DATUM AXES

Normally, if you create a bunch of circles as a sketched curve, you get axes for free. After you've used the axes for hole creation, just blank the curve layer. The thing I don't like about this method is that the location reference is obscure; you won't find it by selecting the hole to modify. Also, when you find the location reference (sketch), you get all the dimensions at once.

But if you'd like an easy way to create points to use for axes, try field points. You create them just by clicking on a surface or plane, adjusting dimensions later. I'm not sure, when it comes to creating the axes, if you pick one point and get all the axes or have to pick them individually.

David Janes

Not quite true, need to use sketch to create extruded surface. Axes come with extruded surface. Kinda awkward, huh!?! But the sketched circles extrude all at once, creating all the axes at once. Axes are avalable individually for coaxial holes. Actually it would probably be simpler just to start off extruding the surface, not creating the sketched circles first.

DJ

Easiest is to create a cut, and leave the hole in free space somewhere if I can't use it, and put in all the datum axes. Then I can pick all the axes to place the holes. Shouldn't have to do this though, if I was making the part I'd mark out and centre punch all the holes before drilling them. Don't know why I can't do this as a sketch of datum axes. This is one of the reasons I avoid the hole command. Previously I would put in all my holes as a cut (except of course they are always flat-bottomed). Inserting individual holes which reference each other is time consuming and a real pain in the ass, and as I recently discovered, it bombs out if you want to change units.

Insert/Datum/Point and then right at the bottom of the list there is a sketch option.

Thanks to Anthony Thompson.