# How can I separate in two parts a piece

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [January 8, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684 "2017-01-08T20:38:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![enevoran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@enevoran](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/enevoran)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/1 "2017-01-08T20:38:06Z")

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Is there any way to divide in two parts a piece I have designed. I mean that with the union tool I can build a single piece joining two bodies. In the oposite if I have a single piece, is there any way to separate it in two parts?

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 8:40pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/2 "2017-01-08T20:40:40Z")

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Well, you can always subtract a body from another one that would separate it to two parts. Would that work for you?

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**Author:** ![enevoran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@enevoran](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/enevoran)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/3 "2017-01-08T20:53:06Z")

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I can not subtract the part I want to separate because I can not choose it separately from the complete piece when I select the subtract command.

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/4 "2017-01-08T21:03:56Z")

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Can you show an example?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![enevoran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@enevoran](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/enevoran)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/5 "2017-01-08T21:23:10Z")

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I do not know how to paste an example

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**Author:** ![Istvan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/istvan/32/23668_2.png) [@Istvan](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Istvan)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/6 "2017-01-08T21:26:07Z")

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I think i know ehats your problem. When you extrude the shape you want to subtract, temporarily hide the ither one, it will prevent fusing them. Then you will be able to subtract it.

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**Author:** ![enevoran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@enevoran](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/enevoran)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/7 "2017-01-08T22:00:11Z")

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![](https://cdck-file-uploads-us1.s3.dualstack.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/1X/651f9194e7cf87d31729ab22edd890024ca5a6d4.jpg)

I want to separate the body 1 from the body 2. Is there any possibiliti to do it?

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**Author:** ![DuffleBag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@DuffleBag](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/DuffleBag)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 4:38am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/8 "2017-01-09T04:38:05Z")

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Have you tried making a copy of the whole item, and then moving the copied item to a new layer (group)?

Try deleting “1” from one group and “2” from the other and see what happens… you may get lucky

…or if that doesn’t work, next time, create a new group for “1” before you draw it, hide “2”, and then draw “1”. They will both be on different layers and won’t fuse.

Good luck!

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**Author:** ![enevoran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@enevoran](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/enevoran)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 7:08pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/how-can-i-separate-in-two-parts-a-piece/684/9 "2017-01-09T19:08:22Z")

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Ok I understand what you mean. I will try. Thank you.