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Anyone care to help me out? Modeling problem in 3dsmax

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:13 am
by dutch_designer
Basically, I'm trying to fillet the edges on a cube that needs to be bend in one direction (it has subdivisions in that direction to allow for that bend to happen). Now, my problem is, that the object should get nice smooth edges.. however, I don't see how I can do this quickly. I don't know how to select all the edges of a box, without selecting all the other edges in that box.. alternatively, I could make a couple of chamfers on a non-subdivided box, which I would then have to edit, subdivide manually with the connect tool, and then bend.... Only problem is, that there are a LOT of these boxes with different sizes.

Anyone care to share some insight in this problem? I tried the demo of powersolids, it would really solve the problem for me.. but it raises another, which is money and my budget doesn't allow for this purchase at all at the moment (and I need a function that is locked in the demo) :(

I'm sorry if this topic is inappropriate in this forum, but I know there's more than a couple of great modelers here, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Thanks for your time!

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:15 am
by michaelplogue
Would the Chamfer Box (under Extended Primitives) work for you?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:18 am
by dutch_designer
michaelplogue wrote:Would the Chamfer Box (under Extended Primitives) work for you?
Oh my god, if that works!! Going to try that now! :shock:

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:22 am
by dutch_designer
Oh dude, I don't know how to thank you for that!! I feel like such a dunce, but I don't care because you just made my tomorrow utterly bearable!!! :oops:

Image

Man and here I was thinking the extended primitives are mostly useles!

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:33 am
by michaelplogue
:)

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 11:12 am
by Fernando Tella
It's incredible that max cannot make a curved fillet. It's something that amazes me since many years ago. :?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:30 pm
by rivoli
Fernando Tella wrote: It's incredible that max cannot make a curved fillet.
I'm not sure I really get where the problem in modeling something like this lies, but to do an object like the one dutch is describing won't take more than a minute.

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:49 pm
by Fernando Tella
In this case he can do with a chamfer box, but in the case of an editable mesh I don't know how to do a rounded fillet. I you know how could you explain, please?

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:00 pm
by rivoli
I guess I'd select the edges I need to get rounded, chamfer them, and smooth the poly. or something along this line.

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:38 pm
by Fernando Tella
I can't get something clean smoothing polys (I must admit I'm quite dumb with the smooth command or the mesh smooth). I usually end up doing two or three chamfers, or using the connect command and relocating the edges at guess.

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:54 pm
by rivoli
well, that may well be another very good option if you don't need any closeup of your geometry. another one could be using something like f-edge, or mental ray's round corners effect.

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:34 pm
by KRZ
just admit it guys.....max is utter shit! i dont know any other software that cant bevel edges....and NO chamfer just doesnt do it if you need precision.

sofar the best edge bevel is with xsi...the other big ones following closely.
the only good thing is that 3dsmax doesnt claim to have an edge bevel tool....it only has a chamfertool :) at least they dont lie to the user about its inability.

personally i can only advise to leave the sinking ship called max. maya got pimped up alot lately in the model department and is a much more complete package anyway. so if you dont depend on 3dsmax-only plugins it would be smart to think about changing.

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:41 pm
by Maximus3D
Hehe, best post ever about 3dsmax KRZ :D thank you! and you are so correct about it too.

/ Max

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:45 pm
by Fernando Tella
I admit it. It's been a long time since I started to think I should change, but is a difficult move. I've been getting the nose in blender lately.

Posted: Wed Feb 14, 2007 5:46 pm
by rivoli
KRZ wrote: just admit it guys.....max is utter shit!
um.. let's see.. nope, I don't think I agree on this one.