Single Edge Bevel and Fillets

Single Edge Bevel and Fillets

I apologize if these are questions that have been flogged to death, but I've spent some considerable time (a) experimenting, (b) looking through the forum, (c) RTFM'ing, (d) pulling my hair out, and (e) pulling a dog's hair out (this is made all the more remarkable because I don't actually own a dog). :) (OK, OK, so (d) and (e) are metaphoric not literal.)

I can get the bevel to work fine on two adjacent edges of a cube, but how can one best apply a bevel to just one edge, please?

On a related note, how does one apply a filet to a selected edge? I can only find one posting on this topic, but it was back in 2010, so things may have changed. I don't find any references to fillets in the manual so, just to be clear: What I mean is one of these thingies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fillet_(mechanics)

Thanks
Andy.
 
Fillet

1 make a ring cut close to the bottom weld
2 select the bottom edge and tweak, so it forms a "base"
3 apply the bevel tool to the ring cut
Cheers from Vienna
 

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Thanks, Helmut and Frank.

Aha! Here's what I was doing -- and I report this only to help when/if someone else makes the same mistake I was making and finds this thread:

Firstly, I'm running C3D 6.3.1 under OS X 10.6.8 on a Mac Pro 5,1 (I use Final Cut Pro and cannot upgrade because later versions have issues with the display hardware).

Here are the steps I was taking:

1. Create cube.
2. Make editable (by double click on icon in Browser).
3. Change to Edge Mode
4. Select top right horizontal edge.
5. Select Polygon -> Bevel.

Now, at this point, I expected the bevel to take effect, but it does not.
What I just discovered just now was I need to then do:

6. Click on the selected edge again -- and *that* actually makes the bevel happen.

Apologies for making you post, Frank -- my tiny brain was thinking that the sequence should be:
4. Select the operand (in this case an edge).
5. Apply the operator (bevel).

Rather than the required sequence of:
4. Select the operand (select edge).
5. Apply the operator (bevel).
6. Select the operand again (select edge).

Interestingly, at least to me, is that if you do this sequence:
(Skip step 4 and do no preselect an edge of the cube.)
5. Select the operator (bevel).
6. Attempt to select the operand (select edge).
Then C3D goes into a curious mode that's not indicated visibly -- namely that you cannot select anything on the object either in point, edge, polygon, or object mode -- unless and until you click on the Transform icon.

But anyway, bottom line, is that this was a case of PEBKAC. (Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair!)

Thanks again
Andy.
 
Hi Andy
Many of the tools are deployed by:
1 select the relevant component (i.e. poly / edge / point)
2 select the required tool from the pop up plus (optionally) set parameters
3 click & drag mouse

As you have discovered, there often are multiple ways to deploy a tool, often resulting in obvious to subtle differences in the result. Not to mention loss of hair and defurred imaginary dog:rolleyes:

Cheers from Vienna
 
I'm rapidly learning the syntax for those operations, Helmut...hopefully before I actually go bald (along with the imaginary dog that I imagine would be rather upset to look like a poodle when it's not!)

Gruss,
Andy.
 
Fillet combined with bevel

Given that the original question specified both bevels and fillets, I will make a distinction between the two: the bevel removes edge mass and the fillet adds mass. If both are combined in the same object, it is easy to make mistakes that prevent either the bevel or fillet from working correctly. I recently worked on such a model, so maybe I can save others some trouble. There may already be a better explanation elsewhere on the forum, but here’s my approach:

1) Default box, top, bottom and right polygons covered and pulled out
Ring cuts placed where fillets will end — use the ruler, edge Loop Select and Move/Scale/Rotate tool to get all ring cuts about equal ( I forgot to do it here, so it’s less precise but close enough for this explanation).
2) Select the two corner edges and bevel (e.g. convex 4), check Create N-gon, and drag the mouse to the right until the edges of the bevel just about reach the ring cuts
3) Remove the side polygons. In point mode, (Style = Light Both Sides), extra points are visible. Optimize tool, (Remove unused vertices), Apply
Weld tool, (First Point setting) weld points at ends of bevel to points at adjacent ring cut. (I forgot to do the front ones, so I have 5 facets instead of 4 on the bevels).
4) Fill Hole tool (click any edge point)
5) Scalpel tool is used to create quads with corners at all edge points. This was the tricky part for me, because if you have any triangles or missing cuts long the edges Loop Select will not capture the entire length of the edge and attempts to bevel them will fail.
Note that scalpel cuts continue on the back side, and the “arrow” in the center doesn’t matter because it’s not affecting the bevel.
6) For a smoother fillet use 8 facets or even 16, then cut the sides into quads the same way, with the single “arrow” in the center.

A related post about distorted bevels, answered by Frank Beckmann:

http://www.cheetah3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10169

For a great explanation of joining tubes, refer to:

http://www.cheetah3d.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8928&highlight=groboto
 

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It is sooo much easier when you first delete the edges of the front+back side:

Cheers
Frank
 

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There is a lot of information on N-Gons good or bad. Google:smile:
I was told a while ago to avoid them if possible, so I've made that a habit.
If you sell 3d objects some stores do not like models with n-gons. That is another reason I stick to quads.
But this is my own preference.:smile:
 

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N-gons

Thanks again Frank. My approach was far too complicated. The N-gons on the ends are a non-issue as they would be be hollow in an actual model. Not sure about the sides, but anytime I can get the same results by taking a pill instead of performing major surgery, I'm happy.
 
Getting all quads just takes a few extra steps - a few well placed Scalpel Cuts and a couple Inner Extrudes and All Quads -- Cheers
 

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Wouldn't be easier to just subdivide and ringcut? :confused:
 

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