Shot Glasses With Autodesk Fusion 360

My name is Madeleine Buckalew, I'm currently a sophomore at Gateway Community and Technical College in Kentucky. I learned to use the Sweep tool while making these models, and also how to use the Loft tool better.

I'd toyed with the idea of shot glasses for awhile, and decided to design a set of 6 unique glasses. The cup part is sized to approximately one shot (~44 ml), although it might run a little on the smaller side.

It is also important to note that these glasses cannot be 3D printed and used immediately for drinking, as 3D printer resin is not food safe. You can either print these, mold them, and cast them with a food safe resin, which is what I intend to do, or you can make these models and wait for glass printing to become a more widespread technology. Any day now, right?

Supplies

For supplies, all you'll need is access to Autodesk Fusion 360, and a little bit of imagination.

Prior experience is helpful but not entirely necessary.

Step 1: Base+Top

So for continuity across the set, I decided to make the base and top identical. I recommend saving this model in a separate file, and using that as a starting point for each individual model.

Start a New Sketch, using any plane you like, I recommend the X-Z plane to make it easier to place centers as we go up the glass. Note that all sketch objects will use the X-Y plane. Make sure you have it set to 3D sketch.

Start with a 42mm diameter circle and a 30mm circle at the origin. Add a second 42mm circle at Z=2, and a 10mm circle at Z=1. Add a 20mm circle at Z=5. This is the sketch for the base.

Now place a 20mm circle at Z=67. Add a 10mm and a 30mm circle at Z=68.5. Then a 36 mm and 42mm circle at Z=71. Add a 30mm and 36mm circle at Z=97.5. Finally, place a 36mm and 42mm circle at Z=116. This is the sketch for the cup. Hit Finish Sketch.

Now use the Loft tool. You'll see that one a lot throughout this instructable. I like to pin it to the taskbar, but that's up to you.

For the Base:

Select your two 42mm base circles, and the 20mm circle. Make sure the bottom 42mm circle profile is set to Direction. The top should be set to Connected. Create the lofted body.

Note: The sketch will vanish when you create the loft. You can toggle it back visible on the bar on the left of your screen.

Now select the 30 mm circle and the 10 mm circle on the base. Leave both profiles set to Connected. Set the body to Cut. Create the lofted body. (It might help to toggle the bodies invisible when selecting the profiles. Make sure to toggle them back before completing the loft.)

For the Top:

Select the 20 mm circle for the bottom, then the 30mm, the 42mm, the middle 36mm, and the 42mm. Both ends should be set to Connected. Set to new body; create the loft.

Now select the inner circles; the 10mm, 36mm, middle 30mm, and top 36mm. Again, both end profiles should be Connected. Set body to Cut, and create the lofted body.

Now pull up your Fillet feature, because no one wants to drink from a sharp shot glass. Select the inner and out edges on the top, the lower edge on the base, and the edges of that lofted cut we made in the base. Set the fillet to .5mm. It should automatically set the style to Rolling Ball. Create the fillet.

And that's your Base an Top finished! Remember to save this file separately to use for the different stem versions.

Step 2: Step 2: Simple Ball Stem

For the Simple Ball Stem, start with a New Sketch, using the X-Z plane. As before, all work will be in the X-Y plane.

Place the following circles: Z=8, 8mm (diameter); Z=19.5, 7mm; Z=28, 8mm; Z=34, 18mm; Z=36.5, 20mm; Z=39, 18mm; Z=45, 8mm; Z=55, 7mm; Z=65, 8mm. Finish Sketch.

Now using the Loft tool, connect all circles including top of base and bottom of cup. Both end profiles should be set to Connected. Set operation to Join. Create the lofted body.

This completes the Ball Stem shot glass. This is probably the easiest of the six.

Step 3: Step 3: Simple Helix Stem

For the Simple Helix Stem, start with a New Sketch, using the X-Z plane. As before, all work will be in the X-Y plane.

Starting at Z=6, and working in the X-Y plane, make a series of 4 6mm diameter circles at (3,3), (3,-3), (-3,-3), (-3,3). Select and copy these, moving them up 10mm along the Z axis. Repeat until there are seven sets of circles total, counting the originals. You will only use half the circles, but for the ease of sketching, I find it simpler to make the extra. Finish the Sketch.

