<p>To answer your question about the disappearing sketch check out this answer: <a href="https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/sketch-disappears-after-creating-body/td-p/5965216" rel="nofollow noreferrer">forums.autodesk.com - sketch disappears after creating body</a></p>

<p>The default behavior in fusion is that sketches are hidden after the first time they are used in an operation such as an extrude. You can just unhide the sketch by expanding the sketches group in the tree and clicking the light bulb. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-20T17:06:49.153Z
yes I just learned how to do this! I also exploded the text and drew on them! Thank you!
Kyle Calica-St
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-20T05:13:18.340Z
2018-04-20T05:13:18.340Z
Ryan Neph
<p>As I see it, for a stencil you want the brown part with the white part(s) cut out.</p>

<p>This is easily doable. You can do this one sketch at a time, extrude it, and cut it out of the brown part.</p>

<p>To connect the inner brown parts to the rest of the brown, you'll need to cut a thin rectangle in the white character so that the inner brown pieces are connected to the outer brown pieces.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-20T17:06:05.417Z
I actually exploded the text and then created rectangles very similar to what you suggested. I just learned how to make different sketches without them affecting each other, so next time that would be a smart move thank you!
Kyle Calica-St
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-19T18:55:31.127Z
2018-04-19T18:55:31.127Z
NomadMaker
<p>May I suggest an alternative?  Create your characters in a document editor (such as Word or OpenOffice), using a very large font size.  Save the characters to an image file.  Go to one of many converter sites, such as <a href="http://www.embossify.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">embossify</a>  or <a href="https://www.sculpteo.com/en/workshops/create/text/?uuid=QTy21E63tHOjsSDR8WDdZd" rel="nofollow noreferrer">sculpteo</a>, and let them make a 3-D model of your character.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-21T06:18:29.160Z
A tutorial can be found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2294134
0scar
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-20T14:15:43.013Z
2018-04-20T14:15:43.013Z
Carl Witthoft
<p>I am trying to make stencils of Japanese Kanji characters with my 3D Printer.</p>

<p>I am very new to Autodesk Fusion360 so I am running into some barriers: </p>

<ol>
<li><p>I am having trouble sketching a rectangle and then a text character and extruding them separately. If I extrude one they both disappear. Therefore I have to sketch one, then extrude, then create the next sketch object. 
How can I create both sketches and select different ones to extrude? </p></li>
<li><p>I am having this basic problem where my stencil has parts that are disconnected (see example below). I've tried sketching lines and thin rectangles to connect the pieces but they both didn't work. I once again can't extrude after it's created. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>How can I connect the pieces after extruding? How can I connect them inside a text object? </p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/hLaBH.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Example Kanji Stencil"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/hLaBH.png" alt="Example Kanji Stencil" title="Example Kanji Stencil"></a></p>

<3d-models><3d-design>
Connecting disconnected pieces in Fusion360 Stencil. Sketch entire model then extrude
Kyle Calica-St
# Connecting disconnected pieces in Fusion360 Stencil. Sketch entire model then extrude

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-19)

I am trying to make stencils of Japanese Kanji characters with my 3D Printer.

I am very new to Autodesk Fusion360 so I am running into some barriers:

1. I am having trouble sketching a rectangle and then a text character and extruding them separately. If I extrude one they both disappear. Therefore I have to sketch one, then extrude, then create the next sketch object.
   How can I create both sketches and select different ones to extrude?
2. I am having this basic problem where my stencil has parts that are disconnected (see example below). I've tried sketching lines and thin rectangles to connect the pieces but they both didn't work. I once again can't extrude after it's created.

How can I connect the pieces after extruding? How can I connect them inside a text object?

[![Example Kanji Stencil](https://i.sstatic.net/hLaBH.png "Example Kanji Stencil")](https://i.sstatic.net/hLaBH.png "Example Kanji Stencil")

**Tags:** 3d-models, 3d-design

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2018-04-20. Score: 1

To answer your question about the disappearing sketch check out this answer: [forums.autodesk.com - sketch disappears after creating body](https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/sketch-disappears-after-creating-body/td-p/5965216)

The default behavior in fusion is that sketches are hidden after the first time they are used in an operation such as an extrude. You can just unhide the sketch by expanding the sketches group in the tree and clicking the light bulb.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: yes I just learned how to do this! I also exploded the text and drew on them! Thank you!  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-19. Score: 1

As I see it, for a stencil you want the brown part with the white part(s) cut out.

This is easily doable. You can do this one sketch at a time, extrude it, and cut it out of the brown part.

To connect the inner brown parts to the rest of the brown, you'll need to cut a thin rectangle in the white character so that the inner brown pieces are connected to the outer brown pieces.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I actually exploded the text and then created rectangles very similar to what you suggested. I just learned how to make different sketches without them affecting each other, so next time that would be a smart move thank you!  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-04-20. Score: 0

May I suggest an alternative? Create your characters in a document editor (such as Word or OpenOffice), using a very large font size. Save the characters to an image file. Go to one of many converter sites, such as [embossify](http://www.embossify.com/) or [sculpteo](https://www.sculpteo.com/en/workshops/create/text/?uuid=QTy21E63tHOjsSDR8WDdZd), and let them make a 3-D model of your character.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: A tutorial can be found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2294134  

---

