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I want to make a plane as the shape for a cylinder object and then turn that into a cylinder. This can be done by extruding, which can also be used for straight objects like skirting borders.

But extrude+rotate for a cylinder is a lot of steps (number of sides for the cylinder) and requires cleaning up of some "internal" faces and duplicate vertices, I also got some faces with flipped normals for some reason. Is there a built in operation to do this?

The Plane The Cylinder

Example scene with the two objects:

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  • $\begingroup$ can you attach your file here blend-exchange.giantcowfilms.com so that answer will go in little detail $\endgroup$ – atek Aug 13 '18 at 16:05
  • $\begingroup$ Of the plane? sure, will do once back. But nothing special about it, and if say a ring of vertices on a 2D plane without faces or such is a better option then that works as well $\endgroup$ – Fire Lancer Aug 13 '18 at 16:11
  • $\begingroup$ @atek added an example file $\endgroup$ – Fire Lancer Aug 13 '18 at 17:56
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You have several solutions, like the Spin tool or the Simple Deform modifier (with Bend option), or the Curve modifier, but I guess the Screw Modifier is the easiest way:

  • Create your profile shape, without any inner face. Keep in mind that the origin of the object will be the pivot of the rotation.
  • Assign your object a Screw modifier, choose the good axis, choose a 360° angle, and as many Steps as you want.
  • Keep a copy of your object before applying the modifier. Recalculate the Normals if necessary (ctrl N in Edit mode). You can also choose not to apply the Screw modifier, it will just make the edges sharpening a little bit longer at the end.
  • Assign your object a Subdivision Surface modifier. On the left panel (T) click on Tools > Shading > Smooth.
  • In Edit mode, add some edge loops to make your edges sharper (or, if you didn't apply the modifier, create some new vertices close to the existing ones: Select an edge, then create a vertice with ctrl R or W > Subdivide, then move the vertice along the edges with G G until it comes close to one of the existing vertices).

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ That looks like a far better tool for the job :) Is it needed to apply the modifier to fix up the normals? Could be useful to keep it just as modifiers. $\endgroup$ – Fire Lancer Aug 13 '18 at 17:59
  • $\begingroup$ it looks like it makes the things more complicated, yes, especially to make the edges sharper. If you want to keep the modifiers, you should use another method I guess (I've cited several others). $\endgroup$ – moonboots Aug 13 '18 at 18:05
  • $\begingroup$ I was thinking of adding the extra edge vertices before (see the picture of the plane). I'll take a look at the others as well as not tools I have used so far. $\endgroup$ – Fire Lancer Aug 13 '18 at 18:55
  • $\begingroup$ for the Simple Deform and Curve modifiers you first need to extrude your profile, so it's not exactly the same method but you get the same sort of result. The Spin tool is fast but it is destructive (modifier = non-destructive). $\endgroup$ – moonboots Aug 13 '18 at 19:34
  • $\begingroup$ Actually I've tried without applying the Screw modifier and it works fine, it just takes a bit longer to create vertices close to the existing ones in order to create sharp edges. $\endgroup$ – moonboots Aug 13 '18 at 20:07
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You can try this also but no more control later you can have it.

Press Numpad 3 to Right Ortho

In Edit mode -> Press Alt+R (Spins)

Press F6 to increase decrease the steps and the angle.

enter image description here

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