Pipe - making an 90deg Elbow

[Cunoblin]

hey all, I'm trying to make some pipe joints - i've made a Tee so far - that was easy.

but now i'm stuck making a 90deg elbow.
i have the 2 ends, hollowed.. but I can't seem to join them in a sweeping arc - the elbow part of it.. and no commands i am seeming to use are working.

any suggestions?

thanks

[L_Ruts]

Draw the centerline radius arc, then extrude the circle along the path of the arc.

Command: EXTRUDE
Current wire frame density: ISOLINES=4
Select objects to extrude:
Specify height of extrusion or [Direction/Path/Taper angle]: P
Select extrusion path or [Taper angle]:

[Cunoblin]

i tried drawing an arc.. but it won't let me in 3d space. i have both end pipes positioned.. and when I try to draw an arc, it stays 2d.

[L_Ruts]

The arc will be in 2D, you need to daw the arc and select it as the path for the extrusion of one of your circles. The arc should start at the center of 1 circle and end at the other. You dont need to select both circles, you can just use the second as a reference point for the endpoint of your arc.

[adirondackbell]

An alternative to the extrude command is the sweep command (beginning in 2007). Just sweep the circle along the arc path.

[L_Ruts]

An alternative to the extrude command is the sweep command (beginning in 2007). Just sweep the circle along the arc path.

The SWEEP command does not have a distinct advantage over EXTRUDE in this application, this is a simple 3D object, I am not speaking out against the SWEEP command by any means. You could also use LOFT along a path as well, but there are no reasons to use one over the other, whatever you're used to or more comfortable with.

[adirondackbell]

I completely agree, they all work fine.

[nialb]

I am no expert in 3D and really only started to dip my toe this week. I have attached one of my efforts that is probably an example of what you want to do.

Ignoring the handrail standards, the way I created the hollow bent tubing is as follows;

I created a 2D path using lines and an arc. I converted the lines to a polyline (Modify/Object/Polyline). In an isometric view I rotated the UCS and drew the outer diameter circle of the tube. I then drew the inner diameter. I extruded the inner and outer to 'path' (Draw/Solids/Path). Next I subtracted the inner from the outer to give a hollow pipe (Modify/Solids Editing/Subtract). Finally I deleted the path.

Well that is how I went about it but I'll bet there are loads of other ways.

Hope this helps.

Nial

[rkent]

Using Sweep means you don't have to draw the circle perp to the path and have the circle located properly on the path.

Unless you really need the pipe hollow for some reason there is no reason to go to the extra step. With sweep you can draw the two circles, make them regions, subtract, and use the region to sweep.

As you say, lot of ways to do the same thing.

[nialb]

Reading my reply above I thought I could make some points a bit clearer.

I drew the inner and outer tube diameters using the end of the polyline as the centre of the circles. I drew my polyline as a 2D line (top view and front view) and then positioned it in an isometric view in the centre of the handrail standards. You will notice that the standards are seperate from the railing as the railing passes through. I used the UCS toolbar fairly extensively to rotate the views using the x, y and z axis rotate tools.