Modeling a Volk rim in 3DS Max 2012 (Part 1)

Andrei Cornea · 2013-05-22

Hi there. I am C. Andrei and this is my first tutorial on this website. In this tutorial I will explain you how to model a Volk racing wheel in 3DS Max 2012. We will use a blueprint of this rim. So, in a short resume you will learn how to model a rim and also how to model a rim using a blueprint. I will try to be very detailed because all my articles are like that and If somebody needs help at the final of tutorial , don’t hesitate to ask. We are here to help you.

Step 1

We will start by making a plane in the view port. On that plane we will add the texture (the blueprints) of the rim. Before making that plane. Be sure that you are in the orthographic mode and not in the perspective mode.  You should never model in perspective view.   So be sure that you are in the orthographic mode and top view :

Step 2

Now, go to the Create tab > Geometry and choose "Plane” .

Step 3

With the cursor in the viewport, click and drag to create the plane . Doesn’t matter how big you will make it, because we will modify this . Just create the plane :

Step 4

Having the plane selected go to the modifier menu , because we need to change some settings on this plane . As we know, the blueprint of the rim, have a resolution of 1024x768 so, the plane should have the same dimensions . And to see it better, put 1 at the "Length segs” and "Width segs”

Step 5

In this tutorial will use a tool called "Array” . This tool will rotate our model around the pivot. The pivot of you object will the point 0 of the viewport . The middle of this plane should be in the middle of the viewport too. So, select the plane > right click > and click on the little square from the "move” option . After that , put all the values to 0 .

Step 6

Now we should put the texture on the plane and start to model. Go to the material, and pick one. Near the diffuse color you will see the map button. Click on it and choose bitmap (because we will use a image like diffuse ) . A new window will open, and you need to choose the image with the rim and press ok.

Step 7

You will see that the sphere from the material tab has changed. Click on that material and rag it on our plane . And you should see the Volk rim on our plane.

Step 8

The last thing that we need to do before modeling part is to lock in place the plane. Select him > right click > object properties and check "Freeze” and uncheck "Show frozen in gray”.

Step 9

Now let’s start to model . Start by making a plane and place it in the same spot as me. I will pick 2 points as reference. Be sure that those 2 points are touching the edge of the spoke :

Step 10

Convert the plane into an editable poly, then pick the vertical edges and connect them with a single edge. Don’t change the other settings, leave everything at 0, because the connecting edge should be in the middle .

Step 11

Delete the left polygon and start to model. You just need to pick an edge, hold shift and drag. Move the vertices like me and you will have the same result. So now, follow the images :

Step 12

Now, having the object selected go to Mirror and make the same settings as below . We used "Instance” because if we will modify the first half, the other one will be automatically modified

Step 13

Again, follow the images as you did at step 11 :

Step 14

As we can see into the image, at the end, the spokes are a little bit bended. So we will bend them too. Watch the images and try to make the same bended shape as me .

Step 15

Now we will make that inside edge . Pick the same edges like me, hold shift and in the side viewport, drag them down.

Step 16

Use both viewports to put the vertices in the same place as me (don’t rush) :

Step 17

Now we will use a tool called "Array” . This tool will spin our object around the pivot. But before that, we need to put the pivot at the point 0 . To do this , select both parts of the spoke that we have made, go to Hierarchy > Affect Pivot only. Now, right click on the those parts (which I hope you have them still selected ) and press on the little square from "Move” . The same window like before will appear . Put all the value to 0, in both columns. Even if in the left column the number will be deleted .

Step 18

Keep those parts selected and go to Tools > Array and this window will appear :

Step 19

Click on the right arrow from rotate and in the Z column, put 360 (because we want to make a spin on 360 degrees. At "Type of Object” check instance and in the "Array Dimensions” choose 1D and put 6 in the "Count” box (because the rim have 6 spokes).

Step 20

You should have something like this :

Step 21

If you will pick the right side of a spoke and lift it a little bit, you will see that we have a copy of it . We don’t need that copy anymore and you need to delete it . Just select them and press the delete button.

Step 22

Now select all the wheel spokes > right click > convert to : Editable poly . After this, select one spoke, press the attach button, and click on the other spokes to attach one to another until you have a single object .

