Home » Knowledge Base » Knowledge Base Article What's New  |  Site Map 

 

 
   
   
 
 


Today's
Sponsors:


Schmalz, Inc.

Schultz Forming Products

Scientific Dust Collectors

SCM Group USA, Inc.

SCM Group

SCM

SDN Contracting

Seagrave Coatings Corporation

Sears Trostel Lumber Co.

Shade Dri

Shomaker Lumber Company

ShopBot

SII Dry Kilns

Silvaris

Simantech

SIS Machinery

Nebraska Tool

NEMI

New England Kiln Drying Association

Newman Whitney

Norment and Lambert

North Pacific Lumber

Northtech Machinery

NPO BARS

Nydree Flooring

Nyle Dry Kiln Systems

O'Shea Lumber Company

Old Mississippi Brick and Heart Pine Company

OMGA, Inc.

Omnitech Systems

Onsrud Cutter

Opti-Sand

Original Saw Company

Osolnik Machinery & Supplies

Patton Cabinet Doors

Paul Saws and Systems

People Logic Software Corp.

Pinske Edge

Pioneer Lumber Company

Planit Solutions Inc.

plastiMACH

Plogic Solutions Ltd.

Pond Cove Paint

Porter-Cable

Precision Drive Systems

Precision Saw Sharpeners

Premium Specialty Hardwoods

Pricecutter.com

Prime Estimating and Software Services, LLC

Pro.Woodworker.com

Pro100

Professional Hardware & Supply Co.

Quality VAKuum Products, Inc.

Quick Machinery Company

Quickscrews International Corporation

QuickScribe

QuickWood

QuikDrawers

Quis Machinery

R&R Drummond, Inc.

R.A.W.

R.D. Billhofer Company

Rangate

Rawles-Aden Lumber Corp.

RazorGage

Reliance Building Products

Restoration Specialists

Rex Lumber Company

Riethmiller Lumber

Ritter Manufacturing Inc.

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

Roger Shaw and Associates

Rose Machinery

Routech

Royce Ayr Cutting Tools

RT Machine Co.

Safety Speed Cut

Sand-Rite Manufacturing

Sandman Products

Saw Trax Mfg.

Sawmill and Woodlot Magazine



WOODWEB DISCLAIMS any and all RESPONSIBILITY and LIABILITY for the accuracy and application of the information below. Readers agree to evaluate the significance and limitations of the information provided, and accept full responsibility for the application of this information. Read More ...

Would you like to add information to this article?
Interested in writing or submitting an article?
Have a question about this article?



Snapping Tangent Lines to an Arc       Tips and tricks for making lines snap to curves (or vice versa). May 16, 2005

Question
I need to draw shapes for our metalworker which look like ellipses but are made from arcs. When I try to snap to a tangent on an arc, I do not get the apex, but a point further down the arc. Is there a way to get AutoCAD 2000i to snap to the outermost tangent of an arc?


Click here for full size image

Forum Responses
(CAD Forum)
From contributor C:
That's an odd one. Hard to see what's really happening from the graphic. Is that a straight line you are snapping, or a long arc?



From the original questioner:
It is an arc which I am trying to snap.


From contributor D:
I know this problem well. You really need to attack it from a different direction. You have your circle there already and you want the line tangent to it, coming from another object. Many times, the ACAD tangent osnap will fail to give you the results you want.

You will need to pull out the entities you want, determine the distances you will need, and then start with the line first. Then add the circles, snap the line to the quadrant, while the line is parallel to the x or the y-axis, then mirror the line over the center points, trim and then rotate it back to the position it needs to be at.



From contributor V:
The 100% working solution is to draw a circle instead of arc and then trim the circle. Usually I would mirror the circle you want to get the tangent to, to have two circles and a point for the arc, then do the circle (3P) option (tangent to circle, point, tangent to mirrored circle), then trim resulting circle.


From contributor T:
This is what I do in Fcad, but I'm sure that there should be an equivalent (in terms) for Acad. I explode the arc into its segments, then attach to the end of the segment that you want to attach to. When done, use the connect command or equivalent to make the arc a one piece spline again.


From contributor A:
I agree with contributor V. Often I need to use ellipses instead of arcs, in which case, type in "pellipse," change the setting to 1, draw your ellipses, explode them, convert them back into a polyline, then draw your tangent lines (either a straight line or an arc), then trim off the un-needed sections.


From contributor M:
If the arc's radius is known, by all means create a circle first and then trim. After invoking the circle command, type TTR (tan, tan, radius) on the command line. Select both entities you're trying to be tangent to and then enter the radius.
Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below?
  • KnowledgeBase: Knowledge Base

  • KnowledgeBase: Computerization

  • KnowledgeBase: Computerization: CAD Computer Related Design




    Would you like to add information to this article? ... Click Here

    If you have a question regarding a Knowledge Base article, your best chance at uncovering an answer is to search the entire Knowledge Base for related articles or to post your question at the appropriate WOODWEB Forum. Before posting your message, be sure to
    review our Forum Guidelines.

    Questions entered in the Knowledge Base Article comment form will not generate responses! A list of WOODWEB Forums can be found at WOODWEB's Site Map.

    When you post your question at the Forum, be sure to include references to the Knowledge Base article that inspired your question. The more information you provide with your question, the better your chances are of receiving responses.

    Return to beginning of article.



    Refer a Friend || Read This Important Information || Site Map || Privacy Policy

    Letters, questions or comments? E-Mail us and let us know what you think. Be sure to review our Frequently Asked Questions page.

    Contact us to discuss advertising or to report problems with this site.

    To report a problem, send an e-mail to our Webmaster

    Copyright © 1996-2008 - WOODWEB ® Inc.
    All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without permission of the Editor.
    Review WOODWEB's Copyright Policy.

    The editors, writers, and staff at WOODWEB try to promote safe practices. What is safe for one woodworker under certain conditions may not be safe for others in different circumstances. Readers should undertake the use of materials and methods discussed at WOODWEB after considerate evaluation, and at their own risk.

    WOODWEB, Inc.
    RR4 Box 265A
    Montrose, PA 18801

    Contact WOODWEB