Trouble "Lofting"

[hhhhh]

Need some help with this loft I'm trying to do. What I'm trying to get is similar to a female spline, except the internal spline is twisted from one end to the other. I have the desired sketches on planes at each end of the spline. If I just wanted to extrude one of the sketches (to create a real, straight spline) I can select the sketch area between the outside diameter and the inside spline geometry. But when I try to do the loft, it doesn't seem to recognize the area I want. It will preview the inside only or the entire sketch, but not the space between the inside and outside of the sketch. Anyone know what's going on? Thanks

[Aardvark]

A screen shot would help. Any reason you can use the coil tool if you are twisting the spline?

[hhhhh]

How do you post a "screen shot?"

[hhhhh]

See if the screen shot loaded...

[hhhhh]

I have a screen shot saved in a .DOC file but can't seem to attach it to this post. Thanks anyway David

[Mr T]

I have a screen shot saved in a .DOC file but can't seem to attach it to this post. Thanks anyway David

When posting go down and look for 'manage attachments'.

Nick

[JD Mather]

Zip and post the ipt. You can do one Loft for the outside and then another with the Cut option for the inside.
Or Shell the inside.

[JD Mather]

I have a screen shot saved in a .DOC file but can't seem to attach it to this post. Thanks anyway David
Why would you put it into a *.doc file.
Simply hit Print Screen on the keyboard.
Open MS Paint
Ctrl v
Save as jpg and attach.

[hhhhh]

I used "manage attachments" to upload the .doc file but nothing ever appears when I preview my post. I think I've gotten my lofted feature, but it is as a solid inside the outer section. Selecting "cut" doesn't seem to get it. computers...........

[hhhhh]

Because, JD, it works for me. Your way is probably better, but that's what I know how to do. What I don't seem to know is how to attach ANY files to these posts.

[hhhhh]

I figured it out. I was using the "cut" command in the loft dialog box, but when I hit OK the command line was asking for a sketch or loop or something. That confused me because I had already selected everything. What was really going on is that it was calculating the loft feature and hadn't gotten around to changing the command in the command line. I gave it a little more time and it came out fine.thanks again for your responses.

[JD Mather]

Because, JD, it works for me. Your way is probably better, but that's what I know how to do. What I don't seem to know is how to attach ANY files to these posts.

*.doc is limited to 50k *.jpg is limited to 250k
Your file size could be too large.

[hhhhh]

Thanks JD, that was it. I've saved it in paint as a jpg as you suggested, it looks like it's attached now. In my last post I said I got it to work, but on closer inspection there were some places where the loft changed direction. Wierd. Anyhow, you can see the sketch on the inside of the solid that cuts through to the far side and rotates about 12 degrees total. I'll keep screwing with it. Any suggestions on why most of the teeth are fine and a couple seem to reverse direction?

[JD Mather]

Well if a picture is worth a thousand words a file might be worth much more. Your picture isn't at all what I was thinking and I'm not sure what you are after.
In Windows Explorer right click on the ipt filename and select Send to Compressed (zipped) folder and attach the resulting *.zip file.
Are you familiar with remapping Loft Point Sets? (last tab on loft)

[hhhhh]

Hi JD,
Here's a jpg of the finished loft. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, they were helpful as usual.

[Mr T]

Ah, so it's an inside hellical gear ?

I would have used a COIL for that myself. But I can see how you thought LOFT was the answer. A coil would have more controllable twist in it.

Nick

[hhhhh]

Well, you're right, it is a helical coil. I hadn't thought of it as a coil because the pitch is so large. I'll see if I can't recreate it using the coil feature. Thanks again.