handrails generated from base curves

Hi all,

I have a few architecture projects that I modeled in Rhino that I'm trying to polish with some more details, such as handrails (and maybe mullions later). I wanted to figure out how to do this myself but I've run out of time. I can get as far as setting a curve and dividing it but I haven't been able to generate much more than a blob after that. Once I have the basic curve outline of a handrail, how can I thicken it into a pipe or something more rectilinear?

Anyway I was hoping someone could point me to a definition or something to lead me in the right direction. Thanks! I look forward to contributing something myself when I get the hang of it.

Tags: architecture

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Permalink Reply by Jon Mirtschin on March 8, 2010 at 3:35am

If a plug-in solution is acceptable (and simplifies some of the work you need to do in generating a grasshopper definition), then I have started integrating some of my structural plug-in sweeping commands into Grasshopper. There's an example file and demonstration at http://geometrygym.blogspot.com for the 2012 stadium. You can make up your own libraries of common profiles, or I'm happy to add more at request. You do need a valid (but free) plug-in trial license to have the definition generate output.

Happy to help if you need it getting started,

Jon

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Permalink Reply by Claas Eicke Kuhnen on March 8, 2010 at 1:00pm

draw a curve (ground)

off set the curve (hand hight)

divide each each with the same amount

draw lines between the points you created

plug the lines and curves into a pipe tool

done

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Permalink Reply by d3athcarb4fatty on March 8, 2010 at 3:25pm

Jon that looks like a fantastic plugin, thanks for sharing. Some day I'm going to try to figure it out because that looks like a solution for the bulk of my repetitive modeling.

Claas, that's much simpler than the way I was going about it. Works great, thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Claas Eicke Kuhnen on March 8, 2010 at 8:35pm

no problem

I hope it helps. We used that one making a chair.
Here is a Helix example.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Mirtschin on March 8, 2010 at 9:39pm

Trying to automate and make efficient bulk repetitive modelling is exactly one of the key objectives of the tools I'm developing. I've done it myself a lot in the past, and hopefully tools like this allow designers to concentrate on more important considerations. Controlling aspects of orientations etc of swept profiles at present in so easy with the Grasshopper/Rhino SDK tools provided. What I've tried to do is provide a customized toolset that is aligned with modelling in other Structural packages (but biased on an Engineering side, as that is where my experience is).

If you wish to try it out, I'll be more than happy to help you with getting up and running. Documentation for the tools isn't so strong, partly because the ideas/methods are continuously improving. The blog and youTube clips are the most efficient way I've found to help users to date. If you're prepared to try the tools, and tell me what you find as confusing or difficult, it will help me improve the documentation where it needs it most. I hope you would find the tools reasonably intuitive once you have successfully emulated some of the examples such as the London Stadium or the Geodesic dome.

And if it's missing commercial standard profiles that you need to use, let me know. I can add them very quickly (particularly if there is a digital table with dimensions available).