Bending Cylinders & Tubes in 3DC

[vestibule]

Hi

Whilst I appear to have worked out most ways of manipulating the primitives in 3DC, I am still unable to work out how to 'bend' cylinders or tubes - I'm trying to make a Pandrol clip. I've tried using the Bend function and also the Pipe Engineer plugin but neither of these seem to be the function I'm after, ie a series of 90 degree-ish bends on a small scale - could anyone help please?

Many thanks.

[Acorncomputer]

I am not sure if you have used the pipe builder plug in but this should do what you describe -

http://msts.steam4me.net/tutorials/3dc_pipeb_uses.html

[vestibule]

Thanks Geoff, I have indeed used the Pipe builder plugin for several things (handrails & the davits on a paddle steamer amongst other stuff) but I've tried to make a base shape for a pandrol clip to use the pipe builder but no joy, just wondering if there was a way I could directly manipulate a cylinder, if you see what I mean! Guess I'll just have to keep playing....

[decapod]

There is also the piper plugin which is a kind of end face extrude with bending...

http://msts.steam4me.net/tutorials/3d_chain_3dc.html

[dkightley]

And you might pick up an idea or two from my follow-up to the tutorial decapod pointed out:
http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... in&start=0

Which goes to prove that there's never just one way of doing something.....

[vestibule]

Very good links, thank you all, plenty for me to try out. Fortunately I have the day to myself today so shall see what I can do