Modeling a Braid in 3DS Max - Method 1

Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced
A basic knowledge of using 3d Studio Max is assumed.

Creating a braid was a challenge posed to me by one of my fellow co-workers. He had looked for tutorials online and finding none, asked for my help. Here is my method for creating braids that are easy to make, easy to adjust, and remain editable splines for simplicity.

(Also check out my other method of making a braid)

The grid can get a little messed up on the thumbnails, so click on the images for a larger version.

1) Make 2 spline circles in the top viewport. Radius: 20, at X:20 Y:0 Z:0, and X:-20 Y:0 Z:0. The snap to grid option helps.

2) Convert one circle to an editable spline, then attach the other circle. Go ahead and change interpolation to whatever you like.

3) Select the 2 vertices that overlap in the middle at 0,0,0 and break them so that there are 4 vertices now.

4) Move one vertex at a time to the right or left to better see the 4 different vertices.

5) Weld the vertices together to make a figure 8 instead of 2 circles.

6) Move both vertices back to X:0 Y:0 Z:0.

7) Select a vertex on the far end of the figure eight and break it.

8) Select one of the vertices that was just broken and make it's Z value 80. Continue on to the next vertex and make it 70, the next one 60 and so on. Make sure that you get the order correct, especially for the overlapping vertices, the last vertex should remain at 0.

9) Select all the vertices and make them smooth. (Right click menu)

10) Using snap to grid, shift-drag straight up in the front viewport, so that the bottom of the new line meets the top of the old line. In the Clone dialog box, enter in a large enough number to make a long enough braid for your project, with some extra left over. Keep the new lines as copies, not instances or references.

11) With one of the lines selected, use attach multiple to attach the other lines.

12) Select the line of vertices in the top viewport that correspond to the top and bottom broken vertices of each line, then weld them together.

Ignore the segments at the top and bottom that don't line up with the rest of the braid in the top viewport. These segments will be cut off later.

13) Make the spline renderable with an appropriate thickness.

14) Clone 2 more splines by shift dragging straight up in the front viewport, keep them equally spaced from each other and the old line. (The 3 colors in the image are there for easy recognition of each spline.)

15) The braid is complete, but now it needs to be made tighter.

16) You can make it tighter by scaling it on the x and y plane in the top viewport to make it thinner. There is no correct way, just use whatever looks good to you. Keep in mind when you scale that you can go back and change the line thickness to compensate.

17) To get back the round lines, add a Reset XForm modifier to the 3 lines, then collapse each line back to a editable spline.

18) You can repeat the scaling and adjusting of the line width to get the look you want.

19) You can use rectangular rendering with a mesh smooth to get a flat line. This is useful for metal belts or what-not that use these kind of braids.

20) Select one of the lines and attach the other 2 to it, this will give you one object to use for such things as path deforms.

21) When you have the look you want, delete the parts of the braid that stick out too far at the top and bottom by using a slice, deleting the vertices will still leave some sticking out too far.

22) The braid is finished, use a path deform or whatever method you like to put it in your scene.

A braid made out of braids.

If you are having trouble with this tutorial or you just want to ask me some questions, contact me at kevinjohn3d@gmail.com or just leave a comment on this post.