Capping a closed path that is extruded
 

What is the least convoluted method to close the open end of a closed or periodic curve that has been extruded? I know I can drop a shape at the end, intersect and then use the trim tool, but it seems there must be a quicker way. Also this method seems plagued if the open end is not perpindicular to x,y,z, but you want the cap to be perpindicular to the open end.

thanks!

I usually insert an isoparm at the end of the surface and then scale in the last Hull... there's a thread going over this somewhere that I had attached an image... maybe I can find it. :P

Thanks for the reply. However I'm having problems understanding your method. It seems scaling any of the hulls wouldn't get the desired effect. Enclosed is how I'm understanding your instruction.

Here's what I mean:

I beleive you would select an isoparm and select make planer:beer:

Thanks mtmckinley, I got it!! 3DJoe, I'm not finding "make planar". Where might that be?

Thanks.

Nurbs?
Its under "surfaces" --> "planar"

If the curve for some reason isnt planar in the first place you can
1 duplicate a curve and scale it innwards a bit
2 then loft it
3 and... with history button on from the start select inner-curve and scale it to 0.

I sometimes do this, but I dont like it.

Wow. Planar worked great! Thanks a lot guys! This is a great site!

yeah, planar works if you don't plan on animating that surface. be careful with deforming. :D

mtmckinley, you've sparked another question ;) About not being able to animate the surface, I can visualize the situation being cleaner when animating the tube and there isn't the planar object to deal with, but I'm curious if there isn't a way to group that new object or make it a child and still do some animating.

planar should work fine as long as you do not deform it. If you're wanting some the end of the extrude with the planar cap to bend or something, you may find gaps appear.

so that is the reason, nurbs are not easy to handle? need to try everything til i find the cap-cylinder-the-mtmckinley-way-button :beer:

The difference between adding a planar or lofted end-surface on the sylinder, and mtmkinleys way, is that mtmckinley uses the cylinder-surface itself to cap itself.

This works great with "linear-surfaces" I guess. If the cylinder surface was made with 3. degree lofting, then adding only one ekstra isoparm, would likely produce a rounded edge around the cap-surface.

thanks again!