Screw Hole

I have a habit to do things the hard way. I'd like to put a screw hole, and round out the edge
of this lug. Well, there's 2 of them.

I've already done this once. I was thinking maybe I should ask.
Anybody have any suggestions?

could cut so you got a vertex right in the middle, than chamfer the vertex, and add more loops to the resulting shape,, than spherify it, to make it a circle.

though if this is a game props, persnally i would just do that in the normal map, so olny do that in my high-poly subd mesh as a floater, or just use somehting like ndo2, to put it in after the noraml map bake.

also i would worry about getting the form right of it, before you focus on things as small as screw holes.

Hi 3dwizzard,

Will you be adding a bolt/screw? If so, then no need to make the hole as it would be covered by the bolt/screw head.

If you do need the hole, then there are some different ways to make that. I could easily say the steps I would take, but it would then depend on if you know the tools I used.

I did make a quick example (I only spent a couple of minutes on this). Here is the start(before hole)



I then used:-
Chamfer
Inset
Workplane to selection
Loop Insert
Align: Cylinder
Space loop

Which gave me this:-



I can post the steps I made if that is the kind of result you are looking for.
If you do not know, or are unfamiliar with any of the tools/functions I mentioned, then please say, then I can add a fuller explanation about the tool/function.

My technique is similar to the one used by Steve, I chamfer the edges of the cube, to a point where the middle edges overlaps, weld them, cut the flat part to make the subdivision evenly, in my case to have 16 polygons, delete the  polygon on top, select the border edge, extrude to the inside.
Create a cylinder with 16 sides, align the height with the "cube" using vertex snap, delete Cylinder cap, Combine the two meshes, Bridge Holes, done.

Hi Passerby,
                          No this is not a prop for game. It's something that I am building.
The concept is, if I make a mistake here. And I have to change it. It doesn't cost me anything.
Plus, I get a better understanding of how it's going to come together.
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Hi Steve,
                     

Will you be adding a bolt/screw?

Maybe later, but for now, no.

I could easily say the steps I would take, but it would then depend on if you know the tools I used.

Tools are something that I am still getting used to in VW. For example, what I used to do.
Select an edge, and cut it. I would then get a dialog box asking how many times I would like to cut it.
Then I would use slide, to put the new edges in place.
Being able to do multiple cuts, speed things up quite a bit.
Is there a way to do multiple cuts in Nivil?

I did make a quick example (I only spent a couple of minutes on this). Here is the start(before hole)

I like your example. I would really like to get it to look like that.

I can post the steps I made if that is the kind of result you are looking for.
If you do not know, or are unfamiliar with any of the tools/functions I mentioned, then please say, then I can add a fuller explanation about the tool/function.

If you can post that steps, that would be great.
There seems to be a lot of tool functions in Nivil. Unfortunately, I don't know them.
If it's not too much trouble. An explanation of tool functions, would be very helpful.
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Hi Stratos,
                   I'm not sure if I'm missing something on that procedure. Or if I don't understand the tool functions .
Most of it seems easier enough. But the beginning is confusing me.

I chamfer the edges of the cube, to a point where the middle edges overlaps

I'm not sure what you're doing here.

I made you a small "tutorial" of my procedure, it's slightly different from the previous description (Inset instead of Extrude) but the result is the same.

Hi Stratos
                 I'm having a little bit of trouble. It's going to take me a while to figure out what's going on.
The first thing I had little trouble with was step 3,weld. The only way it worked out for me,
was welding the two edges that came together.

I'm still not sure if I got step 5, right or not. I don't think I do.
The hole back portion would be the box. And I didn't do anything on the box.

Step seven is what's throwing me now. I'm really not sure how snapping works.
When I was snapping a cylinder to the center of the geometry. It was going to the center of the box.
Which would be the center of the geometry. Took me a while to figure that one out.

That's about as far as I got today. It's time to take a break get something to eat, and I'll start again tomorrow morning.

Thank you! Nice tutorial. I just need to get used to the tools.

Hi 3dwizzard,

Tools are something that I am still getting used to in VW.

It will take a while. There are a lot of tools/functions in NVIL.

For example, what I used to do.
Select an edge, and cut it. I would then get a dialog box asking how many times I would like to cut it. Then I would use slide, to put the new edges in place.
Being able to do multiple cuts, speed things up quite a bit.
Is there a way to do multiple cuts in Nivil?

It sounds like you would need to use "Edge -> Loop Insert". That will allow you to add a single or multiple cuts. There are also various other options on that tool. Have a look in the NVIL help file "Help-> Contents-> Modeling-> Edge section-> Loop Insert". That does give information concerning the tool/functions. If that is not clear, then please say. I will try to better explain/expand on that information.

If it's not too much trouble. An explanation of tool functions, would be very helpful.

I will start putting some information together. It will be a case of "How I use the tools" type of thing.
I do not really want to make lots of posts with lots of images to forum, it would make me feel I was spamming lol.
I was thinking of putting together the info in PDF format, but may instead use HTML, so you can view the info directly in your browser(rather than having to have a PDF reader), or maybe another format? What do you think would be better?

Hi Stratos
                 I'm having a little bit of trouble. It's going to take me a while to figure out what's going on.
The first thing I had little trouble with was step 3,weld. The only way it worked out for me,
was welding the two edges that came together.

