Modeling Help - Complicated Shape

[Frankie]

Just recently (about 5 minutes ago) I got re-inspired to work on my woodchip mills again. However, in light of this I have already hit a modeling issue. I need to make a circular railroad bed (the track the crane rides on is a railroad). The specific type of model I need help with is a circular roadbed shape, I have tried a different, more improved design for this time around, and it involves me actually modeling the ground under the crane, and I cannot proceed without some quick modeling help.

Thanks, and I hope to hear an answer soon. 


Edit: heres a diagram to kinda see what I'm talking about:

[Chrisadams3997]

do you happen to have any good pictures of what you're trying to accomplish you could post in this thread?  That'd help alot.  Just off hand, if it's going to be flat on the ground you could apply a texture to a UVW map to create it rather than creating the actual geometry.  You could also make a profile of the geometry your trying to create and either lathe it or create a path for the outline and make a loft out of it(I can explain those more if you don't know what they are, but I know you've done quite a bit of modeling so you might.)  Like I said though, a picture would help alot.

Chris

[callagrafx]

Simplicity itself...

1. Create a cross section rail shape
2. Create a circle, the diameter of the railbed.
3. Go to your Compound Objects menu (pulldown menu under "Standard Objects")
4. Select the circle and then choose "loft"
5. In the LOFT rollout, click on "Pick shape" and select the rail cross section

Because it's a circular rail, there are no ties.  Your best bet is to sink this rail into a groove.

[Frankie]

Thank you very much!

Just one more question though, is there a way to smooth it out a bit? It looks a bit jagged right now.

[callagrafx]

Yep, increase the number of steps in the path (or segments in the original circle).

[mightygoose]

i also have a complicated shape.... i wish to loft a horseshoe shape along a smooth 90 degree curve going from vertical to horziontal... with the curve end pointing outward... how do i achieve this as whenever i loft it it orientates the horeshoe sideways..... 

[callagrafx]

You can rotate the shape element to be the correct orientation...modify loft, click on "shape", select the shape and use the rotate tool.  Be careful that normals don't get flipped though

Is this the sort of thing you were looking for?

[mightygoose]

the reverse actually.... see i tried rotationg the shape but it didnt have an effect.... maybe its because i didnt rotate it from within the loft....