Connecting a line between two circles in autocad

metron9

Is there a command in autocad to connect two circles at the correct points, picture attached the line connecting the circles.

I can do it the wrong way but I would like to learn how to do it the correct way.

I think making additional circles and finding the crossing points but I don't know.

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Think Inside the box first and if that doesn't work..
Re-arrange what's inside the box then...
Think outside the BOX!

stamptrol

I haven't kept up with AutoCad in recent years, but I think what you use is "draw line tangent to circle". Not all versions of cad software have it.

Cheers,

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Tom Sisk

http://www.siskconsult.com
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John R.

Start a line command.

For the first point, select the "osnap" mode "tan" (it may already be in the "auto snap" settings), and select the first circle somewhere close to where the line will ultimately connect.

For the second point (the line probably won't start "dragging"), again, select "tan", and pick a point on the second circle somewhere close to where the line would be tangent.

The line should snap in place exactly tangent to both circles.

If this isn't what you mean by the "right way", please let us know more about what you're after.

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John R.
Click here to see my Nomad Build Log

Searider

another solution is to draw a line fro the center of the circle to or past the point on the radius that you want. Then you can snap the lines to the intersection of the radius with the line and remove the construciton line when you are finnished.

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Searider

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John R.

Searider said...
another solution is to draw a line fro the center of the circle to or past the point on the radius that you want. Then you can snap the lines to the intersection of the radius with the line and remove the construciton line when you are finnished.

How do you know what points to draw the radaii to so that the final line is tangent to both circles?

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John R.
Click here to see my Nomad Build Log

Tubular

This is correct but you don't have to wrestle with the osnap dialog beforehand. Just start a line and then type "tan"(enter/space) when asked for "from point:", and click on the first circle. Then type "tan" again (enter/space) and click on the second circle.

similarly type "cen" to find the center of a circle or arc
"int" to find an intersection
"end" to find the end point on an entity
"mid" to find a midpoint
etc

These can be keyed any time you're selecting a point with the cursor. I find it quicker to type 4 such keystrokes than check/uncheck osnap boxes, keeps the mouse cursor on the job so to speak

John R. said...
Start a line command.

For the first point, select the "osnap" mode "tan" (it may already be in the "auto snap" settings), and select the first circle somewhere close to where the line will ultimately connect.

For the second point (the line probably won't start "dragging"), again, select "tan", and pick a point on the second circle somewhere close to where the line would be tangent.

The line should snap in place exactly tangent to both circles.

If this isn't what you mean by the "right way", please let us know more about what you're after.

Post Edited (Tubular) : 3/20/2010 8:01:22 AM GMT

metron9

Thank's, Youtube is also your friend although I have missed chatting on these forums so I went here first.

Found this series of autocad tutorials. I also found on my hard drive the autocad bible I had bought many years back.



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Think Inside the box first and if that doesn't work..
Re-arrange what's inside the box then...
Think outside the BOX!