# Twisted square rod

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [April 3, 2020, 11:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080 "2020-04-03T23:38:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RonJeffries](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/ronjeffries/32/5708_2.png) [@RonJeffries](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/RonJeffries)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2020, 11:38pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/1 "2020-04-03T23:38:12Z")

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i’d like to make a rod or post of square cross-section, twisted.

i made the attached with extrude, then twisting the top, then duplicated it vertically. it becomes thinner toward the center of the pieces.

is there a way to make one if uniformly square cross-section?

thanks!

 ![IMG_1111](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/f/f93d67d6541898bc8e91d6dfe52320ef0ebc7174.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 4, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/2 "2020-04-04T01:35:42Z")

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Have a look here…

> [@New to app, having some trouble](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/new-to-app-having-some-trouble/5354):
>
> Is it possible to twist a shape so as to achieve this effect? When I try,it just twists over itself in the middle then unwinds.

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**Author:** ![RonJeffries](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/ronjeffries/32/5708_2.png) [@RonJeffries](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/RonJeffries)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/3 "2020-04-04T01:52:13Z")

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thanks, good ideas. i tried the loft trick before i read this and didn’t think it worked but maybe it did.

thanks!

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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 4, 2020, 2:24am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/4 "2020-04-04T02:24:03Z")

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Yes, I encountered the exact same problem you did. Then I realized that Loft was the way to go.  
-Mike

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**Author:** ![RonJeffries](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/ronjeffries/32/5708_2.png) [@RonJeffries](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/RonJeffries)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/5 "2020-04-04T02:26:44Z")

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i measured the lofted one and on a 2cm square, 45 degree loft, the center square is about 1.8cm close, but not perfect.

 ![IMG_1112](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/2X/d/d0e3fcd6f44992ab7a9947f9bc2602937878e1b8.png)

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**Author:** ![LePapa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LePapa](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/LePapa)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 9:36am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/6 "2020-04-04T09:36:50Z")

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If you twist 90degrees you will see that cross section area will be half as vertical edges are kept straight

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RonJeffries](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.shapr3d.com/ronjeffries/32/5708_2.png) [@RonJeffries](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/RonJeffries)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 12:43pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/twisted-square-rod/7080/7 "2020-04-04T12:43:07Z")

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right. If the area were constant, the edges would form a helix. Smaller rotations and shorter steps will get us closer to that, but I see no direct way of forming a uniform-thickness twist. Which is OK, I wound up not liking the look of it for what I’m doing anyway. 🙂