth of those arcs at the crest and root of the thread, do you have a reference on how to calculate that? Thanks.

Very well done OSTexo!! :)

Thanks!!

Hi Mike,

> The Twist command seems to add a graceful swoop to
> the faces of anything twisted - as the logic of that
> mechanism dictates...

Only when "Limit to axis" is checked - that acceleration swoop is what makes it possible to twist only a limited section of an object and not have any odd hiccup where it transitions into the non-twisted part.

If you turn off "Limit to axis", then Twist will generate a totally regular helix effect, and actually any lines parallel to the twist axis will become a regular helix in shape.

So it could be a good fit for threads - definitely worth a try!

A little while ago I had thought that Twist wouldn't really work so well for this kind of thing where you'll probably be doing quite a lot of turns, but it actually seems to handle it quite well. By the way, you can type in stuff like 5*360 for doing 5 full turns for the twist angle.

- Michael

RE: Threads,
The new Twist command is pretty cool for doing quick metal screws.



Instructions included in the 3dm file.

-

Hello,

Thanks for the addition to the wiki Michael and for the compliment, I really appreciate it. I think there probably is a way to make a screw thread very quickly with the Twist command, but I'm letting the smoke out of my brain trying to think of how to get a flat flank to the screw thread.

Thanks for all the info/tutorials guys. Much appreciated..

Peace,
Rich_Art. ;-)

Hi OSTexo,

""""""""""""""""I agree, I might break up the tutorials more in the future. Also remember is am a relative amateur with MoI so it takes me at least twice as long to accomplish tasks, and speaking about them slows things down, but I think talking about the procedures helps with the learning curve. """""""""""""

I think your tute was well paced and thought out. I think it is easy to follow and grasp. Commonly, tutes are done by experts who know all the nuances and tricks/ins and outs and "Baffle" newer users with whats going on.. Old hands may get impatient, but targeting the old hands may make a lessor, or typical tutorial. Congratulations!

Hi OSTexo,

excellent tuto! Nothing to add above what was already said.

I noticed a couple of things you did and I wonder why those are necessary?

1- You rotated your base screw cylinder, I think you said something about the seam but I still wonder why this operation is necessary?
2- You shrink things a couple of time also, I'd also like to know why this is necessary or useful?

Thanks,
Felix

PS. If you think you're a newbie, I wonder where that puts me...

Perhabs we should make a group or a channel on vimeo, where we can put together all MOI videos on vimeo.

Rudl

Hello Burrman,

Thanks for the observation you hit the nail on the head. My intent was to be able to give even new users like myself the ability to accomplish the project without too much searching around for how to run shortcuts, tweaks, etc. Even using this long procedure it only takes about 15 minutes to recreate this bolt from scratch. The nice thing is you are able to quickly create templates for the cutting objects and caps of different pitches of screws, bolts, connectors and just copy and paste them into your working document. Once all that data is complete it's just a matter of determining diameter of the thread, creating the helix and cutting so you could really get down to a few minutes to make the custom thread for just about any application through asset reuse.

I realize that most designers do not use that level of detail for their drawings, but for renders and manuals it's a nice touch that adds to the realism and understanding of the project and since I use MoI for quick start guides as one application being able to show detail when zoomed in helps the presentation. Thanks.

Hello FelixPQ,

I'm not sure whether I messed up somewhere else in the procedure but when coming up with it I found if I rotated the cylinder to keep the cutting edge that is parallel to the seam of the cylinder a bit away from each other I could get the desired result consistently. I don't know if I'm just imagining things but it seemed I had more trouble when I had the cuts getting very close to seams in the objects to be cut.

The shrink trimmed surface command seemed to help in the Boolean operations as well, however it is more habit for me than anything else since when exporting AI it makes the intersecting lines of the drawing match up correctly.

I wouldn't depend on my explanation or validity of these explanations, since I have no basis to say whether the extra procedures have a bearing on the successful outcome of the project or not, they might work quite well without them, but it probably doesn't hurt the process.

Well Done!

As a long time comprehensive tutorial provider myself, I would like to say that your tutorial was spot-on as video tutorials go. Not rushed, a clear voice, no unnecessary chatter and not too much in the way of excessive mouse movement. I would say that you have a real knack for video tutorials. Experience will help iron out the process and you may even start to get a real good feel for how you can create breaks for yourself in the process and then assemble with a video editor. I saw that in one spot and thought that it was well done. I hope that you will make additional MoI video tutorials.

On a more personal note. I have shied away from video tutorial because I know the effort they take to make. My tutorials have always been in PDF format (200 - 300 pages on average), but I occasionally include a supplemental video on some of the more difficult concepts. I really would like to delve more into video and may do so at some point on shorter project concepts.

Best regard.

OSTexo,

thanks for your answers, they help me better understand why you're using them.

I would have like to know if there are technical reasons for doing this. As you say, it seems to work better but is really the case and if so, why this isn't part of the operation or function?

Thanks again,
Felix

Hello Don,

Thanks for the compliment. I was not fully aware of how much time it took to bring all of the pieces together for a video. I'll think more about pacing and break points in my next video as well as trying to up the polish. Only 300 pages? Ouch, I can't imagine that. I'm at the other end of the spectrum trying to condense as much relevant information as possible into guides for the non technical individual. I haven't found a better product for producing clean AI files for the graphics that go to print. I'm confident that hidden line removal will be here at some point, that will make my process as easy as export, drag and drop into the formatting.

Hello FelixPQ,

Those questions are probably best answered by Michael Gibson, I have no idea why or if I'm imagining things when it comes to why I've had more success keep with these procedures. Thanks.