Getting arched windows right (V10)

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 06:27 AM

I know there are few V10ers left, but am hoping the window spec tools in X2 are unchanged enough so I can see a path.

I want to have a ceiling over a three-unit group of transom windows that parallels the arch of the windows. Ideally, the window tops would be a section of a circle, and that means the tool one would use in CAD to make the p'line solid for the ceiling, or the curving tools one would use for a ceiling plane, could work to get concentricity.

The problem I have is that the window tools I use to get the arched segments are hard for me to understand, when it comes to matching radii for the top segments. I just dab away using trial and error until I get something that looks OK.

In the pic attached, the center top window is made using "broken arch," and the flankers use "double arch" to specify. The arched soffit over the window is not concentric with the window heads below.

Can anyone explain, in a tutorial way, how to get three transom windows built and mulled so they all have a common radius to their heads?

We've no trouble getting our window suppliers to do this. Andersen, Pella, Marvin, Eagle, Norco, and all the others will happily comply. My issue is in using Chief Architect to get these shapes exactly as I want.

**jonathank** · 08-21-2009, 06:55 AM

Gene,

Try mulling 3 windows of the same size together, and then once that's
done, double click the window, and then specify the arch. That way the
radius is the same for all three windows...

I don't know if you can do that in V10 or not, but you can do it in X1 and
X2, and it's fantastic

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 06:55 AM

I've just come back from viewing a training video Dan Baumann has over at his ChiefExperts site, and have the answer.

Dan points out that the arch tools work on a blocked set of windows, making a common radius for a group of three possible.

Quelle stupide! I feel like such a dummy. Sorry for the thread starter here. Is there a way to delete it?

**jonathank** · 08-21-2009, 07:02 AM

Gene,

I wouldn't delete it, incase someone else runs in to this issue in the
future.

At least when they do a search, it will bring this thread up.

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 07:14 AM

I'm back and still stumped.

What I want to do is get the three windows, each 25-3/8" square, mulled together with zero between, then arched with a a common radius, so that the spring line is down only a few inches from the bottom.

See the pic, attached. Chief allows me to arch the grouped triple, but will not yield an arch any "tighter" than the one shown.

Above a to the right, I used CAD to show the shape I am after, one with a smaller radius.

Why the limit? What is the solution? How would you do a window group that together would be shaped as a half-circle?

**jonathank** · 08-21-2009, 07:26 AM

Gene,

Mine worked ok?

Like I said...X2.

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 07:41 AM

Show us your settings in the dbxs.

No matter what, Chief V10 won't let me drop any more than 12-11/16, which yields an arc with radius of about 64 inches.

I'm looking for something more like my CAD sketch, shown earlier. A drop of 20-11/16, with an arch radius of 45-3/8.

**jonathank** · 08-21-2009, 07:51 AM

Gene,

Attached are two pictures of ways that you could potentially do this:

Have you tried both ways?

Either way would yield similar results...

**jonathank** · 08-21-2009, 08:04 AM

And also, just to beat a dead horse...

This picture was done in V10...same settings as X2.

Soooo.......

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 10:13 AM

Jonathan, my dead horse is attached. I hope it can be opened, as I am using 10.08.b since scrapping my old box and getting a new one with 64 bit Vista.

I am unable, despite trying everything I can, to get the drop to go beyond 12-11/16. Any attempt by me at inputting a higher number than that (20-11/16 is what I have been using) results in Chief resetting the drop number to 12-11/16.

I thought it was the CAD-forced muntin patterns I had in my windows. I took them out, and the behavior is still the same.

What's your secret?

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 10:22 AM

Thought it was something in the plan, so I opened up a new blank plan file, did four exterior walls, and tried something.

Three doublehung windows, each 25-3/8 square, zero separation, thus mulled to zero inches between, blocked.

No matter what I try to input as far as the drop number goes, anything greater than 12-11/16" gets forced back by Chief V.10.08.b to that number. Input 13, 15, 20-11/16, anything. Chief forces it back to 12-11/16.

The radius gets forced back up to the number shown, when anything smaller than that (I want 45-3/8") is input.

**Curtis Johnson** · 08-21-2009, 10:26 AM

Gene:

I ran into exactly the same thing .... can't get past the 12-11/16" thing. Maybe Jonathan will get back on and let us know the "secret"?

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 10:46 AM

Jonathan, please show screencaps of all your default window settings in your V.10.

I have played with mine and am getting nowhere. I'm up against the 12-11/16" drop.

I really want to get this solved.

**jonathank** · 08-21-2009, 10:50 AM

The truth is, is I didn't actually do the V10 version

but a friend of mine
did.

I'm waiting to hear back on how they did it, and I will post it here

**Gene Davis** · 08-21-2009, 10:56 AM

Thanks for being "transparent," Jonathan.

Maybe that other Chiefer can take my uploaded file and do the fix, as well as telling us the secret.

I'm on the edge of my seat, awaiting the keys with which to unlock this puzzle.

Thread: Getting arched windows right (V10)

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