Hi Rich_Art - it looks like your object is straight in one direction, is that correct?
Usually extrusion is the easiest way to build objects like that - instead of having that full outline of everything (meaning having all 3D edges already drawn in), instead just have one side profile like this:
Select those then run Construct > Extrude, you can then snap on to the end of that other line if you want the extrusion to match it, or type in a distance value:
If you want a thick slab instead of just a surface, it's probably easiest to thicken the profile by using Offset on the profile curve with the "Cap Ends" option which will make a thickened closed curve out of your profile and then when you extrude a closed curve it will make a solid slab result.
Usually if you're looking for the most efficient way to construct something it will involve using just one set of 2D curves as the inputs, so if there is any kind of 2D profile to your objects, focus in on creating that 2D profile first instead of focusing first on making every single 3D edge in the final result as your first step which it seems like you've been doing more here at least.
If you just build all 3D edges first then you will end up having to build lots of surface pieces sort of one by one and you won't be using the most efficient "draw in 2D" type stuff. Things really move along quickly when you're able to generate more parts of your model from a smaller number of 2D curves.
A kind of similar thing is that sometimes you want to generate some of the final edges in your model by cutting pieces with booleans instead of creating them as a starting wireframe that you then try to fill in patch-by-patch.
Sometimes you do have to build things patch-by-patch, but you want to reserve that method for freeform shapes that are not able to be created by 2D construction techniques. If your objects do have a 2D profile nature to them then generating things from those 2D curves instead of from a full 3D wireframe is what you want to do.
Hope this helps!
- Michael |
