Boolean
Cut one part with another, join parts into one, or keep only where they overlap. Great for woodwork joints.
- Boolean BPart Studio toolbar
| SchoolCAD | Onshape | Fusion | SOLIDWORKS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boolean | Boolean | Combine | Combine |
Boolean changes parts using other parts. The part you change is the target. The part you change it with is the tool. Boolean can do three things:
- Subtract cuts the shape of the tool out of the target.
- Union joins parts into one part.
- Intersect keeps only the space where the parts overlap.
Subtract is great for joints. Model a shelf so it goes into the side of a bookcase, then subtract the shelf from the side. The side gets a groove that fits the shelf exactly.
How to use it#
- Model the parts so they overlap where they meet.
- Click Boolean, or press B.
- Choose Subtract, Union or Intersect.
- In the view, click the part to change (the target), then the tool part. Or tick them in the Targets and Tools lists.
- For Subtract and Intersect, choose whether to Keep tools.
- Check the preview, then click ✓.
Clicks in the view go to the list whose button says Clicking picks these. To add to the other list, click its Pick in view button. If you selected parts before you started, the first one is the target and the rest are tools.
Options#
| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| Subtract | Cuts the tools out of the targets. |
| Union | Joins the parts into one part. The lists are called Part to join to and Parts to join on. |
| Intersect | Keeps only the space where the targets and the tools overlap. |
| Targets | The parts to change. |
| Tools | The parts to cut or join with. A part can be a target or a tool, but not both. |
| Keep tools (they fit into the cut) | Ticked: the tools stay as parts, so the shelf stays, sitting in its new groove. Not ticked: the tools are used up and disappear. |
Tips#
- For woodwork joints, try Joint. It cuts housings, rebates, halving joints, mortise and tenons and more, and works out the sizes for you.
- After a Subtract, look inside the groove with Section view.
- Check lists parts that overlap. Real parts cannot overlap, so cut one with the other, or make a joint.
- To make a tool part, Extrude a shape as New. To put it in place, use Transform.
If it does not work#
- The tool parts do not overlap the parts to cut, so nothing changed. Move or resize the tool so it goes into the target, or check that you picked the right parts.
- Choose the part(s) to change. or Choose the tool part(s). Pick at least one target and one tool.
- You need two parts that overlap: the part to change and the tool part. Make the tool part first.
- The tool part disappeared. Edit the Boolean and tick Keep tools.