Tutorial - Log Cabin | TheRevitKid.com! - Tutorials, Tips, Products, and Information on all things Revit / BIM

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Tutorial - Log Cabin

I received an interesting email from Joe at Noblesville Schools:

Love the web site!!!!! I have a student who wants to design a log home. How
can he get the log effect ..

Thanks,

Joe

First, thanks for all the explanation points Joe. I have never thought about a log cabin in Revit before and took a stab at it. The video is not going to be last stab at it but it might give someone inspiration to truly figure this one out.

Click here to see the video.

Comments (15)

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apno · 803 weeks ago

You can do that with much less effort in ADT/AutoCAD Architecture and of course with the ability to add windows, schedules and tags! Are these the limits of Revit? I always find it impossible to model things in Revit in an easy way. Revit does not let you do some things (although everybody pretends it is a 3D software...). Parameters, nine times out of ten, do not work and you haven't got a clue to find out why… Even plain vanilla AutoCAD constraints and parameters work in a more efficient and intuitive way! Basic functions are intuitive in Revit (but isn't this the case with most software today?) however, more advanced features are difficult or even impossible to achieve. EX.: Revit gives you the possibility to model slanted walls but the windows always stay vertical in them… Revit gives you the possibility to model in place walls but... you do not seem to be able to do anything out of them… In other words, "Not vertical modeled in place" walls only accept "modeled in place windows and doors. I think this is prehistory of cad!

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TheRevitKid 72p · 803 weeks ago

Please... show me your ADT example of this... I would love to see it.

I would like to comment on your examples: "EX.: Revit gives you the possibility to model slanted walls but the windows always stay vertical in them… Revit gives you the possibility to model in place walls but... you do not seem to be able to do anything out of them… In other words, "Not vertical modeled in place" walls only accept "modeled in place windows and doors. I think this is prehistory of cad!"

Revit does not allow you to create slanted walls. What I did in the video was create a family that was categorized as a wall. Revit treats the actual walls much different than a "wall family". I could not place windows on it because the window is looking for a plane to host to (hence the rounded cylinder log does not have a plane). The "wall family" will act precisely the same as a wall when it comes to hosting (ie. you CAN add a door and window to it like you would using a wall created by the wall command).

Parameters, 10 times out of 10 WORK when you know what you are doing.

I have used ADT longer than I have used Revit (about 6 years now) and I have built many walls and windows with it. By now means is Revit prehistory of AutoCAD.

I am very sorry but your argument was not convincing at all and showed ignorance in each program. Thanks for the comment.

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apno · 802 weeks ago

Reply 1/2
Let's not lose the point here. You just failed to create the log wall. Either because you do not know how to do that in Revit either because Revit cannot do that, I do not know.
In your example you have to goals:
1. create a parametric element in this case a wall (you managed this one)
2. create a wall that is capable to react with windows and walls, that can be sectioned and produce correct construction documents. By the way this is the most important goal in my point of view and this is not achieved.

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apno · 802 weeks ago

Reply 2/2
As far as ADT/ACA is concerned:
method 01 (non parametric)
1. you can create any type of geometry of any complexity with voids and solids. In our case it can be the stack of the logs.
2. you can add this geometry as a "body modifier" to any wall (or even any individual wall component) This geometry as complex or as voided as it may be will always be cut by the windows. You can always adjust the body modifier to adjust it, if the wall changes.
method 02 semi-parametric
1. You create a profile definition that represents the logs (in section) and you apply it to a wall component as a wall sweep.
2. Then you create a body modifier representing the extensions of the log s and you add it to the same wall component.
So even if you cannot create a "fully parametric" log wall in ADT, you can go almost as far as you intended in you example, and you can produce correct CD out of your geometry.
I can end you images of the above

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TheRevitKid 72p · 802 weeks ago

First, the video represents my first and only attempt to do this. Without any previous attempts or figuring out. It is obviously not the solution and I am sure there is one out there.

I could have made a wall sweeps and they might clean up... But that is not what I was aiming for. I was aiming for something as close to a wall object (that would extend length and height correctly. As well as being able to add doors and windows that clean up well.

Please, send me pcitrues or video, or a file of your ADT model that will do exactly that.

