How to extrude on angled shapes?

# 1 13-12-2013 , 11:27 AM

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Join Date: Dec 2013

Posts: 2

Hi guys first things first I am relatively new to Maya and my major skill isn't modelling.

Recently I encountered a problem which I thought is pretty basic modelling stuff but it gives me a hard time. Not sure If I just can see the solution anymore because I try to get my head around for too long or if it is that complicated.

I want to create boarder around some face on an angular shape. Something like a window border. The shape changes its angles a lot of times that's why the faces start to intersect when I extrude them in normal direction.

I also want to make sure the boarder has the same thickness and same height (distance to the flat faces) all the way through.
If I extrude edges in normal direction the boarder will be thinner at the bottom an thicker at its top because of the different face angles.

I also tried to use the extrude command and then move faces or scale them in average normal direction but at some point on my model it still doesnt look right.

I have the feeling I wont get it done without do a lot of manual clean up. However even then I dont feel like I am in control of what I get and my result isnt consistent in terms of thickness and height

I also extruded with "Keep faces together" ticked off and tried to merge the vertices afterwards. I am not not in control either though. I dont be sure if the width or height of my border is consistend.

I wouldn't mind another solution than extrude.

If any Maya-Modeler out there can describe how he would solve that kind of problem. I would really appreciate it.

Thanks so much

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# 2 04-02-2014 , 01:18 PM

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Join Date: Feb 2014

Posts: 7

did u try local normal and object and world or normal average move tool by double clicking on left tool bar move tool u find these option try all of them and see if some out comes when extruding with these manipulator user added image

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# 3 05-02-2014 , 02:50 PM

Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2013

Posts: 2

Hi, thanks for your response. Yes I did try those options. It didn't work as expected though. "Normal average" gives me the closest result. I suppose there is no "On click" solution and I have to manually clean it up cause the object changes its angle to often.

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# 4 05-02-2014 , 03:18 PM

EduSciVis-er
Join Date: Dec 2005

Location: Toronto

Posts: 3,374

A couple more options:
Instead of moving the extrusion outwards, try increasing the thickness parameter. Alternately, you can set the extrusion direction to a specific face by choosing set to face in the tool settings and clicking on the face that gets you closest to what you want. It might not be possible to satisfy all your desired conditions on these differently angled faces. A third option would be to model the border flat and even as you want it, then combine it with the original geometry and bridge the edges together.