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Cylinder

So I'm trying to make a cylinder that has faces with equal dimensions, and I already have a cylinder that has the exact curve I want to use. How can I make a new curve with equal edge lengths while maintaining the rough shape of the curve I have already created? The cylinder and curve I created are in the image linked. As you can see, the edges and faces do not have the same length.

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    $\begingroup$ I don't understand what you are asking, I see no curve in your screenshot, and your "cylinder" is not really a true cylinder. What curve and wat edges specifically are you talking about? Could you please edit your question and clarify $\endgroup$
    – Duarte Farrajota Ramos ♦
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 17:53
  • $\begingroup$ Can I try to reformulate: you want to keep the overall slice shape but make so all edges of this slice, around the cylinder, have the same length.Is that it? $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 18:38
  • $\begingroup$ Since there has been some confusion, I'll clarify that the curve I am referring to is the curve of the top of the pillar (the circle-ish curve), and the edges that I am referring to are the ones that make up this curve. Also, lemon, to answer your question, yes. $\endgroup$
    – ETFO
    Commented Mar 20, 2017 at 19:21
  • $\begingroup$ I/ve been pondering this question, and need some more information before venturing an answer. How much tolerance is there for variation from the shape of the curve, because it appears to me that due to the compound nature of the curve, it may be a challenge to match the curve. Second, how large do you want the segments of the curve to be? If you want to match the dimensions of the larger segments, you probably cannot keep the shape you want; if you are willing to match the smaller segments, you may be able to more nearly approximate the desired shape, at the cost of more geometry. $\endgroup$
    – brasshat
    Commented Mar 21, 2017 at 4:19

2 Answers 2

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OK, let the reader beware, that if I'm not outside the boundary of my skillset here, I'm uncomfortably close to that boundary. But it may be that you can use the array modifier to achieve what you want to do. I think the process would be to copy of the top row of vertices of your cylinder, using CTRL-D, make the copy a separate object using the P key, and then convert that object to a curve using ALT-C. I would then select the smallest face of your cylinder, copy it and make it a separate object as with the top vertices. Then assign an array modifier to the object created from the smallest face, setting the fit type to "fit curve", and show the target curve as the one created from the vertices of the top of your mesh, and adjusting the other parameters of the modifier, and perhaps the width of the face as needed to fit the curve. Neil Hirsig's video tutorial on the array modifier may be useful here.

[NOTE TO FUTURE READERS: Neil Hirsig is taking down his website in May, 2017, and I'm not sure how long the link to this video tutorial will be active, but I expect that the video tutorials will continue to be available, perhaps on another site.]

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To subdivide the long faces on the length of your tube you can add loop cuts. Press ⎈ CtrlR and use the scroll wheel or ⇞ Page up to increase the number of cuts being made.

loop cut a tube

If you want to subdivide the top of your tube you could use the knife tool K to mark out the path of the cuts you want to make.

Another option for the top is to use the inset tool I to add loops parallel to your profile.

inset loops

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