I am trying to make cases for some models that I make. One is a spartan character. How can I cut the model out of a rectangular cube so that the model would perfectly fit inside the case?
It’s more complicated then I originally thought, as it’s not just a simple cut out, it has to cut the widest part of the model so that it can slide all the way down. Pictures attached for referencd
If I understand what you’re trying to do, you need to first trace the outside edge of the character using the sketch tools in Shapr3D, then extrude that sketch to the depth you’d like the character to be at when inside the box, then sketch a rectangle, extrude it, align the character extrusion inside the rectangle extrusion, and subtract the character extrusion from the rectangle. That’s going to give you a flat bottom that the character will sit in.
If you want the hole the character sits in to perfectly match all of its contours, then you need to accurately recreate the character in Shapr3D and then subtract it from the rectangle extrusion.
Make sense?
I hadn’t thought about trying to sketch the model outline. I was just trying to put the models over each other and subtract.
The problem I ran into is that no matter what stl I import it imports as a mesh sheet, which can’t interact with a body.
But I may try the sketch option and see if that’s any better. If you have any suggestions about the stls importing as a mesh sheet I’m all ears.
Thank you for your help!
I have not imported an stl yet, so I’m at a loss here, but if you go to this page, it says that stl files can only be used as a reference. You might want to try and see if you can convert it into another format…maybe with Blender, which is a free download. Though I’m still not sure how useful they would be. If you do go down that road, let us know how it goes.
Howdy,
I just played around a little with an imported .stl-file.
I have to admid, that this surprised me, but Shapr3D let me subtract the Meshbody from a solid, without any moaning. But after all that is is not the solution to the problem of the TO - he wants to cut the outline of the statue perpendicular into the foam and not a negative of the statue (what would end up in a un-manufacturable geometry.
From my point of view the only practical way to do this is manually tracing the outline from front-view for instance and cut a pocket into the foam.
HTH
Cheers Matt
I have had mixed results. From reading online it mentions if the stl has any holes then you can’t use it other than reference. Yet, I’m able to 3d print the same files. But, even after cutting the model out of the cube, I tried raising it 1mm each time and cutting again, effectively getting the widest parts to cut out of the entire model. But it wouldn’t let me cut more than the first time.
I wonder if I could take a picture of the model, use that to create an svg of the outline, and then use the svg to cut out of the mold? What do you think?
Hi GoldSpartan,
at least you can try.
The Picture above has not enough contrast (its too grey in greyish):
BUT: You need a closed loop in order to use it for an extrusion (cut).
If I where you, I would do what I did: 
SpartanInFoam.shapr (202.7 KB)
HTH
Cheers Matt
