I have cross posted the below at Wing3d forum. I don't know how active that site is so I'll pose the question here if you don't mind. "I've had Wings on my desktop for about 6 months and have never taken time to learn it. (still trying to get up to speed in Bryce) I've got to learn it now because I need to model stuff that Bryce primitive booleans can't handle. (anyone know how to make a tricone well drilling bit model?) I really want to model it myself so please don't tell me it is already a freebie at... lol :) Question is "what is best website/tutorial to learn fm baby steps to at least intermediate?" "

Answer is: Try some of the tuts in the Wings3D section here at Renderosity. There are two here that I can recommend that will give you an immediate feel for the program;-"Modelling a simple space ship in Wings3D"-by Draculaz(a classic, I cut my Wings modeling teeth on this one, and it familiarizes you with many of the standard commands) and "Getting from Beginner to Intermediate in Wings 3d"- by Pakled, has a lot of good tips and I learned something by reading it. If you have any questions let us know. HTH, Dan

Careful how you answer..that may well be a render of a model by danamo.

Yep, that's a tricone bit. In fact I've download the same image fm the net to use as a referrence along with hammer drill bits also. I've got this notion to do a scene with a huge subterrainian boring mech. I don't know if I can pull it off, but it is time for me to take my abilities to the next level. All here will soon grow tired of me if I don't.

I've been able to do the cones and teeth in Bryce. It is the casing with it's complex curves that I'm having tbl with.

Lol@Claymor! @Skiwillgee-I'm sure we can help with a few pointers if you get stuck in places. Will you be using Wings just for the casing then? If you've already got the cones and teeth built in Bryce then it might alter what modeling advice the Wings guys will give you. I've built models using a combination of Bryce and Wings, so I know you could make it work. The positioning, allignment and scaling of the separate model parts might be a bit problematic, but by using the different camera views(top,right,front,etc)it can be done.

But its less work for the computer if you model everything in wings instead of bryce.. I once.. along time ago modelled a complete robot in bryce, (u can check it aout at my website www.jonaseklund.com the one called modell) anyway the computer went slow as hell of all the boleans and small cubes and stuff.. that might be a problem also in the model you planing to do.. the drills it self arent really a problem to do in wings simply take a cylinder chane the hight, choose all outer sides and extrude and scale them.. hmm.. something like that..

wow..I'm flattered..;) What you might do is select some of the outer faces of the bit housing, extrude them, then move them on the 'y' axis (probably extrude region, about 2 faces each..I'm guessing). The Extrude upwards, and maybe some cutting on the top.

The gears wouldn't be too hard; just create a cylinder, scale it to 'y' axis, extrude the vertical faces, then scale the selected faces 'radial y' (I don't have Wings on me at the moment, but it might work). You can inset and extrude the top and bottom to get more detail in there.

the hole in the center would be a toughie (at least for me). (Note- save your work before you do this, in case it doesn't turn out right..;) One way you could do it is to cut a square in the appropriate size and place (cut 2 faces in 3, then connect, move the lines up and down to get the right size), then extrude inwards, then scale the bottom universally. Then select all the inside faces, and smooth a couple of times, which will give you a more round (though sometimes oval) hole). hope this helps.

Message edited on: 01/03/2006 08:41

Tks folks. I'm printing Wings manual as we speak. I think I'll follow advice and do all in Wings. Now to read that manual and start fiddling. Tks again.

I learned Wings from the tuts in the manual itself, very useful. Never did the tuts here at 'rosity.

Now who can guess what I'm going to say next....?

In wings, start with a cylinder and set the sides (right click on cylinder) as a multiple of three... Now I could tell you how to do the rest, but it really shouldn't be that hard to figure out. :)

..and three shall be the counting, and the counting shall be three. Neither shalt thou countest to 4..5 is right out..;)

The heretic gospels according to Bryster. :O

Don't forget you need to model three seperate cones as the teeth are different on each one.

I've got the Holy Hand Grenade modeled, if someone wants it..;)

Message edited on: 01/04/2006 10:56

Pakled: I'll take a dozen. It could be a busy year! LOL!