ZBrushCentral

cutting a hole with hcylinder

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

hi,

I’m having trouble working out how to cut a ‘tunnel’ through a mesh using inset hcylinder. I understand to create new polygroups using mask/ctrl-w where I want the mouths of the cylinder to be, but I cant get the mesh to join correctly at both ends. I’m deleting the closed face of the hcylinder to provide two open ends, but that seems to break the insert mesh command as ctrl-drag wont work afterwards. If I leave the end cap the hole doesn’t form properly. ??

I can’t find much on the hcylinder anywhere…

thanks

J

#2

You were almost there. When you draw your mask, it has to go through to the other side of the mesh before you ‘Group Masked’.

The cylinder you are inserting has to be opened on both ends (doesn’t have to be InsertHCylinder. You can make your own). You have to hold down ‘Alt’ key as you insert the cylinder for a negative insert.

Both ends of the insert should be just inside the mesh that you want the hole in. You can try with the insert ends sticking outside of the mesh just so you have an idea as to what happens.

new-2.jpg

#3

thanks zber, but I’m still not quite getting it -

I’m making two masks - one on either side of the mesh where I want the hole to be;
ctrl-w to turn them into polygroups;
draw out a cylinder;
then (this is the bit I think is messing me up) shift/ctrl/alt to hide the ends of the cylinder;
delete hidden;
position inside (though I can’t really see what I’m doing as transparency doesn’t work (with it all being one subtool I imagine))
ctrl-click\drag,ctrl-click\drag… but nothing happens…

there’s just something I’m missing I know…

#4

Make the open ended cylinder first then make it an IM brush (Brush>Create InsertMesh) then use that as the insert.

edit: make sure you are holding down ‘Alt’ key as you insert the cylinder.

#5

ah right, I did think about making my own IM brush, but wanted to find out the ‘proper’ way instead of skirting round my lack of knowledge. Turns out it is the right way :slight_smile:

I’ll try this out later, thanks zber

#6

hey zber - I tried the technique you described and it worked first time no messing. :slight_smile:

so it was just that deleting the end cap that was throwing me off - surprised there’s not a ‘tunnel’ IM brush already by default…

cheers

#7

:+1:small_orange_diamond:)