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I'm after some advice on how to model a Steel cable is anyone able to point me in the right direction of an up to date or relevant tutorial, or even able to advise me on how to create a Steel cable like what could be seen on a Tank or a Ship ?

Like ones that a tank would use to tow another.

Any help and Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Stand Sure
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    Close to this http://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/73387/generate-a-repeating-mesh-pattern-without-extra-geometry – lemon Feb 11 '17 at 10:37
  • Aye it may do it, it looks the part could pull it off at a pinch, there must be a way to actually produce something to resemble a steel cable though, Appreciated none the less – Stand Sure Feb 11 '17 at 10:58
  • If you want to model it, you can use the screw modifier, starting from some circles joined in 1 object – lemon Feb 11 '17 at 11:01
  • after doing that would it be possible to bend it without having to move individual Vertices ? – Stand Sure Feb 11 '17 at 11:09
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    You can bend it after that using a curve modifier. You can also use a curve modifier directly using the same base shape (circles) and put this shape as bevel object, then twist the curve (ctrl+T while in edit mode for the curve). – lemon Feb 11 '17 at 11:13
  • nice one I'll give it ago – Stand Sure Feb 11 '17 at 11:25
  • @ Lemon I took your Idea and it done wonders, Thank you so much – Stand Sure Feb 11 '17 at 11:39
  • @lemon, can you post this as an answer so that it can be shown as solved? – Rick Riggs Feb 13 '17 at 07:32
  • @RickRiggs, done – lemon Feb 13 '17 at 08:56

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A way to do that is using curves (that will allow to bend the cable if necessary).

The principle is to make a base shape which will be a slice of the cable. Then use this slice as bevel object on a curve. Once done, you can twist/tilt the curve extremity in order to twist the cable itself.

The base/slice shape :

It can be what you want (more or less detailed, for instance). The only constraint is we need to make it a curve object at the end, so that it can be used as bevel object for the final curve (the cable).

To do it quick :

  • Add a circle
  • Add a array modifier to the circle and choose for instance a count of 6
  • Add a simple deform modifier, set it to 'bend' and set the angle to 360°

enter image description here

Here the inner parts are a bit stretched (due to the deform modifier). You can refine that or use another approach (again it is to do it quick here).

The result of the modifiers is a mesh, and we need a curve.

So use AltC to transform it to a curve (that will apply all the modifiers and convert to curve).

enter image description here

Now, add a curve ShiftA then curve and bezier and set the previous object as its bevel object.

enter image description here

What you obtain at this step is probably to large. So scale down the bevel object and/or stretch the cable curve (in edit mode for this last, it will be better).

enter image description here

Now, enter edit mode for the cable curve, select one of the extremities and hit CtrlT to twist and move the mouse around :

enter image description here

The cable is deformed. It is because the origin point of the slice/circle is not at its center. So select it and transform its origin to its geometry :

enter image description here

Refine the result by changing the cable/curve resolution :

enter image description here

And so you obtain a bendable cable.

enter image description here

Note :

If you want to insert some additional control points to the cable, you will notice that the twist/tilt is not divided equally... unexpected behavior (for me)... so if this is needed, remove the twist/tilt and do the twist again ;) using proportional editing.

Community
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lemon
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  • I appreciate this so much, Sorry for the late reply had a Family emergency to tend to this is definitely what I wanted to do and will add that extra touch of realism to my Tank. – Stand Sure Feb 13 '17 at 12:38