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Newbie: How to create a simple tapered cylinder?

R

ReedMikel

Member
Hi,
I'm trying to create a simple tapered cylinder/tube. e.g. it's 3" long and tapers from 2" diameter at one end to 1" diameter on other end. In Blender, it had a tool to add a cone, where you specify starting diameter, ending diameter and length... Using Atom3D, I was thinking I could start with a circle of 2" dia, extrude it to a length of 3", then edit the diameter of one of the ends and change it to 1". But when I do that, both ends get resized and it remains a cylinder... I'm sure I'm just missing something simple...
TIA,
Mike
 
gwbruce

gwbruce

Senior Member
Another way would be to do a revolve and just draw the basic shape you wanted and revolve it around an axis. I believe that would work.
 
bigseb

bigseb

Alibre Super User
1) straight cylinder and draft
2) tapered extrusion
3) revolve boss of tapered sketch
4) straight cylinder with revolve cut of tapered sketch
5) loft
6) tapered sweep

lots of ways... :)
 
R

ReedMikel

Member
Thanks all - the straight cylinder via a tapered extrusion using a draft angle did seem very easy. I think I'll try some of the other suggestions to sharpen my skills. Needed this ASAP in order to make a pipe reducer for a new sump pump I'm installing today after the 4" deluge of rain in Catskills NY yesterday. Live on a lake and water level is crazy high after the storm - and more coming later in the week! So nice to have a 3D printer for times like this!!!
 
R

ReedMikel

Member
One thing that was a bit time consuming was figuring out the draft angle to achieve the desired diameter of the tapered extrusion. I had to keep extruding at different angles, then right click and choose the Measure option - then point it to the tapered end and notate the diameter. Is there an easier way - where I could simply enter in the desired tapered diameter?
 
DavidJ

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
You may also find the Shell tool useful, to hollow out your cone after forming.

OR if you have Pro/Expert, a 'Thin Revolve' only needs one line in your sketch.
 
R

ReedMikel

Member
DavidJ said:
You may also find the Shell tool useful, to hollow out your cone after forming.

OR if you have Pro/Expert, a 'Thin Revolve' only needs one line in your sketch.
Click to expand...
I used a slightly smaller inner circle, then an Extrude (cut) to hollow out my cone - with same tapered/draft angle...
 
R

ReedMikel

Member
Cone is almost finished on my Snapmaker 3D printer. I printed it standing/vertical - which I now realize will probably not be the strongest. Have to figure how to slice it (Cura) so that it prints parallel to the length of the cone, rather than perpendicular. But that's a slicing thing, not Atom3D...
 
bigseb

bigseb

Alibre Super User
ReedMikel said:
Cone is almost finished on my Snapmaker 3D printer. I printed it standing/vertical - which I now realize will probably not be the strongest. Have to figure how to slice it (Cura) so that it prints parallel to the length of the cone, rather than perpendicular. But that's a slicing thing, not Atom3D...
Click to expand...
Printing it upright will certainly be easiest and give the best end faces. Increasing the number of walls and increasing the temp (very slightly, like 5°) will help make it stronger too. Alternatively try tipping the part by 30° and using supports. The ends won't be as neat but you can clean that up with sandpaper.

Ultimately more walls = stronger print
 
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