Links to tutorials about 3D bolts, screws and threads.

[ReMark]

For those of you searching for information on how to draw a 3D bolt, 3D screw or 3D threads check out the following links.

 

Ellen Finkelstein’s AutoCAD Tips & Tutorials

 

Tutorial: Draw a 3D threaded bolt

 

http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/autocadtips/AutoCAD_tips_draw_3d_threaded_bolt.html

 

The tutorial actually covers the creation of a three inch long lag bolt with a fairly large threads per inch setting.

 

Dr. J.D. Mather’s AutoCAD 2007 3D Modeling – Cut Threads (Tutorial 4)

 

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/content/CAD238/AutoCAD%202007%20Tutorial%204.pdf

 

This is an 11 page tutorial that can be sent right to your printer. It covers the creation of a metric stud (M10x1.5) and nut. It demonstrates how to cut both external and internal threads.

 

Note: Dr. Mather is a frequent contributor (status: Forum Deity) here at CADTutor.

 

Cadalyst magazine, June 1, 2002 by Tony Hotchkiss. Article entitled, “Draw 3D Screw Threads”.

 

http://www.cadalyst.com/cad/autocad/draw-3d-screw-threads-9994

 

A good resource for those of you using an earlier version of full AutoCAD (like 2000 or even R13) that did not come with a lisp routine for creating a helix. Helix.lsp can be downloaded via a link in this article to the Cadalyst web site.

 

The tutorial does not actually demonstrate how to draw a bolt or a screw like the two previously mentioned tutorials.

 

Another Helix.lsp routine is available here at CADTutor. It was written by forum member and Super Moderator Miklos Fuccaro in November, 2002. The link to download the lisp routine (1.13KB) is available via the following.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?1396-Helix&highlight=helix.lsp

 

Erhan Toker's "Using Helix and Sweep" for AutoCAD 2007 and higher.

 

Mr. Toker demonstrates the helix and sweep commands in this tutorial for drawing a M10x20 screw. He uses a simple hexagon extrusion for the bolt head which is OK for demonstration purposes but not entirely correct.

http://www.dailyautocad.com/2007/10/advanced-solid-modeling-in-autocad-2008.html#

 

This tutorial was found by forum member pippobaudo and was included here on January 19th, 2011.

 

All links were verified to be operative on August 3rd, 2010. Last updated January 19th, 2011.

Edited January 19, 2011 by ReMark
Added new link.

[pippobaudo]

Hello and thanks for the tutorials,

I am doing the tutorial

http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/autocadtips/AutoCAD_tips_draw_3d_threaded_bolt.html

but i have problems when I want to sweep the triangle along the Helix, it says that is Unable to sweep it.

What is the problem, the UCS alignment ? I have tried also to move the helix and the triangle to i could sweep separately, but no success.

Thanks.

[ReMark]

I have not done Ellen's tutorial in a while so I cannot tell you immediately what the solution is. I would have to try it again myself. In the meantime, have you tried doing J.D. Mather's tutorial? It was based on the same version of AutoCAD that you are using.

 

I can set you up with another tutorial that I put together if you would like. If you check out this thread the two images I posted came from the tutorial I wrote.

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?56102-Draw-a-2D-Bolt-and-Pipe-Thread&highlight=threaded+bolt

Edited January 15, 2011 by ReMark

[pippobaudo]

Thanks,

the problem is that the Sweep tool is working if I select the Alignment YES, if I select the NO then it is not able to sweep.

If I try with a simple Helix and a triangle it is the same situation

[ReMark]

What would you like me to do about it?

[SuperCAD]

Be careful with Ellen's video tutorial. The video has the treads all jacked up and won't give an accurate representation of a realistic thread. Also, I wouldn't advise attempting a gimlet point in AutoCAD. It takes a lot of steps, is very frustrating, and really isn't useful for anything since it just adds a lot of KB to the file size. Unless you're as stubborn as I am and want to do it just because someone told you that it couldn't be done.

8D Screw.dwg

[xendau]

Okay guys... I was trying to creat a thread for a bolt/screw the other day... I got the helix, got the triangle to sweep the helix, BUT when I tried to subtract the helix from the screw, it would not let me... I was actually doing the Mather's way. Then I tried it her way as well, but it seems to not be working for me.

 

I can get the helix with the triangle, just cannot get it to subract from the surface.

[xendau]

Hello and thanks for the tutorials,

I am doing the tutorial

http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/autocadtips/AutoCAD_tips_draw_3d_threaded_bolt.html

but i have problems when I want to sweep the triangle along the Helix, it says that is Unable to sweep it.

What is the problem, the UCS alignment ? I have tried also to move the helix and the triangle to i could sweep separately, but no success.

Thanks.

 

Pippo -

 

Try reducing the size of the triangle... if the triangle overlaps, ANY... it will not sweep.

[kencaz]

I can get the helix with the triangle, just cannot get it to subract from the surface.

 

Subtract will not work on surfaces. You should be working with solids.

 

KC

[pippobaudo]

Pippo -

 

Try reducing the size of the triangle... if the triangle overlaps, ANY... it will not sweep.

Yes it is a matter of size, I used the distance between turns and it works, I have found a good site where it explains properly.

http://www.dailyautocad.com/2007/10/advanced-solid-modeling-in-autocad-2008.html

I am also watching now the Lynda training for 2D drawing, i find it really well done.

I have an additional question, what is the proper way to continue the length of the Helix in order to reach a radius of 0.00, should I call a new Helix starting from the endpoint of the previous with end radius 0.00 ?

Thanks

[ReMark]

pippobaudo: Thanks for the link. I have included it in the main body of my initial thread post.