# Need help with an axis and knurling

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [April 11, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449 "2025-04-11T17:42:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davidgeller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/davidgeller/32/23960_2.png) [@davidgeller](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/davidgeller)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 5:42pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/1 "2025-04-11T17:42:06Z")

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I’ve got a handle to a racket I’m making and it’s not perfectly circular. See attached image. What’s the best way to add a construction axis down the middle of the handle since the shape isn’t circular? How do I find the center? Also, I’d like to add some knurling to the handle? Again, since it’s not circular, how would I warp a pattern around it? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 ![Screenshot 2025-04-11 at 10.39.28 AM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/3/0/308cd60860f05c88de76f0891c470c0288af6ea4.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 9:20pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/2 "2025-04-11T21:20:41Z")

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Is this what you’re trying to achieve?

 ![Knurl](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/8/2/827b09560a27e5b23fb3b12f90d7ff3c4a1c2284.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![davidgeller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/davidgeller/32/23960_2.png) [@davidgeller](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/davidgeller)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/3 "2025-04-12T00:32:49Z")

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Yes - in general. Looks awesome. But, my handle is also slightly oval.

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 2:22am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/4 "2025-04-12T02:22:29Z")

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I did this knurl project back in 2020 and just found the file. It needs cleaning up. I’ll share when I get a chance. The easiest way to create the knurled body is to make it cylindrical as shown above. Then you can use non-uniform scale in one direction to alter it to an oval.

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 5:38am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/5 "2025-04-12T05:38:01Z")

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Revolve the triangle and extend to height.  
Circular pattern the triangle.  
Union to inner cylinder to create spiral cylinder.  
Create temp outer cylinder.  
Subtract spiral cylinder from outer cylinder.  
Mirror outer cylinder in place.  
Subtract mirrored outer cylinder from spiral cylinder.  
Done. (BTW, intensive calcs during subtract booleans.)  
Let me know if any questions.

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2025, 5:51am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/6 "2025-04-12T05:51:02Z")

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And here’s the start of the 2nd knurl with outer flats.

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**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/7 "2025-04-13T14:18:43Z")

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I thought getting the axis on the oval would be just utilizing one of the Axis tool but it would not center because filet was used. Before fillet Axis could snap to center even on an oval.

If you create a cylinder somewhere else align to the oval face you can add the axis.

 ![IMG_0071](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/b/a/bafc0b6f08ab35838ad74004d889369bdbbd04bb.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 3:07am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/8 "2025-04-14T03:07:41Z")

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To answer you question about adding an axis thru the center of an oval body. Here’s an easy way.

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**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 5:02am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/9 "2025-04-14T05:02:18Z")

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Mike’s method made me think of another way, simplified it a bit.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/10 "2025-04-14T15:24:46Z")

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It’s not a contest. It doesn’t get any simpler than this.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SCALEMODEL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@SCALEMODEL](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SCALEMODEL)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 4:53pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/11 "2025-04-14T16:53:37Z")

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Actually I was pointing out construction plane always snaps to the center and if you rotate it it shows you intersection points.

Also if you offset an oval surface depending on the shape it can give you lot of control points.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/2/7/273fe4ace7135dd40b24935a26a5290f1087501d.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![davidgeller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/davidgeller/32/23960_2.png) [@davidgeller](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/davidgeller)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/12 "2025-04-14T20:35:28Z")

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Thank you - that’s very helpful.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TigerMike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/tigermike/32/32650_2.png) [@TigerMike](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/TigerMike)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/13 "2025-04-14T21:56:57Z")

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Most welcome. I’d like to see the finished knurled oval racket handle.  
-Mike

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![davidgeller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/davidgeller/32/23960_2.png) [@davidgeller](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/davidgeller)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2025, 11:48pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/need-help-with-an-axis-and-knurling/37449/14 "2025-04-14T23:48:35Z")

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Turns out that they sell grip tape for pickleball rackets very inexpensively on Amazon and I decided to go that route, since it would likely be applied anyway. The gnurling wouldn’t have added much to the design. But, I’ve long sought guidance on this topic and will apply it to another project. The tip on creating a center axis through an oval was very helpful too.