Creating a curved surface

[CMitchell90]

I feel like there is an obvious answer for this, but I'm struggling to find tutorials which cover what I'm looking for as most of them involve objects with flat sides (such as a computer mouse).

 

I want to create a 3d object that has a curved top to it, but one that is longer than it is wide, and curves over the entire surface. The attached image shows the top, side and front view of what I'm talking about.

 

I've used loft before to curve the surface of an object by following a shape, but it's been done with a flat end or side, whereas with this - as you can see - I want the surface to fall towards all sides of the object and curve fully.

 

[SLW210]

Try using EXTRUDE on those shapes having them intersect, then INTERFERE.

[CMitchell90]

Perfect! And so easy too. Thanks! 

[CMitchell90]

Ah, on second review, it's not quite doing the full job. If I intersect the extrusions of the length and width shapes, it forms a square based block, and if I extrude the base shape upwards and interfere it then has flat sides on the indents, however if I try to interfere all 3 extrusions at once, it doesn't interfere to the desired shape. If that makes sense. 

[ReMark]

Have you tried the LOFT command?  Either loft to a point or offset the top shape inward 2 or three times, position the shapes accordingly then loft them two at a time.  Finally, UNION all the shapes together.

 

Makes me wish I hadn't packed my CAD computer away.

Edited December 6, 2019 by ReMark