Help with my mesh please!

[MrArmless]

Hello fellow 3dt'rs,

I'm running across a little problem and I'm wondering the best solution for it. I usually manage to do complex parts with less trouble than simple ones for some reason... so I'd like to get some advice from people who are used to doing mechanical-type modeling. Here is my problem : I'm trying to make an old fashioned door lock.

My problem comes when trying to cut the hole in the holding cylinder as you will see in the next two images. I'm trying to find a way to have a clean hole in the cylinder and be able to apply a meshsmooth on top and still have it look correct.

If anyone wants to paint over my images and/or give me a few tips, it would be greatly appreciated, I've been stuck with this lack of base knowledge for too long now and I'd like to get past this!

My thanks!

Simon

[Freespace-3DT]

The main problem is you're using Chamfer. Try to use Connect, to get new edge loops that don't damage your topology. And keep everything as quads.

[MrArmless]

Hi Freespace and thanks for taking the time to answer,

I actually cut those by hand, but yeah it does lead to problems. I forgot to mention that I'm working in Maya, so that connect tool might exist and I might not know about it, but I didn't find it at first glance.

Could you fill me in on what Connect does? I might be able to find an equivalent. Also, the big problem I'm having is with edge flow and how to keep it in quads and have both a clean a functional mesh. Any help on that area would be awesome!

Thanks!

[Freespace-3DT]

Here's how it works

[ClassicGamer-3DT]

I agree with Freespace-3DT that's the way to appraoch this type of thing.

[MrArmless]

Ok nice, thanks for the image there Freespace.

I was wondering though, do you manage to get a good smooth out of a corner like that on a rounded surface? I tried the 3 edge corner approach split pretty much like your image, trying to keep the spacing as even as possible, and I always end up with some pinching, it's pretty much the source of alot of ARRRRRG &

I just wish I had the perfect way to control that, I feel my modeling would benefit alot from having a technique that would allow me to fly past that...

[Freespace-3DT]

That's as good as I can get it. If someone does have a better method, I'd love to see it too.

Btw, do you have an equivalent to Connect in Maya?

[MrArmless]

Yeah I think so, the closest I could find to what I see is "Insert edge loop tool" in the edit mesh menu. You can just click on an edge and it will loop a new edge in there, or select only some edges that you want to be affected. Haven't re-tried my problem yet but I'll keep this updated when I get there..

[katana]

Am I to understand that you want a round hole in a surface?

[Bob Marley]

Hey I did a 2 min modeling to show you how I would do it.
1: Create a cilinder, cut in half then extrude the edges and then added a shell modifier.
What you should do is do the same thing but with more edge and add the details in the hole.


Then I only used the quickslice tool, just to make alll the edges that will allowed the hole to stay neat.

But if you just leave it like that you ll have some rought lines that you dont want:


So now just start tweaking the edges so they look more rounded.



Thats how I would do it. Easy and fast, but their are many other ways to approche this like Freespace-3DT for example : ) that I think is very good technic, but i would go with mine : )

Just thought aswell, you could actyally wait till the end of the modeling before ading the shell modifier, might same you some time on the detailing.

God luck

[MrArmless]

Hi guys,

Well I finally fixed my problem.. I think I was simply starting with a too low resolution mesh, I restarted the part I was working on and everything went smoothly, apart from the fact that my keyboard decided some keys aren't working anymore, but that's another matter entirely!

Thank you all for your input, I appreciate it!