Precision Modeling In Blender 2.82 : Holes & Fillets - How To: Using PDT ( Tutorial Part - 3 )

This video covers precision hole placement using the 3D curse, How to add holes of a 2d surface in blender and the accurate fillet feature of PDT.

- - Learn Blender 3.0+ Fast For 3D Printing Through Practical Modeling (Paid Course) - -

Part of the Precision modelling in blender series covering what seems to be a bit of a mystery. I plan to show and teach both blender and precision modelling for those looking to make some mm precise models in blender. Starting from the ground up and using powerful add-ons in a simple yet convenient manner.

Precision Modelling in Blender Playlist:

If you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and I'll do my best to get back to them as soon as I can.

🛠 Subscribe To Keep Making:

📨 Share with a friend:

📺 Watch My Most Recent Upload:

Other Places Where you can find me:

[noahgranger]

What!! The 3d cursor actually has a function??
ngl these videos are blowing my mind, thank you so much

[AMAtotax]

This is insane how many details you have covered in this and other videos in the series. Thank You !!!

[Warcans]

To speed up the filling at 6:00, you can use Alt+F to do edge loop fill. After that to clean up the tris, you can do Limited Dissolve from "Delete" menu by pressing X

[andrepelais]

I'm working on a research in the university that I study right now and this playlist are helping me so much, thank you!

[rbettsx]

I really don't want to dis this video, or PDT, which can sometimes be very useful.
But there's a reason Blender has a reputation as a fast modelling tool, even for some aspects of precision work.
Here are some more Blenderish, and quicker alternative moves to the ones shown here: (Set your Snap to 'Vertex', and 'Active'.)
In all the Fillet and Chamfer examples, Ctrl-Shift-B (Bevel) produces identical results, with numerical entry. It is *not* less accurate than PDT, but *is* less flexible, for arcs through other angles.
4:04 .. Shift-S, Cursor to Selected will put the cursor exactly between the selected vertices. (PDT would be useful if it wasn't at 50%)
9:27.. Shift-S, Cursor to Selected will bang the cursor straight on to that vertex.
10:40 Create the new circle at the cursor, and then G > move the *circle*, entering the X and Y numerically. A bit easier than moving the cursor.
12:20 for the center of the arc, Shift-D, duplicate a vertex to one end of it, GX or GY, snap the duplicate to the vertex at the other end in X or Y, Shift-S, cursor to selected. (Delete the duplicate vertex). PDT would be useful if the arc was not through 90 degrees.
13:37 Shift-D duplicate the central hole, and move the duplicate. GX, enter the 7.5 numerically.
14:32, To fill the face-with-holes, In a clean set of outlines, without leftover connecting edges, Alt-F. Followed by X > Limited Dissolve to get rid of excess edges. (You may want to get a prettier arrangement of internal edges by J creating new ones between selected vertices, and Ctrl-X dissolving the edges you don't want.)
(Ctrl-Left-Click, the selection of all vertices along the shortest path from the last selection, is useful if you're filling perimeters by hand)
I really like what Maker Tales is doing, proposing Blender as a reasonable precision modeller ( although, strictly, it is a visualisation and animation suite.). This is a nice, carefully made presentation. And Lord knows, he's much more skillful than me in most of the areas he covers. But I don't want viewers to go away thinking 'Oh my God, this is such a grind'. You can do the work in fewer, simpler, steps.

[micrnva]

When selecting Verts for faces, try using 'C' and then scrolling to adjust the size of the selection ring. When done selecting, right click to turn off the ring. I think this method is a ton faster than box selecting.

[saiello]

To those detractors that complain that PDT may not be the most efficient tool or this video may not show you the ultimate best way of doing things. I say, it may not be THE way but it is ONE way, it's the exposure to new techniques which is valuable. Given that, I am always appreciative of the unpaid time, organisation and effort put in to making a single video like this let alone a whole series.

[SailorSq]

This was such an informative video! Is there a whole playlist I can watch to learn how to use blender to create precision models intended for 3D printing?

