drill a hole

[MrMajorThorburn]

Is there any way to drill a hole in an object?
The model I want to make is technical rather than artistic.
I would like to be able to cut out parts of the 3d object using a hard line sculpting tool like a drill or wood caving knife.
Is there any way I can do that?

[Simon]

There are a few options for this, but none are particuarly precise in 3.0 They are more for blocking out organic shapes.

The main options are:
Cut From Parent
Voxel Subtract
Mirror

And you can also carefully remove bits of the surface, and stitch in neat hole shaped cylinders for a more technical look.

There's more planned in 4.0 for precise looking holes.

[MrMajorThorburn]

Ok, thanks for those methods.
I am trying subtract from parent and wanted to know how I determine which part is the parent?
I have a sphere and a cylinder (small diameter longer length) which I have placed into the centre so all views show the cylinder is going through the sphere.
I pressed k to do the mesh
If the sphere is the parent and I want to do a subtract from parent which one do I select and when do I use the mesh, subtract from parent?

[Simon]

Drag the cylinder onto the sphere. This makes the Sphere the parent, and the Cylinder the Child.

Then with cylinder selected use "Mesh/Cut from Parent"



If they are aligned nicely the cut should be neater than this example.

[MrMajorThorburn]

I am sorry or the delay in responding.
I tried what you stated and it did not work or me.
Did you press k to set to mesh mode or not?
I tried both ways and no joy for me.

I am sorry to ask but could you give me a step by step guide.

From new empty to a sphere with a cylindrical hole through it.

[Simon]

You don't need to convert to mesh, it happens automatically.

Only thing I can add to the steps above it to make sure that drag and parent happens OK in the groups panel. You should see a "-" by the Sphere, and moving the sphere should move both objects now. Then with the cylinder selected use "Cut from Parent"

[MrMajorThorburn]

OK, there was no - next to the sphere in the groups list.
Moving the cylinder over and to the right of the sphere made the minus appear.
I did try object group after using Ctrl and select each object but that did not seem to do the same. I did expect it to.

The hole crafted into the sphere is as round as yours.
Can I smooth the edges somehow?

[Simon]

If you show the wireframes, you can adjust the radius of the cylinder a bit so it cuts through the middle of the triangles, rather than skirting close to the vertices. Then the cut will be more even.

The groups window, and the process of selecting and cutting objects is up for a overhaul in 4.0, to make everything clear and simple - so I appreciate your perseverance with 3.0!