Combining 3D Objects

Hi All

I am just setting out into the world of 3D and as is always the case I cannot find my nice big 'How To' AutoCAD book

I have been getting used to working in the different views and I have been playing with extruding poltlines - mainly structural steel sections. I drew a simple building using UC and UB sections and I have started to draw the end connection plates.

To create the plate I drew a recangular polyline in top view and then extruded to the plate thickness. When it comes to putting the fixing holes in the plate I get stuck. For my first effort I drew a cylinder of hole diameter x height (being the plate thickness). I positioned the cylinder in the plate.

When I type 'hide' the columns look good, the plates look good but the holes just become circles on the plate in any view. If I rotate the view using '3D orbit' to expose the top and a section of the bottom of the cylinder (hole) in wire frame I still only get a circle when using the 'hide' command.

Now I figure that there must be a way to combine my plate and 'hole' to create a single object - a plate with a hole as it where

So, pending finding my book, can someone give me some pointers.

Thanks chaps.

Holes in pre-extruded plates can be made by subtracting cylinders.

This example is done in 2D wireframe. Left to right we have 1) a pre-extruded plate 1/2" thick, 2) plate with circles drawn on top, 3) circles extruded (downward) as cylinders and 4) cylinders subtracted to create holes in plate. The end result is a single object.

Thanks ReMark

I now have plates with holes

You're entirely welcomed nialb. And, if the holes need to be moved you can use the MOVE FACES command. Note: that if you use this command on a hole and move it completely off the plate, the hole will disappear. Something to keep in mind should the need arise.

move it completely off the plate, the hole will disappear.

The Solidedit>Face>Delete is the designed way to acomplish that. But I admit that this is just an other cat waiting to be skinned .