Adjusting cable rail spacing / gap

[ChiefMarkK]

Hello,

 

I am a new Chief Architect user and am designing a deck with a cable railing containing horizontal cables.  I would like the spacing between cables to be 3 1/8", but can't figure out how to make adjustments to that particular feature or dimension.  I am using a cable railing panel from the Chief Architect library.  Is there a way to adjust the cable spacing?

 

Thanks.

[Joe_Carrick]

Only by adjusting the panel height which would need to be less (problem) - or creating a new panel symbol with that spacing.  A new Symbol would be my choice.

 

As a new user it would be a good exercise to learn how to create symbols.

[glennw]

What I quite often do is use an open rail type which supplies the posts and rails, and then use a Molding Polyline for the cables.

It only takes a minute or two to copy and space a round molding for the cables.

 

 

[gelbuilding]

Hi Glenn,

Can you please explain the process of adding the round moulding to the railing.

 

Thanks 

[glennw]

The molding cables are a completely separate entity than the railing wall.

Draw a molding polyline in plan the rough shape you want next to the railing wall - it is easy to drag into place later.

It should default to zero height - if your deck is zero, great. Otherwise you can change it's height so that it is referencing the deck height.

Add a molding as shown in my pic - I used a round handrail molding.

Copy and offset them vertically at the required spacing - mine are 100mm.

Drag the molding polyline so that it is located in the middle of the railing wall.

I always find it good practice to make the railing wall the same width as the actual railing wall.

[rlackore]

I take it one step further than Glenn, and use a Distribution Path for the newels on fascia-mount systems.

 

[GeneDavis]

Nice on the fascia mount thing, Robert.  How do you handle corners?

 

I like to see corners done with newels not AT corners, but a newel about 6 inches FROM the corner in each direction, with the cables run through and then doing a 45 turn twice

[rlackore]

2 hours ago, GeneDavis said:

How do you handle corners?

The molding polyline for the cables and handrail run right through the corner, but I use separate distribution paths so I can precisely adjust the location of the newels.

[gelbuilding]

Brilliant,

Thanks Glenn.

[SNestor]

Alternate strategy;

 

Create the molding as Glenn described...draw a small section of it...maybe without the handrail and convert this small section into a railing panel symbol. This way...you can drop a doorway into the railing and create an opening. Otherwise...you will have to place breaks into the molding polyline. Not a big deal...but creating the railing panel is simple and becomes part of the wall.  Chief always provides more than one to accomplish things...

[SHCanada2]

On 9/16/2021 at 6:26 AM, glennw said:

The molding cables are a completely separate entity than the railing wall.

Draw a molding polyline in plan the rough shape you want next to the railing wall - it is easy to drag into place later.

It should default to zero height - if your deck is zero, great. Otherwise you can change it's height so that it is referencing the deck height.

Add a molding as shown in my pic - I used a round handrail molding.

Copy and offset them vertically at the required spacing - mine are 100mm.

Drag the molding polyline so that it is located in the middle of the railing wall.

I always find it good practice to make the railing wall the same width as the actual railing wall.

 

This works well, with some back and forth to get correct heights. Attached is a video with a step by step, sorry no audio, for a railing on a pony wall.

 

I have to "undo" a few times to try and get it the distances right. The 0.5" for the railing is larger than reality, I picked it more to show up in the RTRT than any other reason

 

I did use a "molding line" vs a molding polyline as the polyline is initially drawn enclosed. Menus are X16.

 

One seems to have to use the cntrl key to place the molding line in the middle of the rail.