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i want to create a sirene with 'iron bars' around it. Something like this: this Now, when i try to extrude the faces around the sirene, i get this: The faces are getting smaller around the top of the sphere, as expected The faces are getting smaller around the top of the sphere, as expected But how can i make these faces the same width all over the sirene?

Thanks

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  • $\begingroup$ As I get it, you answered yourself... you can't. $\endgroup$
    – m.ardito
    Commented Oct 22, 2016 at 8:40
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    $\begingroup$ It would be better not to extrude them from the cylinder rather than just create those tubes as another mesh on top of it. It would be much easier and after all those parts are different in real life.. iron and glass. $\endgroup$
    – Mr Zak
    Commented Oct 22, 2016 at 8:41

1 Answer 1

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One method would be to select all the edges you want to form the cage and duplicate them to provide the framework for the cage. Go into edit mode and choose Edge Select mode. You should be able to use the Edge Loops select tool to make the selection simpler as you can simply click one edge and Blender will extend the selection around the mesh (hold Shift-Alt and right-click to select).

Select Edges

Once selected, duplicate with Shift-D, Esc and then (without changing the selection) use Separate By Selection (press P and select Selection) to separate the duplicated edges to a new mesh. Come out of Edit mode and hide the old mesh (right-click the original object and H) so it doesn't get in the way.

Duplicate and Separate

To turn the duplicated edges into the frame you can simply add a Skin modifier to the new mesh to form the bars around the edges (you may need to Apply Scale first (Ctrl-A, 'Scale') to ensure the skin is uniformly scaled). Set the radius of each vertex in the properties panel to set the size (select all with A first so as to affect them all). If you have strange artifacts on some of the vertices then you might need to Remove Doubles first (doubled vertexes will cause the skin to behave strangely).

Skin

Unhide the original mesh with Alt-H and scale and position the cage as desired.

Scale and position

Add suitable materials and you're done.

Final

Alternatively, to add flat faces - as in the original question - you could select each section of the separated cage (eg, an edge Up the side, over the top, and down the other side - or a loop) using the Edge Select mode and extrude it out in the relevant direction. However, the Skin modifier effectively does all this for you.

Extrude Edges

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  • $\begingroup$ I think you made a mistake, I think you mean in Edit mode to press P then Separate by lose parts. Also one needs to apply scale (ctrl+A). Another option after duplicating and separate by lose parts is to convert to curve (alt+c) then use the Depth value in the curve modifier panel. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 30, 2016 at 7:40
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    $\begingroup$ Thanks for your suggestions @fabriced. The Separate by Selection does work - provided the newly duplicated part of the mesh is still selected following the duplication. On re-reading the answer I realise I've missed some keypresses to make this clearer (eg, 'Esc' following the duplication, leaving Edit mode before hiding the original mesh). Good idea about Apply Scale and using Curve. I'll review it later and update the answer. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 30, 2016 at 10:34

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