Birail and bevel problems

# 1 31-08-2007 , 10:11 PM

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Join Date: Aug 2007

Posts: 2

I'm quite new to Maya and I'm experencing a few problems modeling a boat.
My first problem is creating the hull. I've been advised to use the birail tool but I just can't get it right. I've created 3 curves and all points intersect as required, I just end up with a deformed shape. I've read the documentation supplied with maya and also viewed a video tutorial explaining the tool. I have no problem recreating the shapes shown in the tutorials, I just can't use the tool for a boat hull. I've been tempted just to scale and loft and end up with a poorer hull. But the birail tool seems like a excellent tool and I really want to understand it fully.

My second problem. I've created the the cabin by extruding polygon planes and lining the edges up so I can extrude shapes for the windows. I'd like to bevel the edges but it will only let me do it to parts of the edges. I can't understand why.

Hope somebody can help, you time is much appreciated.

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# 2 05-09-2007 , 12:17 AM

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Join Date: Sep 2007

Location: UK

Posts: 1

Some tips on Birail Tool

* The profile curves and rail curves must touch and have positional continuity.
* You should ensure all of the profile curves have the same number of cv's.
* Every rail should have the same number of cv's.
* Press V to snap to vertex.
* If you don't have the same number of cv's on all the curves, you should rebuild the surface.

Anders Sundstedt
CG Artist

https://www.sundstedt.se

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# 3 05-09-2007 , 12:41 AM

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Join Date: Aug 2007

Posts: 2

Many thanks for the reply Anders, I'm pretty clued up on the points that you have made. I've followed a few tutorials using the birail tool. My problem is using the tool to create a boat hull I just can't get my head around how I go about about it. The tutorials I have followed seem quite basic, which use two rails and 2 profiles. I just can't get my head around which curves do i use for the profiles and rails, and should i be creating a complete hull with the birail tool or just half? Your help is much appreciated.

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