Polyline solid

[rgwhite]

I am trying to make timber items to store in a library file. The problem is after I make the timber is two fold. The first problem is after I make the timber (it is 8" thick) and put a hole that is 4" deep the solid timber shows the hole as 8" deep, both in the perspective view and the drop down box. No matter how many times I change the hole depth it reverts back. The second problem is trying to put holes (mortises) on the face 90deg. to the top surface. Is this a bug? Is there a work around?

[dgavin]

If you make the timber a solid you can subtract other solids from it to make the holes you want.

[Curtis Johnson]

This "might" be easier to do in Sketchup, which I know almost zippo about. If you can post an image or two of your problem, perhaps someone can tell you how to do it with Chief.

[rgwhite]

Well this is what i have found. I watched the training video and it appears that AFTER you make a polyline solid you should "convert to solid". You can only "subtract polyline solid" from the item after it has been converted to a solid. Does that make sense? So I make the timber and I make a Polyline solid and then convert to solid (sounds redundant). Then make all these small solids and insert them into the large solid then select "subtract solid", one at a time. I works but is very time consuming. From what I could figure is that a polyline solid needs to be made a primitive solid for this to work. I guess I could have just used a primitive solid to begin with and cut a set out. But now I have a timber with all kinds of mortises on each side.

[Joe Carrick]

I would have used the Primitive Solids in the first place. Then after getting everything just the way I wanted it I would "Convert to Symbol" as MILLWORK but realizing that when I use it in a Plan I might need to change the Layer assignment.
That's something that I really wish CA would allow us to do within the Symbol dbx so we could have things stored in the Library as we want them to be in our Plans.

[rgwhite]

It sounds good to use the primitive solids to begin with but you are limited as to the profile. For example one of the post is gun stock post. I needed cad lines to make this.

[Joe Carrick]

It sounds good to use the primitive solids to begin with but you are limited as to the profile. For example one of the post is gun stock post. I needed cad lines to make this.

In that case, use the longer route with the Polyline Solids - but in any event, convert it to a symbol once you've got it the way you want it.