rail extrude question
 

I have a project I'll be adding to the WIP section soon, but I have a specific question on rail extrusion.
I am making a yacht model and the side railings have been modeled with the rail extrusion command. This is the first time I've used the tool, so I'm not sure if the high poly count is common with this tool, (over 30,000 polys) or if I can plan and execute rail extrusions more efficiently?
I'll attach a test render and screen grab of my railing. Thanks in advance.

Oopse thats Way to High. :eek:

When you Rail Extrude Set it to Uniform then select the number of Segments (right below the Uniform button) you would like. You might have to play with the Segment ammount but doing uniform and setting the limit will get you the exact number of segments in the extrude that you need.

After looking at your railing I wouldent use the rail extrude tool. I would create a Cylinder that you want for your rail then add segments along it by adding more segments where it needs to bend more sharply and less where the bend is more gradual you can reduce the number of polys a lot and still maintain a good smoothness. After you have one done just clone or copy.

Thanks for the tips. I'll give them a try. As I'm still getting familiar with the modeling tools which tools would you use to add segments. (cloning? s-shifting? julienne?) Would you use the bend tool then on the cylinder, lathe tool?

I'll start experimenting. I need the practice. Thanks again!

I would probbly make a long cylinder then Juliane and knife it then use the bend tool.

I agree with Johnny9ball. I just tryed a rail extrude for the first time on my challenge model last week... and now that I know how it works I found that using an 8 sided cylinder at a small length and beveling when I needed more geometry was way more efficient...speaking of which..the 8 sided cylinder?... that's how I modeled my Kerrigan body...8 sided cylinders I find are amazingly efficient..you cut em' in half after they are sub's and add geometry with smooth shift or bevel then mirror...there is nothing you can't do with em.....good luck! It's like nurb modeling but better....:)

I still havent figured out how to get rail extrude to work :-\