That's what I did. I selected the two adjacent vertices in the middle (the one highlighted in the step 2) and welded them, and do the same thing to the bottom part.

I'm still not sure if I got step 5, right or not. I don't think I do.
The hole back portion would be the box. And I didn't do anything on the box.

After the Inset operation you have to delete the inner polygon, leaving the mesh with a hole (if you want you can delete the bottom polygon too), select Loop Insert, with proportional setted to 0.5, and cut like in the picture (the red edges), the tool will automatically cut in half the polygon. Since we have used Chamfer with 2 Segments, the 2 edges became 4+1 per part, so to make a nice hole, we are going to have an equal number of subdivision per segment, in this case, 4*4, obtaining 16 sides, that's the same number we will use to made the Cylinder, otherwise we can't connect both meshes together.

Step seven is what's throwing me now. I'm really not sure how snapping works.
When I was snapping a cylinder to the center of the geometry. It was going to the center of the box.
Which would be the center of the geometry. Took me a while to figure that one out.

Select Cylinder, enable Snapping and select (clicking the little triangle on the right of the Snap icon) Vertex mode , now with the Move Tool, pick an axis this depends on the orientation of the gemetry, and move it till you see a little cross near the mid vertex of the mesh, you have to actually (while dragging) move your mouse near the vertex you want to be snapped. This will snap the geometry to the mid point, in the picture I snapped it to the Z axis (see step 1), for the X axis you have to chose how in front you want the hole to be, and move the Cylinder as you like.

That's about as far as I got today. It's time to take a break get something to eat, and I'll start again tomorrow morning.

Thank you! Nice tutorial. I just need to get used to the tools.

You're welcome, sorry if is not that clear, but English is not my main language, I'll try to make a video tutorial if I can get a good frame rate.

EDIT:

Here's the video:

http://youtu.be/PedAiFkP0Hc

Hi Steve,
      

It will take a while. There are a lot of tools/functions in NVIL.

A bit overwhelming at first. But that's why I like the program.

It sounds like you would need to use "Edge -> Loop Insert". That will allow you to add a single or multiple cuts. There are also various other options on that tool. Have a look in the NVIL help file "Help-> Contents-> Modeling-> Edge section-> Loop Insert".

Nice, I didn't realize that Loop Insert had so many options. There is a lot of tools in the help file I need to read up on.
The first time I looked at it, it was intimidating. Now, I'm seeing a lot of things I would like to learn.

I will start putting some information together. It will be a case of "How I use the tools" type of thing.
I do not really want to make lots of posts with lots of images to forum, it would make me feel I was spamming lol.
I was thinking of putting together the info in PDF format, but may instead use HTML, so you can view the info directly in your browser(rather than having to have a PDF reader), or maybe another format? What do you think would be better?

It would be interesting to see how you use tools. Everything I've seen, you have done. Looked great.

Personally, my text reader doesn't like PDFs. HTML work great.
With HTML tutorials. I've put them in a zip file, and then put them up for download.
That way people can work off-line with them.

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Hi Stratos,
            

That's what I did. I selected the two adjacent vertices in the middle (the one highlighted in the step 2) and welded them, and do the same thing to the bottom part.

I know, I did not catch that at first. My eyes aren't that good these days.

After the Inset operation you have to delete the inner polygon, leaving the mesh with a hole (if you want you can delete the bottom polygon too), select Loop Insert, with proportional setted to 0.5, and cut like in the picture (the red edges), the tool will automatically cut in half the polygon. Since we have used Chamfer with 2 Segments, the 2 edges became 4+1 per part, so to make a nice hole, we are going to have an equal number of subdivision per segment, in this case, 4*4, obtaining 16 sides, that's the same number we will use to made the Cylinder, otherwise we can't connect both meshes together.

I believe I understand. Basically, you need 16 edges to line up with the cylinders edges.

Select Cylinder, enable Snapping and select (clicking the little triangle on the right of the Snap icon) Vertex mode , now with the Move Tool, pick an axis this depends on the orientation of the gemetry, and move it till you see a little cross near the mid vertex of the mesh, you have to actually (while dragging) move your mouse near the vertex you want to be snapped. This will snap the geometry to the mid point, in the picture I snapped it to the Z axis (see step 1), for the X axis you have to chose how in front you want the hole to be, and move the Cylinder as you like.

Thanks, I'll have to try that again.

You're welcome, sorry if is not that clear, but English is not my main language, I'll try to make a video tutorial if I can get a good frame rate.

It's not a problem of being clear. I have a problem of not seeing clearly.
My problem is tracking. That's why I use a text reader. But it doesn't recognize image text.
Video tutorials are even harder to see. That's why I like HTML tutorials. The text reader works great in a browser.

I didn't see your edit there. That video wasn't bad. Usually it's hard for me to make them out.

Hi 3dwizzard,

Personally, my text reader doesn't like PDFs. HTML work great.
With HTML tutorials. I've put them in a zip file, and then put them up for download.
That way people can work off-line with them.

OK, I will use HTML.

I think it will be best if I start by going through(explaining) the tools I used, then later can show you how I created the hold geometry using those tools.

Sounds really good. I always like to see how you do things.