# Progressive Spiral with Rhino XX feasible?

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548>\
**Category:** Rhino for Windows\
**Created:** [April 3, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548 "2015-04-03T14:55:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/1 "2015-04-03T14:55:05Z")

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Hello folks,  
is it feasible with any version of Rhino3D, to create a progressive SPIRAL ?

- The idea is to form a PIPE with progressive diameter along it’s path.  
See reference “Türme von Silber”… [http://fs2.directupload.net/images/150330/27fp8wb7.jpg](http://fs2.directupload.net/images/150330/27fp8wb7.jpg)

THx & kind rgds,  
franz

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**Author:** ![pascal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/pascal/32/479395_2.png) [@pascal](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/pascal)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/2 "2015-04-03T15:06:41Z")

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Hi Franz- the Pipe command will allow variable radii, I am not sure from your image where the spiral comes into it.

-Pascal

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**Author:** ![jeff\_hammond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/jeff_hammond/32/768846_2.png) [@jeff\_hammond](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/jeff_hammond)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/3 "2015-04-03T15:18:16Z")

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from the image, it looks like the pipe diameter stays the same and it’s the spiral’s diameter that’s changing?

if so, try drawing the centerline curve of that thing then use `_Spiral` -\> Around Curve.

set the first point and radius… then the second point and radius can be larger/smaller than the first.

* * *

EDIT-  
as in, i’m reading the picture as a variable spiral around a curve… which is then pipe\_d  
?

![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18328/7021836ee106ca90.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/4 "2015-04-03T15:26:39Z")

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> [@pascal](#):
>
> Pascal

Hi Pascal… that was damn speedy … :-))

> [@pascal](#):
>
> I am not sure from your image where the spiral comes into it.

Well.  
What You see there, is a “Manmade Tornado”- chimney, in a tropical lagoon.  
According to my Patent  
[DE102013007836B3\_1(1).pdf - directupload.net](http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3942/b63n3syi_pdf.htm)

- Sry, not translated yet.

Anyway. The updraft of that “Tornado-Spiral” depens on th volume of the Torus’ it’s formed of.  
In oder to withstands crosswinds at higher altitudes, a greater updraft is deireable there… hope I somehow could bring this across.

kind rgds,  
franz

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**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/5 "2015-04-03T15:34:49Z")

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Oops… THAT IS IT !

- The Spiral is progressive in your pic… the pipe’s diameter around it ist not… yet.

But that’s no big deal, even my one & only (so far) RHINO1.0 can do that, means to allow for a bigger diameter of the pipe further up the spral.

What version of RHINO did you use ?

thx and kinf rgds.  
franz

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**Author:** ![jeff\_hammond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/jeff_hammond/32/768846_2.png) [@jeff\_hammond](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/jeff_hammond)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 3:48pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/6 "2015-04-03T15:48:13Z")

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i use rhino for mac but this can be done in all rhinos

• draw the centerline curve of the tornado  
• use the `Spiral` command  
• choose the command line option ‘Around Curve’  
• select the centerline curve as the curve  
• click on the bottom end of the curve then set the radius/diameter for that portion  
• click on the top end of the curve then set the radius/diameter there.

options are also available within the command to set the number of turns and direction of spiral.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/7 "2015-04-03T16:38:13Z")

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draw the centerline curve of the tornado  
• use the Spiral command  
• choose the command line option ‘Around Curve’  
• select the centerline curve as the curve  
• click on the bottom end of the curve then set the radius/diameter for that portion  
• click on the top end of the curve then set the radius/diameter there.

All the above done… but that’s the result:

> **[Schaut euch mal dieses Bild an!](http://www.directupload.net/file/d/3946/kgigx9lk_jpg.htm)**
>
> Spiral\_ meltdown.jpg

I call it “Spiral meltdown.”

What I need, is a **progressive** Spiral, that allows for a bigger **diameter of the pipe** in it’s “upper” part, without “melting” it into the “torus”, that’s below it.

ergs,  
franz

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**Author:** ![jeff\_hammond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/jeff_hammond/32/768846_2.png) [@jeff\_hammond](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/jeff_hammond)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 4:47pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/8 "2015-04-03T16:47:33Z")

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> [@phranz](#):
>
> What I need, is a progressive Spiral, that allows for a bigger diameter of the pipe in it’s “upper” part, without “melting” it into the “torus”, that’s below it.

that’s a matter of choosing the right pipe diameter on each end of the spiral… in your picture, it looks like the starting diameter is too small and the end diameter is too large…  
i can’t think of a super simple way to accomplish it right now but i’ll think about it some…  
@anybodyElse – maybe someone else has already thought about it?

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**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/9 "2015-04-03T17:05:09Z")

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> [@jeff\_hammond](#):
>
> it looks like the starting diameter is too small and the end diameter is too large..

