Lesson 11: Boolean cut

About 14 minutes · Blender 5.2.1 LTS · Mac Mini + Magic Mouse

What Boolean does

A Boolean combines two objects. Use Difference to subtract one object from another. The second object is called the cutter. This is how you make holes, slots, and cutouts.

Real screenshot from the Blender manual

Image: Blender Manual by the Blender Documentation Team, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Shared unchanged.

Steps

1. Tool Add a cube (Shift + A, Mesh > Cube). Press S, X, type 2, Enter. This is the cable box. menu path unverified in 5.2.1
2. Key Add a cylinder (Shift + A, then Mesh > Cylinder). menu name unverified
3. Key Press G, Z, and move the cylinder up so it sits above the box.
4. Key Press S, type 0.4, and press Enter to make the cylinder narrow. Then move it so it passes through the top of the box.
5. Mouse Click the cable box (not the cylinder) to select it.
6. Menu In Properties, click the blue wrench tab. Click Add Modifier, then Generate > Boolean.
7. Menu Under Object, click the empty box and choose the cylinder. Make sure Difference is highlighted.
8. Check A round hole is cut through the top of the box.
9. Key Press Cmd + S to save as cable-box.blend.

Project: cable box

A small box with a hole for cables to pass through, useful on a desk. Save as cable-box.blend.