Cut Beam System with Void?

[ctc]

Is it possible to cut a beam system with an in-place void family?

In my project the beam system represents the roof joists in a trellis which cantilever beyond the supporting beam below. I would like to cut the same decorative profile in the end of each roof joist...just like real life. But after creating the void, and selecting it with the cut tool, I am unable to select the beam system.

Please advise.

[dbaldacchino]

Nope, you have to find another way to model your situation. Beams cannot be cut by voids in the project environment. You'd have to build in a void within the beam family.

[Scott D Davis]

Nope, you have to find another way to model your situation. Beams cannot be cut by voids in the project environment. You'd have to build in a void within the beam family.

Ah....but this changed in 2008...you CAN cut holes in beams! Use the Opening tool on the Modeling tab of the Design Bar. Pick the plane by hovering over the beam and then select the appropriate workplane that highlights. Now Sketch your opening (Can be any shape, can cut through the flange, can trim the end of the beam, etc.) then finish your sketch!

In a Beam system, you will ned to use the Opening tool on each individual beam. It wont automatically cut every beam in the system.

[dbaldacchino]

Ahh you're right Scott! Depending on what kind of detail you're talking about adding/cutting out of your beam, this tool (Opening by face) might do the trick for ya.

[Mike Sealander]

I think I read this post in 2008, and completely forgot about it. I'm working on a small residential project, and the issue of modeling birdsmouths came up. This solves the problem, with limitations. You can make an Opening to model a birdsmouth cut at the end of a beam, and then copy or array that beam around. However, the Opening sketch is not dynamic in the sense that every beam now has its own standalone Opening sketch.

[dbaldacchino]

Not if you group the framing member and the opening ;) Now you just edit the group, change the sketch and every other group instance should update.

[Mike Sealander]

That's right David. I'm just kicking myself for all the labor-intensive beam-end shenanigans I've been doing for the last three years.

[The Monk]

I've created beam type with an adjustable void object for some of our woody goody type projects. Both the beam solid member and the void have adjustable parameters.

However, I've used the tool Scott explained. All works very well.