Unlike the previous three commands, where one base shape is selected and then extruded to create the 3D body, Loft allows you to create a 3D body that has different cross-section shapes, which opens up the possibilities and the complexities of the 3D bodies that can be created. To start the Loft command, you can type the command name LOFT, or just type LOF then press Enter. Alternatively, you can click on the Loft button found in the Create panel in the 3D Basics workspace, and if you are using the 3D modeling workspace, you will find the Revolve button in the Modeling panel under the Home tab, or in the Solid panel under the Solid tab as shown in the following figure:

The Loft command is similar to the Sweep command, but instead of using one profile or cross-section to be swept along a path, you can use multiple profiles or cross-sections as shown in the following steps:

1. After starting the Loft command, select the objects that will be used as the profiles or the cross-sections. You should select them in the order you intend them to be lofted.
2. A preview of the lofted object is shown as you select more profiles. To undo a selection, just press Ctrl + Z.
3. Press Enter after you select all the profile shapes. This will open a list of different Loft options.
4. Click on Cross sections only. The command will terminate and the lofted object will be created.

The following figure shows an illustration of the previous steps:

There is a number of options associated with the Revolve command. These options allow for alternative methods and settings. The first set of options appear in the command bar right after you start the Loft command. This set contains three different options as shown here:

This first option called POint. To select this option you can just type PO and press Enter or you can click on the option name in the command bar. This option allows you to start the Loft from a point, end it in a point, or both, as shown in the following step-by-step example:

1. Start the Loft command, and before selecting any profile shape, type PO and press Enter to activate the Point option.
2. You will be prompted to specify the Loft starting point, choose the location using the mouse and click. Alternatively, you can enter the coordinates using the keyboard and press Enter.
3. Select the profile shapes in order as usual, then type PO and press Enter to activate the Point option.
4. You will be prompted to specify the Loft end point. Choose the location using the mouse and click, or alternatively you can type the coordinates using the keyboard.
5. Choose one of the Loft options.
6. Once you click on the desired Loft option, the object will be created.

The following figure is an illustration of the previous steps:

The next option is called Join multiple edges. To select this option you can just type J and press Enter or you can click on the option name in the command bar. This option allows you to take a set of existing edges that form a cross-section and use them in the Loft command.

The last option in the first set is called Mode. To select this option you can just type MO and press Enter or you can click on the option name in the command bar. This option is used to determine the type of the object produced by the Loft command, either to be a solid or a surface. By default when you select a closed shape or a surface, the lofted object will be a solid. This option allows you to always create a surface even if the lofted object is a closed shape or a surface:

The second set of options appear after you finish selecting the cross-sections. It is displayed in the command bar and as a drop-down menu near the mouse cursor. This set contains four different options as shown in the following figure:

The first option in this set is called Guides. To activate this option, just type G and press Enter, or you can click on the option name in the command bar. By default, the lofted body created between the cross-sections will take a smooth path. This option allows you to modify how the lofted object is shaped by adding guides between the cross-sections as follows:

1. Start the Loft command, select the cross-section shapes, and then press Enter.
2. A preview of the lofted object will be displayed. Noticing that it is a straight, smooth path between the two selected cross-sections, click on the Guides option.
3. Select the two guide arcs. A preview of the Loft will be displayed as you select.
4. After you finish selecting the guide arcs, press Enter and the lofted object will be created.

The following figure shows an illustration of the previous steps:

The second option is called Path. To activate this option, just type P and press Enter, or you can click on the option name in the command bar. By default, the lofted body created between the cross-sections will take the shortest path. This option allows the use of a different path between the cross-sections as follows:

1. Start the Loft command, select the cross-section shapes, then press Enter.
2. A preview of the lofted object will be displayed. Notice it is a straight, smooth path between the two selected cross-sections. Click on the Path option.
3. Select the outer arc as a path. A preview of the Loft will be displayed as you select.
4. Once you click on the path, the lofted object will be created.

The following figure is an illustration of the previous steps:

By default, the lofted objects will be deleted after the Loft command ends. You can control whether to delete these objects or not using the DELOBJ system variable. To access that just type DELOBJ and press Enter, and the current value of the DELOBJ system variable will be displayed, then you can type the new value and press Enter. For more details about the DELOBJ system variable, please refer to the Using the Extrude command section of this chapter.

That's it for the Loft command. Now let's have a look at the final command in our 2D-to-3D conversion group, which is called Presspull.