Well.. YES.  
Or the other way round:  
The starting diameter is quite right.. meaning that..  
the “pipe”, which is in real life supposed to be a torus, sheetmetal wrapped around that Spiral. curve..which makes it a “balloon”, that’s filled with Hydrogen.. is an “integer body”.

- While further up, this body is not integer anymore, but “interferes” with the body below.  
Soap-bubbles can do that in real life, but no sheetmetal-pipes.

rgds,  
franz

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**Author:** ![jeff\_hammond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/jeff_hammond/32/768846_2.png) [@jeff\_hammond](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/jeff_hammond)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/10 "2015-04-03T17:08:31Z")

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> [@phranz](#):
>
> Well… YES.  
> Or the other way round:  
> The starting diameter is quite right

yeah, that’s possible too in which case the spiral is spiraling at the wrong pitch…  
either way, there’s a bit of a complex maths thing going on in order to get the variable spiral pitch&turns to coincide with the variable pipe diameter.

it’s possible there’s a little trick to getting all these things to line up properly but i haven’t had the ah\_ha moment yet.

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**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/11 "2015-04-03T17:11:53Z")

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> [@jeff\_hammond](#):
>
> but i haven’t had the ah\_ha moment yet.

Take your time.. :-)))

blessings,  
franz

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**Author:** ![vittorio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/vittorio/32/521564_2.png) [@vittorio](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/vittorio)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/12 "2015-04-03T18:01:49Z")

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Is that what you want?  
Vittorio

![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18342/646de6befab408e4.jpg)

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**Author:** ![jeff\_hammond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/jeff_hammond/32/768846_2.png) [@jeff\_hammond](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/jeff_hammond)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 5:47am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/13 "2015-04-04T05:47:05Z")

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> [@vittorio](#):
>
> Is that what you want?

i think so except there would be no spaces (or overlaps) in between the pipe revolutions  
?

yours looks like it’s on the right track though… or the spacing looks mostly consistent… how did you do that?

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**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2015, 6:57am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/14 "2015-04-04T06:57:48Z")

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Good Morning\*\*\* Vittorio 🙂 \*\*\*CET.

And YESSIR, that’s exactly what I want !!

Now HOW did You do that, and what Version of RHINO ??

Ciao bello,  
franz

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**Author:** ![vittorio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/vittorio/32/521564_2.png) [@vittorio](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/vittorio)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 8:47am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/15 "2015-04-06T08:47:21Z")

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The Video shows like make a spiral with variable pitch. The second image shows like make a pipe with sweep1.  
I use Rhino V5  
Ciao Vittorio

  
 ![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18413/d33b47cc36021bbf.jpg) ![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18414/a7ee1adf91738ac1.jpg)\<img

If i use pipe the result is the picture below  
 ![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18415/7b61ddbf48c30587.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Helvetosaur](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/helvetosaur/32/635974_2.png) [@Helvetosaur](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Helvetosaur)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 9:31am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/16 "2015-04-06T09:31:32Z")

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Brilliant! Thanks Vittorio! --Mitch

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**Author:** ![phranz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9de053/32.png) [@phranz](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/phranz)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 1:53pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/17 "2015-04-06T13:53:28Z")

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Hello Vittorio 😄  
Thank you very much for Your eplanation, and also for the magnificent manner in which You visualised it.

kind regards… Ciao…  
franz

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**Author:** ![jeff\_hammond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/jeff_hammond/32/768846_2.png) [@jeff\_hammond](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/jeff_hammond)\
**Post date:** [April 6, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/18 "2015-04-06T17:40:02Z")

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if the spiral doesn’t vary in pitch, i suppose an easy way to do it would be like the following.

spiral:  
 ![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18427/1d37fd40f2085bf3.png)

* * *

draw a line from the endpoints of the spiral to the perpendicular point of the next rotation:

![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18428/e9459a9ccad30383.png)

* * *

using `_Pipe`, set the centerpoint on the ends of the pipe and the radius at the midpoint of the lines drawn in the last step:

![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18430/183b7b98eb759dfe.png)

* * *

![](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/18431/8b9d898220da574f.png)

* * *

(not completely sure this will always work out properly… just an idea that popped into the head without further thought/testing)

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**Author:** ![ohlers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/ohlers/32/528956_2.png) [@ohlers](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/ohlers)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/19 "2015-08-02T05:37:57Z")

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Hi Vittorio  
What commands did you use to make the spiral with variable pitch, as you show in the video ?  
I would like to spiral around this surface.

Thanks

Hans Henrik

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**Author:** ![ohlers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/ohlers/32/528956_2.png) [@ohlers](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/ohlers)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2015, 5:55am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/progressive-spiral-with-rhino-xx-feasible/18548/20 "2015-08-02T05:55:41Z")

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I think I found the command: InterpCrvOnSrf

But I couldnt pull the curve around, outside the surface, as you do in the video - I had to rotate the view, while pulling the curve. Thank god I have a 3Dconnexion mouse !! 😄

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