Boolean Dos & Donts and Fixing Issues

[@luketfer]

Hey, great to see this! I know it wasn't the most exciting thing to do but this helps a ton in what to look for and is probably (if I'm honest) the only guide I've seen of this *specifically* for 3D printing.

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Thanks a lot. Yeah I never found much when I was learning so it felt important to cover

[@Syrax21]

This video has come at the perfect time! Thank you for this great content!

[@ArtisansofVaul]

No problem. Glad it's well timed 😁👍🏻

[@richardokeeffe8375]

I wish all file makers (for sale) followed your integrity and professionalism

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Yeah it's odd. It just isn't that much work to know your file is "good" for print.

[@jaymassey7931]

This made so many things clear for me. thank you

[@ArtisansofVaul]

That's great to hear 😁😁

[@utekk]

Thx man. Always valiable info

[@ArtisansofVaul]

No problem. 👍🏻

[@gregq8]

Thanks, union boolean capriciousness is the #1 reason I'm lazy with my meshes and just leave subelements floating in each other. I try to be clean, and most unions work with little issue, but sometimes you get that one where you feel like you are tilting at windmills and go "Ok, PrusaSlicer, you can deal with this one".

[@ArtisansofVaul]

😅 Yeah it can feel like that. I would say you get used to fixing it but if it's just for you and you know your slicer can manage it go for it. But it can lead to other issues especially if you want other booleans.

[@hugoshobbies1688]

Thanks for showing and explaining. Coming from SketchUP, just as you did some time back, my workflow has not yet fully adapted to blender. Long story short: Is there a way to intersect geometry in edit mode? For example if I extrude a surface of an object through another surface of the same object. Is there a simple way to create edges and vertices where the intersected faces meet?

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Not directly in Blender unfortunately but if you havent seen it this Add On does it pretty nicely and adds a lot for Sketchup style tools that will: kzbin.info/www/bejne/anXNo5uga5meiZo

[@Arjjacks]

Interesting stuff. You actually don't need HardOps to do destructive booleans in one go, though. It's built into the bool tool already, you just use ctrl-shift-numpad operator to apply it in one go, as opposed to ctrl-numpad whatever for the procedural "brush boolean".

[@ArtisansofVaul]

That's awesome! I didn't know that at all. If you don't mind I'm going to put that in a video as it's such a time saver. Really appreciate the info, thanks so much! 😁👍🏻

[@Arjjacks]

@@ArtisansofVaul No worries, glad to be of help :)

[@hupchik]

as i said before, great tips for modeling in general as well!!

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Thanks so much.

[@jimmyzimms]

I would counter that more likely the model, especially for wargaming in small scales, was purposely unmerged to enable further remixing by community designers. Pretty much all the CC-NA-SA-NC stuff out there is specifically released that way (see Galactic Crusaders or Mkhand vehicles). But absolutely, if you're selling a complete closed for modification STL, do a final boolean and clean up.

[@ArtisansofVaul]

If that's true just put the Blend file in the Zip folder.

[@jimmyzimms]

@@ArtisansofVaul oh my friend that's too scary for most people. Ha. You wouldn't believe the numbers of requests we guys get (I can't use this tool so can I get it in this other tool?) But yeah I've started publishing stuff more in blender based builders for exactly that reason. (Or I'll release a finalized version and an unmerged version for people to tinker with)

[@ArtisansofVaul]

@@jimmyzimms Oh I totally agree on people not knowing how to handle software (hence the channel) but it is much easier to get a file in Blender with all the components seperate than some STL joined together mess. Maybe push any initiated my way 😉😅

[@jimmyzimms]

@@ArtisansofVaul it's about time you started popping onto the 3d epic printing group more often to announce your new videos as they come out!

[@ArtisansofVaul]

@@jimmyzimms I think I've posted on occasions. I just don't want to be "that guy" that's spamming his own content 😉

[@radiumminis]

I am surprised you are using so many Booleans to join objects. Did you know there is a third way beyond join vs booleans? The third way is great because it allows you to sculpt all the separate parts of your model like the join method without includeing interior geometry, but doesn't have as many facing or mesh issues of the boolean method. (IMO) The best tool in blender for joining separate objects is the remesh modifier!!! Say your buildings a sword! so you do a low poly building of the hands, the hilt, and the sword. Once you have added all the details to the separate objects, you then join them all together (ctrl J). Now that they are joined if you apply the remesh modifier it will fuse them into one seamless shell that is great for 3d printing. You may want to use adaptivity (in remesh modifier) or the decimate modifier to lower your face count afterwards and keep the file size light. Personally I only use the boolean tool to make cuts or intersections. *all advice given here is completely geared toward the printing end of 3d design, and is probably considered sacrilegious to video game 3d designers :D

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Oh I know, and I do like the remesh modifier but I would say in these examples it isn't the best available valid option. It deforms the objects slightly which can impact shape and more importantly it will add a lot more geometry where it isn't needed. If its working for you definitely keep using it but for objects like these I would stick to the booleans.

[@radiumminis]

Extra geometry is completely optional :) Between remeshes adaptivity and the decimate tool you can keep all the details you like and have a low face count. Useing remesh also allows you more freedom in adjusting your model. Since your joining and remeshing all the elements of your character, vehicles or terrain piece at the end your design process you get to keep all the elements separate for longer. So it is easier to iterate and remix your objects elements as you go. Fixing bool errors is sooooo boring and time consuming :D Just skip it, or at least let people know that they can.

[@ArtisansofVaul]

@@radiumminis I'll have a look into it some more then. Maybe I need to give it more of a go.

[@radiumminis]

@@ArtisansofVaul It's not the tool for every job, but I can't go back to regular booling things so I hope it fairs you well. Send me a message if you have any questions, Always happy to chat blendering. Love the channel, keep it up :)

[@ArtisansofVaul]

@@radiumminis Will do and thanks!

[@KarsonVierstra]

how do i start up the bool tool?

[@ArtisansofVaul]

Go to edit, preferences then the addon tab. Type in bool on the search bool towards the top of the tab and you should see it to tick box. In the bottom left corner click the button and select save preferences

[@KarsonVierstra]

Thanks! You just got a subscriber!

[@ArtisansofVaul]

@KarsonVierstra 😁 Cheers man 👍🏻