Helix... Spiral...??? Help please...?

Helix... Spiral...??? Help please...?

Thought this might be the place to ask for this...

How would you go about making a straw, tube, pipe (etc...)
with a spiral or helix on it? Like those straw with the 'loops' in them.
Specifically what i want to try modeling a one of those new light bulbs
that are fluorescent tubes, contains the spirals... maybe not a good description
of what I need, but hopefully getting my point across...?????


Thanks in advance for your assistance!
 

Hey Al, it's easy. I'm working on a mini tut, it'll probably be a big
gif you can go through page by page if you open it in Preview.

 
Hi Albert and Ken

:sick: Whoops, I am a bit late!
:unsure: There is also a useful script which allows fitting a helix to a guiding spline. Check the scripty part of the forum to download. It may be called pathed helix, but I often rename scripts, so I am not sure of that.
:giggle: You can also define the number of strands (> 1) and flip the chirality of the helix / helices. I have used it for a number of DNA based models relating to genetics & cytology. By animating the guiding spline with point record I managed to simulate quite tricky processes from DNA replication to protein synthesis with comparative ease.

Helix.png
 
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