# Twisted loft on a curving path

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [April 6, 2022, 10:33am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589 "2022-04-06T10:33:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JRRYAN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/848f3c/32.png) [@JRRYAN](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/JRRYAN)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2022, 10:33am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589/1 "2022-04-06T10:33:26Z")

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Hello, is it possible to twist a shape, in this case a square, around a curving path? I assumed it would require loft with a guide curve, but I can’t get it to work.

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**Author:** ![Robert](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/robert/32/1329_2.png) [@Robert](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/Robert)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2022, 11:05am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589/2 "2022-04-06T11:05:16Z")

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> [@Tapered thread](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/tapered-thread/9312):
>
> I need to draw up and print a tapered thread and I see there were a couple of threads started several years ago but none seemed to go anywhere. One was requesting advice to do exactly what I need to draw up but unfortunately the advice given was so short and cryptic and doesn’t make sense and isn’t helpful. Anyone have any advice on drawing up a thread on a truncated tapered cone? thanks

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**Author:** ![SM1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@SM1](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/SM1)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2022, 3:45pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589/4 "2022-04-06T15:45:31Z")

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Another way if needed.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/4/46752a79db1671509d496f72d68ab13cb25f34bc.jpeg)  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/0b65dd108a0dbfc18197a71874f2ec137532c78f.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![jpulaski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/jpulaski/32/8406_2.png) [@jpulaski](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/jpulaski)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589/5 "2022-04-07T21:12:47Z")

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I drew something akin to a conical spring by revolving a wide flat rectangle and then intersecting it with a shelled truncated cone. It’s not exactly what you’re looking for, but it might be a starting point.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/a/aeaa7c43217b4f5edc656703feb1dbb321849ab7.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![welshsteve](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/welshsteve/32/16111_2.png) [@welshsteve](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/welshsteve)\
**Post date:** [April 8, 2022, 9:42am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-loft-on-a-curving-path/18589/6 "2022-04-08T09:42:11Z")

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@jpulaski  
Creating the conical spiral is the easy part.

Creating a thread that follows the spiral would appear to be as simple as sweeping a thread profile along the spiral… but it’s not that simple…

Fail!

 ![Fail!](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/2/29d7c84b5be845cb87dbba5b1813f83cc654a6d4.jpeg)

First I create a profile

 ![First I create a profile](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/6/66e638f25356f02c67707a3eaf5d1105a7d26c5e.jpeg)

Switch to 3D view

 ![Switch to 3D view](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/3/3fe0e29b7f90229f710c05f6fe27d84e7ee14e20.jpeg)

Then revolve

 ![Then revolve](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/d/d0946acdcbf0995656d3c7b96458a4a43860f6e2.jpeg)

Create a cone

 ![Create a cone](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/c/c9fb39b7a00fe82ecc78636c8d8017bc7a852288.jpeg)

Move cone to spiral

 ![Move cone to spiral](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/8/8be6235035a11c01439ad27629276a2d234135f0.jpeg)

Intersect the two

 ![Intersect the two](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/0/0e17aa110bacac183acff52242b02004d56bd5d2.jpeg)

Revisit the original profile

 ![Revisit the original profile](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/d/d05c7b5d7f1f23f5ff2229ab4e93132428bc27c5.jpeg)

Create thread profile

 ![Create thread profile](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/9/98bdb21306f84400b24137a3275653d40d937fb5.jpeg)

Sweep profile along spiral to create thread

 ![Sweep profile along spiral to create thread](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/b/b497ac1e688b89e04a9eb4489488bdd7f7a0144c.jpeg)

Looking good!

 ![Looking good!](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/d/d8ffb40e90bda9657136df0df616a048769addba.jpeg)

But don’t celebrate yet…

 ![But don't celebrate yet...](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/e/e8a840d7de72bf2fc8d6e163ad7241b06e583cb1.jpeg)

The thread becomes twisted as it progresses along the path of the spiral… FAIL! ☹

 ![The thread becomes twisted as it progresses along the path of the spiral... FAIL! :(](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/1/1c64cf3228aceaeadd84455beac45c1039f12cb3.jpeg)

Any suggestions on how to do this properly would be most welcome 🙂