[GaryParkin]

Right at 8:00, I tabbed out of edit mode and nothing was showing. What happened is my normal's were facing downward. If that happens, the back side of the face becomes transparent. I've seen this (and use it) many times. If you do a Shift-N to clean up normal's, and check off the Inside checkbox in the lower left, it will flip all your normal's, and your model will be visible again.
I noticed that you think the same as I do/did that booleans are bad. Not so, but N-Gons are way bad, especially if you're sending them to a game engine or (maybe) a 3d printer? There has to be a better way to tell Blender about the holes.

[francoisBonin-phils]

thanks for the video. when i select circle, it makes me a circle of 1 meter radius???

[HappyTinfoilCat]

The loop select will save me a lot of time.

[fuzzifikation]

Hey Jonathan.. I have a Tipp for making holes in surfaces. Acutally, I was quite annoyed at how cumbersome blender is with holes in surfaces so I played around and here is the tipp:
Maybe you or your viewers would enjoy this. I think it's simpler (at least when you have many holes).
---
1. [Edit Mode]: The circles you have (where you want the holes in the surface): Make them separate objects. (because we want to do a object subtraction, they need to be their own object.
You can do that by right-clicking and choosing Separate while in Edit mode (and with them selected)
2. [Edit Mode]: FILL them (create a face, as you have done) and then EXTRUDE them into the z-direction, so they become CYLINDERS. Height doesn't matter, neither positive or negative z-Direction.
Move the cylinders slightly through the surface (if only the faces touch, it will not work perfectly). Make it look like you want to punch the cylinders through the surface.
3. [Object Mode]: Select the surface that you want the holes cut into. Goto Modifiers on the right and choose "Boolean". Choose the cylinder (which now is its own object). Make sure that Difference is selected. Hit apply.
4. (this is important): MOVE the cylinder away.
5. Admire hole in surface.
----
It seems to me that Blender can only do Object boolean interactions, if at least one element is a full body. I couldn't get this to work if both objects are only faces. Seems to be a bug or oversight.
I believe this might be faster than the whole weird/cumbersome clicking of vertices and trying to make the right surfaces..
Tested on Blender 2.83

[dirkhorn]

Great Video tutorial! Thank you for that!
seems like in blender 3.0 some things are not exactly as you show, but little easier.
just one small note from me... if using control-left mouse (loop select) selecting this vertices or edges is more fast and easy. but without you great tutorial i wouldent be able to do so.
Thanks again.
(if you would make a video serie for udemy...i would buy it!)

[nikto-bb]

Wow! So you're saying I don't need any CAD software to model a box for my paints or a cell phone case and 3d-print it? Will the size be exactly the same?

[gtarson]

Hi Jonathan, I’m working in imperial units set to inches. When I use PDT to move the cursor to a given location in the way you describe, let’s say, and inch on the x. The curser moves only a fraction. What am I missing? Great series btw. My go to channel for this way of working in blender.

[tomwarhammer]

I was having a problem with linux mint: I couldn't Alt Click to select the other loop because mint (and Ubuntu as far as I know) have an option to move the actual program window with ALT + left mouse button click.

In Mint this option is under de Preferences > Window Management > Behavior

I disable it and ALT+Click work fine.

Hope it could help others.

[patgagel]

My 3D cursor is snapping to none of the points it is supposed to with the PDT Tool. Seems to offset to some different spot. Both the Intersection Tool and the 3point Centre of Arc Tool.

[msteele]

PDT Fillet does not work for me - followed your directions exactly - I have no idea why it does not create the additional vertices

[Zimbob]

Hi Jonathan, Thanks for the work you're doing. I had worked with Blender about 12 to 15 yrs ago, but could really only do graphics for cartoons, movies or games. I'm more interested in drafting precision design, like Autocad, I just cant afford auto cad. plus the animation will help in creating things with moving parts, I would think. Glad too see Blender come so far. I'm enjoying your series and hope you keep it up, You're a good teacher..
Just out of curiosity, where are you from, I can't quite identify your accent and slang.

[andyfpv]

Why am I getting lines and infill in random places when trying to fill around the holes?