Now, with the Loft tool; select one bottom circle of your choice. Select the next circle up, stepping over one circle either left or right, just as long as it's the same for each step. Continue through to the top. Both end profiles should be set to Connected. Create the lofted body.

Create the other side of the helix in the same way, using the opposite corner circle than the start. Select the operation as Join when creating the lofted body.

Now to connect the stem to the base and top, select the loft tool again. Now select the top circle on the base and the bottom circle on one side of the helix. Both profiles should set to Direction. Adjust the takeoff for the direction as needed. Set the operation to join and create the lofted body. Repeat this process on the other side and both sides of the top.

This completes the Simple Helix Stem version.

Step 4: Step 4: Tri-Spiral Ball Stem

For the Tri-Spiral Ball Stem, start with a New Sketch, using the X-Z plane. As before, all work will be in the X-Y plane.

Start with the sketches for the ball. Place the following circles: Z=31, 6mm (diameter); Z=35, 18mm; Z=40, 18mm; Z=44, 6mm.

And the sketches for the stem. Place the following circles: Z=6, X=4, 6mm; Z=2, X=4, 6mm; Z=37.5, X=6, 6mm; Z=53, X=4, 6mm; Z=66, X=4, 6mm.

Now select the circles for the stem, copy and rotate 180 degrees around the Z axis. Repeat to make sets of three evenly spaced circles. Refer to sketches above for final appearance. Finish the Sketch.

Now, using the Loft tool, select the circles for the ball. Set both end profiles to Connected, and set operation to New Body. Create the lofted body.

Next, still using the Loft tool, select one of the bottom circles of the spiral stem. Step up, selecting one circle either left or right as in the simple helix version. Continue to top. Set both end profiles to Direction, and set operation to Join. Create the lofted body. Repeat for the other sides of the helix.

Still using the Loft tool, select the base of one section of the stem, and the top circle of the base. Set the stem profile to Direction, adjusting the takeoff if necessary, and the base profile to Connected. Set the operation to Join and create the lofted body. Repeat for the bases of the other helix sections, and for the top of all three sections.

This completes the Tri-Spiral Ball version.

Step 5: Step 5: Heart Stem

For the Heart Stem, start with a New Sketch, using the X-Z plane. As before, all work will be in the X-Y plane.

Begin with the half-heart shape. Start your spline at Z=24, and end at Z=45. I recommend winging the shape based on the sketch attached to this step, as I am unable to provide exact locations for the fit points of the spline.

Next, make a 3mm diameter circle at the base of the spline.

For the main stem, place the following circles; Z=8, 7mm (diameter); Z=22.5, 6mm; Z=30, 4mm; Z=50, 4mm; Z=56, 6mm; Z=65.5, 7mm. Finish the Sketch.

Now start by making the curved sections for the heart shape. Select the Sweep tool, then select your 3mm circle as the profile, then the half-heart spline as the path. Create the swept object.

Next, select that object, and under the Create tab find the Circular Pattern tool. Select the Z axis to pattern around, and set the number of objects to 5. Set operation to Join, and create the pattern.

For the main stem, using the Loft tool, select the circles from bottom to top. As before, do not select the circles on the base and cup. Set both end profiles to Direction, and set the operation to Join, then create the lofted body.

Finally, as before, with the Loft tool, select the base of the stem and the top of the base, making sure to set the base profile to Connected and the stem profile to Direction, adjusting the takeoff if necessary. Set the operation to Join and create the lofted body. Repeat the process on with the cup and the top of the stem.

This completes the Heart Stem Version.

Step 6: Step 6: Traveling Helix Stem

For the Traveling Helix Stem, start with a New Sketch, using the X-Z plane. Most work will be in this plane.

Begin with the top and bottom of the stem; make two 8mm diameter circles at Z=15 and Z=57.

Now place three 6mm circles at Z=23, X=5; Z=35, X=9; and Z=48, X=4. Mirror these three across the Z axis.

Switch to the Y-Z plane when making the next circles. Place two 6mm diameter circles at Z=28, Y=5; and Z=42, Y=5. Mirror these circles across the Y axis.

