3 answers

• 
  Joe Valasek over 1 year ago

  I don't think you can extrude a 3d sketch (I've honestly never tried.) However, you can use a 2d sketch that is perpendicular to the direction you want to cut/extrude, then use the Emboss feature instead of extrude.

  Emboss will project the 2d drawing on the closest surface in the direction of the arrow, and then extrude the projected drawing from that surface the specified distance. Also, if you use the "wrap to face" selection, the 2d drawing will be wrapped around a cylinder or cone shape before extruding.

  I hope that helps!

  1. 
     james lenane about 1 year ago

     Just a comment to Joe,would the Emboss with "wrap to face" solution work for cutting tyre treads on a sportsbike-minimal tread cuts?
     I feel that guys pain,you think you cracked it and then,oh dear!If its worth anything everyday is a school day with any of this software,its only march and inventor 2013 is out!!!

• 
  William over 1 year ago

  Hi Ben
  here is a little vid tutorial on how to model a mouse maybe this will help you understand better @
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ir2emTQtDA

• 
  Greg Pavlik about 1 year ago

  In 3d sketches you don't use extrude you use sweep. Sweep is basically a type of extrude that goes along a particular path that you designate, this path can be 2d or 3d. For one sweep though you need two sketches, one sketch for the profile (just like in extrude) and a second sketch to serve as the path. The implementation of this 3d sweep is how you make the acme and butress threads, by using the 3d sketches helix for the path.