Modeling light bulb

In this modeling tutorial you will be shown how to model a light bulb. This is english version of my tutorial, if you run on the video of my croatian version, its cool.

Introduction

So like I said, in this tutorial you will learn how to model a light bulb in Rhino. The first “glass” part will be just a bit tricky because we need to control the curves little bit more than usual. After that we will make bulb screw threads, where the method is similar if not the same as the one explained on Rhino tips website. If only I known for it when I made this tutorial heh. Anyway, this one is pretty easy, but needs some special attention in some parts.

If you like, you can download source 3dm files step by step just to keep on the track.

This is what you will have in the end:

STEP 1

First we will start from top to bottom. So we’re making the lighting spiral. Start with creating Circle from top view of radius 5cm. And create two small circles of radius 1cm. You can use Snap to make them really easy:

Next, we need a Spiral. Using Spiral command make one starting from origin. Once you start the Spiral command just input 0 (zero) and press enter, now from Front viewport make it high 5cm. And for the radius use your already made circle that is 5cm in radius. Move that spiral 3cm up from front viewport and you should get something like on the image 2 and image 3.

Now we need a little help line. You can make one starting from center of the right smaller circle. It should be straight vertical line, so you can finish it either from front or right viewport:

Now, using BlendCrv blend the lower end of spiral to the little help line with G1 continuity on both sides:

Using Copy command, copy the spiral and blended curve. While in the Copy command in the command line click on InPlace option. Or simply use Copy & Paste commands (ctrl+c, ctrl+v). While having selected two copied curves, Rotate them from top viewport by 180 degrees. Check if you have something like on the image 6:

Now, with create a Point from right viewport (or front would work fine too) exactly 9cm from origin:

Now, start Extend command, and press enter for dynamic extend. Enable OSnap and check Point option, and click on each upper end of spiral and extend it to the point.

Now the endings of two spirals are not tangent. So with Match command we will match those two curves. Make sure both ends are set to Tangency and Average Curves is checked:

Now select all 4 parts of 2 spirals and join them together. Now, using Pipe command we will make a surface out of this curve. For the starting and ending radius you can use two small circles as reference. Near OSnap option is a good way for this. Ofcourse, you could use sweep1 or even sweep2 commands.

Now the big circle will be used to create the body of our bulb. Select it and run ExtrudeCrv command. Make sure the Cap is set to Yes and BothSides to No. We will extrude it down by 8cm, so you can either use snap and count for yourself, or simply input in the command line -8 and press enter.

Using FilletEdge command fillet the upper edge of the cilinder by 0.5cm.

Using one of two smaller circles offset one by 0.3cm. And move it up vertically by 0.6cm.

Using Rib command and the body of the bulb create a surface like on the image 14. Rib distance is 0.2:

Now for the ribs, we can make them look even prettier by filleting edges. So with FilletEdge command fillet those three edges for each rib with 0.05cm as radius:

Now lets get back to the lower part of the bulb body. Like we filleted upper edge, we will chamfer the lower one with ChamferEdge command using 2cm as CurrentChamferDistance option.

Now, we will FilletEdge the middle edge with 0.5cm as fillet radius.

Using ExtractSrf command we will extract the bottom cap surface:

When you extract this surface, you can delete it. And using the edge where this surface was extrude it by 1cm down. So just input in command line when extruding -0.5. Make sure the Cap option is set to No.

Now, you can create PlanarSrf to “cap” it on one side: (you could also join all the upper surfaces of this bulb body and simply use Cap command to close it)

Lets do some details on the body. From front viewport create one line and offset it down by 0.3cm… Like on the image 21

With Trim command trim the body surface between two lines:

Using Offset command, offset the two edges inwards by 0.2cm. The easiest way is to first have everything deselected and run the command offset, then click on one edge from perspective view, and then from top viewport simply move your mouse pointer inside the cilinder and in command line type in 0.2 and press enter. Do the same for the other edge and you are set to go.

Then, using Loft command click on the lower edge first, then two offset circles inside, and then the upper edge, and with style set to Straight sections create loft:

Now, join those surface, and make it prettier with FilletEdge using 0.05cm as radius.

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