Now for in preparation for the next step, draw single line segments connecting each set of circles on a plane. These are the axes for rotating the circles.

Now select each circle and rotate it 30 degrees upwards, using the Move/Copy tool, and setting the axis as those lines we just made. It might be helpful to refer to the above image of the finished sketch.

After rotating the circles, select the Fit Point Spline tool, and draw a spline down from top to bottom on one side, following the direction of the circles. I also found it improved the flow to add a point 2mm below the top circle and one 2mm above the bottom circle. Finish the Sketch, then create a new sketch to make the spline down the other side of the helix. This is to keep the splines separate when lofting each side, as we will use the splines as individual center lines for the lofts. Finish the second Sketch.

Now using the Loft tool, select the circles from top to bottom, following one of the splines. Add the spline in the guide selection, setting guide style to centerline. The end profiles should be set to Direction. Select the New Body option, and create the lofted body. Repeat with the other side of the stem, setting the body type to Join.

Finally, using the Loft tool, select the bottom circle the stem and top circle of the base. Set the stem profile to Direction and the base profile to Connected. Set operation to Join and complete the body. Repeat for the top of the stem.

This completes the Traveling Helix Version.

Step 7: Step 7: Spiral Ellipse Stem

For the Spiral Ellipse Stem, start with a New Sketch, using the X-Z plane. Most work will be in this plane.

Begin by drawing an ellipse with the center point at Z=38, top at Z=46, and 10mm wide. Draw a line along the Z axis to bisect the ellipse. Break and delete the left side.

Next draw a spline, beginning at Z=15, and ending at Z=60. Again, precise coordinates are unavailable. Refer to the sketches, but make the top and bottom halves symmetrical. After you finish the spline, select each point in turn and rotate around the Z axis, as follows; 2nd point from top, 5 degrees; next point, 15 degrees; next point, 25 degrees; middle point, 30 degrees; next point, 35 degrees; next point, 45 degrees; next point, 55 degrees.

Now for the stem, place the following circles; Z=7.5, 7mm (diameter); Z=13.5, 5mm; Z=24.5, 5mm; Z=29.5, 4mm; Z=46.5, 4mm; Z=51.5, 5mm; Z=61.5, 5mm; Z=65, 7mm. Finish the Sketch.

Next select the Revolve tool, then select the half ellipse profile in the center. Set the back line as the axis, and the angle to 360 degrees or full. Create the revolved body.

Now with the Sweep tool, select the 3mm circle at the bottom of the spline as your profile, then the spline as your path. Create the Swept body.

Next select the Circular pattern tool, as we did for the Heart stem, and select the swept body. Set the axis to Z, number of bodies to 5, and operation to Join. Create the pattern.

Now add your stem with the Loft tool, selecting the circles from top to bottom. As before, do not select the base and cup profiles. Set both end profiles to Direction, and the operation to Join, and create the lofted body.

Connect the stem to the base and cup using lofts, as before, with the stem profile set to Direction and the other to Connected.

And this completes the Spiral Ellipse Version, and the last in this set of shot glasses!

Final Note: If you've read this far, congratulations and thank you! If you've both read and made this, double congratulations and double thanks! But I invite you to go a step beyond. This is written to introduce a reasonably simple concept with several different varieties. Consider it a stepping off point. While I would love for people to use and enjoy the design I have made, it would make me even happier to see people take this basic instructable and make it their own. Do you have ideas for creative and wacky stems? Something new and exciting to do with the base? Your imagination is the only limit to your creative power.

Step 8: (Optional) Step 8: Fun With Rendering

Quite honestly, this one is exactly what it sounds like. I had a little extra time making these models, so I decided to explore the materials and appearances in Fusion 360.

Obviously, completely optional. These were simply some fun combinations I came up with.

The first is clear glass with a polished gold rim.

The second is white wax with a polished copper rim. I was looking for a white ceramic, but was unable to find one.

The third is green glass with copper inside the cup and on the underside of the base. My particular favorite.

The fourth is simple blue glass.

The fifth is red glass with mirror inside the cup.

The sixth is blue anodized aluminum with a black inside, rim, and stem.

Hope you enjoyed!