Do my objects have too many sides?
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I'm making 10" funnel by taking a cone and subtracting a smaller cone from the interior. When I do this, lines appear that look like you can see through the funnel walls. If you rotate the image to the exterior side of the funnel, they are not visible at all. My questions are 1) Is having my sides set to 360 causing this issue? and 2) my work around has been to duplicate in place, rotate slightly, and merge. This "covers up" the holes, but I'm wondering if I'm going to get problems down the road when I actually go to print it.
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The issue you're experiencing with lines appearing through the funnel walls likely stems from non-manifold geometry or intersecting faces in your 3D model. Setting your sides to 360 is unlikely the direct cause of this problem. Instead, it is more probable that the subtraction of the smaller cone from the larger one creates overlapping or intersecting faces, leading to visual artifacts. This is a common challenge in 3D modeling when performing Boolean operations.
Your workaround of duplicating, rotating slightly, and merging to cover the holes is creative but may introduce complications when you go to print. Overlapping or intersecting geometries can confuse slicing software, resulting in weak points, gaps, or even failed prints. To avoid these issues, ensure your model is manifold, meaning it has no holes, intersecting faces, or internal faces. Use mesh repair tools available in 3D modeling software or dedicated applications like Meshmixer or Netfabb. Additionally, always preview your model in the slicing software to check for anomalies before printing, and use any built-in repair functions to address potential problems.