"Building" an AR

[NikatKimber]

Just not out of physical materials!

Playing around using SolidWorks, so far I've found these files on the internet for free, downloaded and assembled (that can be fun!) the parts. Modeling a free float foreend could prove interesting.

Whaddya think?

 

[WhiteyMacD]

Solidworks you say?

Brent, if you dont mind, send me those files. I think I can import them into blender3d.


Looks good so far.

 

[NikatKimber]

Would you want the assembly, or the individual parts? As it sets right now, in *.sldasm format, it's just over 8mb.

I'm having some troubles with the buffer tube, it's not rebuilding correctly at the moment.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

If you can just get me a link to where I can download them, that would be cool.

I can also look at the buffer tube and see if I can find whats wrong with it. Are you mating the tube to the assembly? and then getting the error in rebuild?

 

[NikatKimber]

No, the download is in an "imported" format, so at one point it was saved either as a *.iges or *.stp file, then reconverted to a solidworks file, so there are no "features" just a single solid in the final shape. I'll probably end up using the one I have for dimensions and redrawing it, it's not that complicated a piece.

I downloaded most of the files from here:
3D Content Central

The upper and lower from:
CNC Guns

 

[NikatKimber]

This is something I modeled myself yesterday, rotating handguard / rail for the KT Sub2000

 

[WhiteyMacD]

Crap, I cant import IGES or STEP files into blender, but I think I can use GCAD and then save them in a format I can use.

BTW, GCAD and Blender are free.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

This is something I modeled myself yesterday, rotating handguard / rail for the KT Sub2000

Nice.

I use to play around alot with 3d rendering. I need to start doing it again.

These were two from when I started messing with Blender, sadly I never finished or got any better.

 

[NikatKimber]

I love the program.

I tested the new install here by modeling a thumb drive.

I have the parts in solidworks format, if you can use that I can send that to you.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

I love the program.

I tested the new install here by modeling a thumb drive.

I have the parts in solidworks format, if you can use that I can send that to you.

If you can export them to VRML (or rather I should say, if you are willing to). If not its cool, It will give me a chance to poke around in GCAD using the IGES and STEP files.

Open your assembly. 
If you don't want to export all the objects, suppress the objects you don't want to export first. 
The export quality (strangely enough) depends on the screen settings. To improve this, go to Tools > Options > Document Properties tab > Image Quality. If your model looks faceted in your viewport, just set the "Shaded and draft quality HLR/HLV resolution" to a higher value. Especially for complex shapes with a lot of curvature, you'll probably want a higher value. Take into account, however, that a higher value means a bigger file and slower operations within Blender. 
Go to File > Save As... 
Select VRML as your file-type and click on the "Options..." button. 
Make sure "VRML 1.0" is selected. Usually you need to set the unit to something bigger than millimeters; normally centimeters will do, but for the bigger models I advice you to set the unit to meters. You'll be able to scale the model again once you're in Blender. 
uncheck "save all components of the assembly into a single file" 
Because SolidWorks appears to be making a mess out of large assemblies (randomly combining several parts into one mesh), we'll export the assembly as separate files into one directory. To be able to load these files easily, you need to create a new directory for this export first. Later on, we'll import all the files in this directory at once (time saver), so make sure there's no other files in this directory!

Close the "Export Options" window (click OK). 
Create a new directory for the export (or use an empty one), and hit "Save".