create a cleaner Rhino Shape?

[Grant Nelson]

Hi, I need some help. Attached is one half of a ladder step. The flat surface bends up at the ends. I created it by extruding a 3cmx20 suface along a curve. I rounded off the end corners with a 3cm radius, but could not do it fillet, I had to create cylinders and trim. Also I found it very difficult to fillet the top edge all around to 1cm. It seems Rhino can not fillet the part that is rounded up again. I first fillet the front and back long edges. Then I trimmed off 1cm on the curves and end using a pipe. This left an little annoying triangle at the ends that I had to trim off. This then left a odd cut out below that I had to Patch. Finally I then lofted the fillet in using two rails.

The result works, but the geometry is very messy.

Can someone create a neater version, and tell me how to do it?

Thanks!

Grant

[Grant Nelson]

Ok, Ok, I know it was a tough question... or boring...
Anyways, with some input from a friend, I learned how to solve this one.
Basically it seems its best to start with something as simple as possible and build from there. So that means make an outline with curves, them extrude up to where the fillet would start. At one end create a 90degree arc, that matches what the fillet would be. Then use the 1 rail to run that curve around. Then, you can use the planer curves to cap the top and bottom. I did this to make one quater of the shape, and then mirrored back to front, and then to the other side to get the entire shapel Nice an clean (I did the capping after the mirror work).
Cheers,
Grant

[duluthboats]

Not at all boring; Rhino has so many tools you can do things more than one way. It is important to always start with clean curves. If your curve is made from many separate curves it is best to join them and then rebuild to the fewest points without changing the shape. If the curves are clean the surfaces will be also.

Gary

[terhohalme]

This is similar step. The only difference is that I designed it in mm not metres. First polyline shape, then extrude sideways 200 mm, then extrude thickness 20 mm to solid, then fillet upper corners 50 mm and finally corner fillet 10 mm to all upper edges. Easy, no mess.