Hello,
I’m trying to understand how to create a lofted body that does not just follow guides in a single plane, but also moves smoothly in 3D space.
What I’m trying to build is an S-shaped curve network where the tail passes behind the lower part of the same letter and then continues into the next letter.
What works so far:
A single loft works well as long as the shape stays in one plane. By adding a few construction planes along the path, I can get the “swirling band” effect I want.
Where I get stuck:
As soon as I try to move the shape behind itself in another dimension, the loft stops behaving as expected. I tried adding another guide to control that movement, but the loft does not seem to follow that path correctly.
What I tried as a workaround:
I split the shape into multiple lofts and use an additional loft to create the bend. That gets me closer, but it creates a sharp edge where the lofts meet.
I also tried using Start/End Continuity settings to smooth out those transitions, but that fails as well.
So my main questions are:
- Can Loft in Shapr3D handle this kind of 3D path reliably?
- Is there a recommended way to build a shape that moves both sideways and backward/downward in space?
- Should this be done as multiple lofts, with sweep used for the bend, or in some other way?
- What is actually required for G1/G2 continuity to work in this type of loft?
I’ve attached a simplified test video that shows the problem more clearly.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Not sure I replicated your geometry exactly, but it looks like it isn’t impossible.
Can you share the project where you’re having problems?
Oh looks you were able to make it work?
Here’s my test project, it’s not the actual shape of the real project, but I have the same issue when I have this bend and try to add a dimension the same way as this
shapr3d_export_2026-04-02_16h11m.shapr (20.4 KB)
The problem is quite obvious, the second part of the guideline is not tangent to the first one.
Sorry for my beginner ignorance, I assumed it would be enough to connect them on the intersecting points. How do you make them tangent when they are different sketches on different planes?
Well, this kind of thing should be done from the beginning, but for learning purposes I’m showing how to correct existing geometry.
Not a tutorial — just recording my actions on the go, so some steps aren’t really necessary. 
Thank you so much!
I spent many hours trying to figure this out, now it makes sense why it didn’t work! 
I don’t know why I’m having such a hard time wrapping my head around this.
While I thought I understood the concept outlined above and managed to get a bending line from this strategy, I’m now hitting a wall when trying to connect the S with a plane that already existed since before. I’ve tried for several hours and learned some things, but I’m failing on this last connection and I really want to understand how to do it.
If you’re able to provide some guidance once again, I’d be happy to buy you a beer somehow
Attached is the S letter with a bend, trying to connect to the next line “behind” it, eventually having a loft guide line all the way through the "A-guide” and “S-shape” sketches.
trofé.shapr (562.1 KB)
The answer is the same - guide lines have to be tangent and continuous.
Your guide lines don’t even intersect.
Yes this part I figured out, but what I fail to accomplish is to make them tangent. I tried projecting from one to the other and tangent on the projection, but for some reason I just can’t get them aligned on the plane intersections
I suppose I could figure it out by adding a new plane on edge at angle like how you did previously (and how I did the first angle), although I failed to find a matching parallel plane the first tries. And I don’t see how to connect the existing planes either without having to redraw and add new planes to replace the vertical line and the plane its already on.
not sure if it that description makes sense 
Thanks a lot once again!
I got close previously, but not sure where it went wrong when I tried to reference a parallel plane for the new “construction plane at angle”, also I didn’t trim the line which was the reason for guide line refusal on the loft.
There’s a lot to learn, takes me a long time if I need to adjust the shape slightly afterwards, everything breaks down very easily.
Was the detaching of the vertical line after the projection+tangent intentional? Why? I was thinking linked projection and attachment would make it easier to adjust later but perhaps not
Let me know if I can sponsor you in some way, like on Ko-fi or such. It saves me a lot of time with your assistance!
As I said, it should be continuous. You have to help the math engine understand what exactly you want to create.
If you get rid of guide lines, customization becomes easier.
Not sure I understand the question.
PayPal works if you really want to spend some money
