Spline Loft Sculpture

I looked into getting Inkscape but I need an older version
Apparently it runs on xquartz, so I have to install that first.

Does the current version need xquartz?
And what is xquartz?
 
Oh - I see Mavericks is from 2013 - wasn´t aware you´re on an OS released a decade ago. I was using a version a macOS developer has once built that runs natively on macOS for many years without the Windows X11 (XQuartz) system. Please don´t install XQuartz. I´ll try to find that version and check if it´s compatible with Mavericks first. At least I´m unsure the Path-effect "Measure Segments" was already available at that time.
 
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I was able to find that version which should run smoothly on your Mac (https://inkscape.org/~su_v/★inkscape-osxmenu-r12922-gtk2) - but while it starts here on an M1 Mac it can´t draw anything on the canvas due it´s old build. I checked for that certain path effect but it´s not included - and pretty sure not backwards compatible - and thus cannot be integrated. Looking for obvious alternatives - but nothing beats Inkscape in this regard. Tried SketchUp - but it´s not interactive and all edges have to be drawn manually - kind of crude workaround:
SketchUpMeasurements.png

Don´t your AI version contains a measurement tool?
 
I don't have AI only PS unfortunately. I wish I did but I won't pay for it and PS.
I need to upgrade my OS I guess.
 
Oh - I thought you´re drawing vectors in AI. Not sure what your Machine can take. Maybe you can set it up for dual boot system.
Not me, that was Gerald.

My Apple ID is based on an old email address I can't access, and I forgot it.
Trying to recover it Apple has a checkbox that says "Can't use that email address".
I check it and on the next screen it says it will take some time and they will
send an email to me...on the same email address I said I can't use! 🤪

I guess I have to call Apple for help.
 
On a more positive note, I found I can check and adjust relative size of each
objects UV's by opening the PDFs Cheetah generates back into Cheetah again.

This makes the UVs into Splines, which I measure and adjust scale.

Then I can use a Polyplane Creator to make polygons again.

And then, with some fiddling, I can output the adjusted UV's again.
 
For this rebuild I scaled to match the actual size of the sculpture.
2.9102 Cheetah units was as close as I could get to 291cm.

Rescale 291.jpg
 
It's annoying that I don't have access to more decimal places when scaling.
With the Normal Move Tool we have more decimal places available.

Although 0.0002 is a small amount, it's actually a difference of .02cm in the full size model.
 
I noticed a problem with the symmetry of Element 1.

Some spline parts are not centered, so when I make the
object symmetrical, it doesn't line up with some of the splines.

SymProb.jpg
 
I feel like I should have checked the original splines to begin with but at that time
I didn't fully understand the object that was supposed to use those splines as a guide.
Since the bottom of Element 1 (originally called Quadrat) is flat, and all vertical edges
are perpendicular to the bottom, all bottom angles of the side panes should be 90 degrees.

Splines Off.jpg
 
I straightened all the individual spline sections and now everything is fine.
Next time I'll check the integrity of my guide splines first. ;)

My next question is wether or not the next object is symmetrical.
 
It's annoying that I don't have access to more decimal places when scaling.
With the Normal Move Tool we have more decimal places available.

Although 0.0002 is a small amount, it's actually a difference of .02cm in the full size model.
Hello,

Just an observation: if the difference really is 0.02cm…

Isn’t that a far tighter tolerance than a fine cabinetmaker could achieve?

My calculator has 0.02 cm being 0.007874" for those of us still having visualization issues in the metric system world.

Extremely tight woodworking tolerances are roughly twice that amount. I.e. 1/64” is 0.01562” or 0.39 mm

Other than that, I will continue to follow along your investigative quest with great interest.

Cheers,
gsb
 
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