Step 23

A - Maybe you have seen that we have a little space between our spokes. We will solve it. If you have a smaller space , if your spokes are intersecting , don’t panic. We will solve it . I will explain only for one time , because its useless to say each time the same things. So , Where you have a space between your spokes , select 3 vertices like below.

B - Having those vertices selected , click on the little square from "Weld” and if the vertices will not weld automatically, increase the value until they will weld.

C - Do the same thing for each space that you have between your spoke and you should have this :

D - I forgot to tell you that some vertices are also not welded. Some vertices from the middle of the spoke, so do the same thing : Select the same vertices as below.

E - Click on the little button from weld , and put a low value to weld them , don’t put a higher one because them you will weld more that you need and you will create a mess.

Step 24

Some important details : to be sure that the distance and the angle between the middle vertices is equal we should check it with a cylinder, because if its not , we will not have a nice and perfect round shape. If you want to check it, select all the vertices from the middle of the rim, and you can count it to see how many you have (or you can do it faster by watching in the modifier panel.

Step 25

As you can see , I have 24 Vertices , so I need a cylinder with 24 sides. You need to make a 24 side cylinder, put it in the middle of the viewport by putting all the values to 0 and then , increase the radius of the cylinder until it will touch in inside border of the rim. Like in the image.

Step 26

Now, select the rim, zoom in as much you can, and put the inside vertices of the rim, over the vertices of the cylinder (use only the top view, in orthographic mode). Like this we will create a perfect rounded shape when we will apply a smooth modifier. Do the same thing for each vertex from the middle of the rim.

Step 27

Here is what you should have after you have made the step 26 (don’t delete the cylinder because we need him again – just hide it to check your result) :

Step 28

Do the same thing for the exterior . At the exterior, I have 60 vertices. So, I will increase the radius of the cylinder, I will also increase the number of sides and like at the step 26, I will zoom in as much as I can and I will put the vertices over the cylinder vertices . BUT this time , try to put the vertices on some edges of the cylinder. Where you have that space between the spokes, try to do like below : But only for the selected vertices . The first image is BEFORE and the second image is AFTER . I have selected them to see about what vertices I am talking.

Step 29

Here is what you should have at the end of this process :

Step 30

I have made the spokes a little bit thicker. I did that by selecting the interior borders and drag them a little bit to the interior . Check the before and after image . This is just an optional step . If you like the thickness of your spoke its ok, skip this step.

Step 31

Now we will move forward and we will make that center of the rim. As you can see , the middle is a little bit pushed to the interior, in a nice and smooth way. We will do the same thing. First , select the entire border of the middle , then, using the Scale tool and the top view, hold the shift button and scale down the border. This will create new edges and you should scale down those edges until to that chromed ring.

Step 32

Turn the view a little bit and push the new border to the interior a little bit using only the Z axis (the blue one).

Step 33

Connect the selected edges in the first image, then , using the same Z axis, drag them a little bit to the interior :

Step 34

Now make that middle "button” where the logo will be placed. I will explain what you should do and then you will follow the images . Select the border, then use "Cap” to close it. Use "Bevel” to make a round pushed shape :

Step 35

If you will apply a smooth modifier it will look like below. We need to sharp some edges. To do that, we need to chamfer them :

Step 36

Select the same edges like below, then, chamfer them with a small amount , like me. And then, use mesh smooth to see that the edges became sharper.

Step 37

In the 3D world, one of the rules is to avoid triangles on your mesh, on the mesh that you want to be smooth. In lowpoly object its ok, but in high poly object , try to avoid this. We created some triangles on our mesh when we chamfered those edges . Watch the image below because I marked the spots where you should look to see that I am right.

Step 38

I zoomed in, and using target weld, I have welded the vertex (A) to the other vertex (B) . Do the same thing for all triangle on you mesh. BUT, each time, weld the same vertex. The one which is in the interior of the spoke .

Step 39

Now we will chamfer that edge from the center of the rim. Select the same edges as me and chamfer them with a low value, to make the edge sharper :

Step 40

In order to make some polygon economy, select the same polygons like me, then press the detach button, to detach them