This has my noobie skills completely overwhelmed. I’ve watched some of Kyle’s stuff and it certainly helps - but more to the effect of making me realize how very much more I must learn!
Perhaps this object’s form is no particular challenge to the masters, but it’s got me down!
Back.3dm.zip (2.5 MB)
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Hello,
If I was to tackle this without use of a plugin like TSplines I would begin by blocking out the model then add, subtract control points where required to push and pull the base surfaces around then combine them together using blends. The challenging surface looks like the top / front one to get that bump out just right.
And if I were to do this without T-Splines, I’d take an 8-week course to master ZBrush so that I could easily approach this from a hard-surface sculpting angle. 
But short of that, I’ve rebooted my rMBP from Windows to OS X to see how far cage editing takes me before ol’ sandman drops his sack on me for the night…
Two curves to very roughly approximate the stovetop headboard. Command-J to create a closed curve.
Solid > Extrude Planar Curve > Straight
Solid > Filet Edge to soften the form. Could stand to increase the filet radius more.
Transform > Cage Editing > Create Cage to mark off a cage surrounding the previous extrusion.
XYZ Point Counts of 40, 10, 30 respectively. Use denser or sparser point counts as you like. All those points won’t show up just yet.
Transform > Cage Editing > Cage Edit will ask to Select captive objects… the filleted extrusion. Select control object is the cue to click the previously created cage. Cage and polygon object are now intertwined and all the point counts show up. Select using a variety of methods; marquee select, shift-select, etc and use the gumball manipulator or nearly anything under the Transform menu.
Upper bowed section had a Transform > Bend with symmetry applied. Lower dimple was my FIRST TIME playing with the Transform > Soft Move function. Getting it to work the way I wanted involved judiciously selecting the starting point along with assist from the Ortho and Planar toggles. I suppose if there was even more complexity, I’d attempt to see if Transform > Orient > On Surface would get certain selected points to align with pre-made sweeps. Edit > Control Points Off turns off the cage.
Another view
For the two boomerangs inside the dimple, I’d probably try cutting the surface with the shapes and use a much more local targeted Cage Edit in only that region… then maybe heal it with a surface blend… or… mayb…
I think polygonal modeling is more appropriate for this kind of shapes, anyway i made a try , not perfect, but may be you can find some ideas .
Back.3dm (996.5 KB)
Thanks for the help folks. There is no Tspline plugin for the Mac version so I’m sol there. I’ve been noodling around with cage editing but it’s never quite there for me. More practice -practice -practice…
Cyver, your production looks very good. I think you used a blend for the top and underside of the bowed extrusion? Match surface? Theres’ also a slight curve on the top that is making things even more of a challange.
For top i used blend Surface , for underside, i used Loft with option “Match start/end as tangent” , work better in this case.
For the top curve , you can try to deform with cage, or redraw construction curves as needed.
Hi James - it’s hard to see the exact shape of the upper sticking-out surface but in general, I think I’d go after this with the good old approach of looking for ‘primary’ and ‘transition’ surfaces in the object and build accordingly - in my file, I used tangent fillets, which is not quite as soft looking, to save time, but the idea is about the same if you use swoopier transitions… The fiddly part is where the fillets converge - I added two non-fillet surfaces there (blue) and note the flat ‘underside’ surface is almost completely consumed but the fillets in my test (red surface) - looks like I over did that, there should be a little more ‘flat’ left there.
JK_Transition.3dm (221.2 KB)
Another bit of fiddling… JK_Transition_PG_2.3dm (240.1 KB)
-Pascal
Here another way with:
Drawn patch curves over the top image and moved control points to z-direction
Sweep2 with option maintain height and adjusted slahses
Patch
BlendSrf between patch and sweep2 with adjusted bulb and controls
back.3dm (266.2 KB)
Thanks very much folks for you help. 
I hadn’t noticed any responses until I logged in.
I’ve been taking some 2nd level tutorials (I actually let go of some money) and I’ve a head full of new techniques that make me want to take a nap as much as proceed.
I think this stove would make for a good learning process!
Hi all,
Not pure Rhino, but adding the very reasonably priced 3D-Coat (under $US400) to my kit has totally changed my workflow when it comes to tackling projects like this.
I recommend checking it out.