Thnaks.

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apno · 801 weeks ago

I just sent you the two ways of doing the log wall in ADT/ACA. As I told you there are two methods I can think of: 1. non automatic (body modifier) 2. automatic (wall sweep, Revit can do that also). However, my point here is that the first method can be used to create very "geometricaly complex" walls based on custom, non rectagular, non vertical, geometry with the advantage over Revit that you do not have to create custom doors and windows for that type of wall. Architectural elements can react with any type of wall. This is not the case with Revit since custom non vertical or complex "modeled in-place" walls need "modeled in place" doors and windows...

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CORY411 · 797 weeks ago

WOW. APNO. LMAO...... Do you spend your time checking out websites to see if your smarter... If you can't figure out Revit then I must say, stop using these programs. Revit has become a 2d/3d software in which most Architectural Firms are using today. Revit has become the software of choice and it is actually getting 3Ds Max users to switch over. You of course would not know this as you can't even figure out it Parameters. Like RevitKid said, Parameters work 10 out of 10 if you know what you are doing, Or the developers wouldnt have put it in there.

For you to come on here and argue about a Log Cabin that you can do in ADT hahahah, LMAO... You stick to that program while the rest of us move on to bigger and better things.

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Cory411 · 797 weeks ago

I work for an Architectural firm in Edmonton, Canada and everything we create is with Revit except the rendering, I export that to another program. But I must say, if you know what you are doing, anything at anytime can be created. Its just foolish to see people state stupid thoughts of programs and how they run when Revit has been developed for the Architectural field. Revit has been out for years and just recently have they added new stuff to it, which has been thought out for years.

But what do I know, your a BIG BRAIN going on to REVITKID to watch tutorials when you already know all the answers.. STRANGE

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HillCountry · 791 weeks ago

TRK: Great way to teach by example, thanks . . . Hope you find time for more on this "Log Cabin" soon - super stuff. H.

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DesignGuy · 790 weeks ago

apno?

When I left ADT for Revit five years ago I had opinions like yours.

Now I see myself at that time just like the guy in days gone by holding on to his hammer telling all the other carpenters that he could out perform the new air powered nail guns any time any day....We all know what happened there. ADT is a remnant of the old guard like the hammer it still does the work but has been replace by something that out performs it hands down.

Spend the time to learn what is now "the tool" of the trade. I am not sure if anybody here really wants the ADT log wall.

We do however want to see more fine examples helping to solve and generate ideas to help solve problems in Revit...

thanks for that "Kid"

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TheRevitKid 72p · 790 weeks ago

I would like to add something more to this ongoing conversation.

I recently had a conversation with Phil Bernstein (search him if you don't know who he is) and he stated that ADT was and is a "bridge" program.... That is, to get from one to another (CAD to Revit?)...

Says it all...

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peks121 · 755 weeks ago

Apno, quit hating yo!!! Where's your website son??

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Revit Izza Joke · 755 weeks ago

Apno - I feel you bro. Revit sucks and is only for loser newbie architects whose ink ain't even dry on their diplomas yet. They think they are architects/designers cuz they know how to draw something in Revit. Lol! All you hipster noob architects get real. You're just a CAD tech if you can draw all these fancy stupid windows and walls. Get out a pencil, a piece of paper, a straight edge, and a calculator. Get some inspiration from the natural world. How you gonna expand your vision and design something if you're at your computer devising equations and programming to create a log cabin! Hahah.

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Tom · 735 weeks ago

Hey there, I work for a large log home company as a designer/draftsman and we use ADT .It works well for our purposes but I enjoy the operability of Revit. We use the sweep method for our logs and use mask blocks for our butt & pass ends. The same method works in Revit but instead of masking, I simply pull each sweep (log) out so many inches and I have no problem adding windows/ doors in either program. Each method has its advantages but at this point I cant say which is better.However, I am trying to figure out how to make Revit more effective doing log houses and hope to persuade the boss to make the switch because Revit is simply more intuative.So if anyone has gone any further with this please let me know

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Cliff · 734 weeks ago

Hey man, Just curious if you have done any more work with this? I am planning on designing a few log/timber style homes to add to my portfolio. Awesome work though!

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Thursday, November 5, 2009