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[Old Codger]

Help me make sure I am understanding. Once I execute "Build>Convert to Subdivided" on a mesh I can do pretty much anything to that sub-mesh that I could do to a regular mesh? Specifically, I am looking at using the "Inset", "Shell" and "Extrude" (possibly) commands on a part of an existing mesh. I may also use the "Cut Faces" command to carve off a part to use as a moveable piece of the object.

Note: I discovered empirically that I can "extrude" a face (or faces) into an existing "solid" with Anim8or generating new inner walls just as it would outer walls in a more conventional extrude. I saw that done on a tutorial for Hexagon and tried it in Anim8or. Mega-Kudos to Steven. Ya done GOOD, son! Ya done REAL GOOD!

[ENSONIQ5]

Yes, you can do the same operations to the underlying mesh of a subdivision object as you can to any mesh.  The subdivision mesh is mathematically generated from the underlying mesh, so changes to the underlying mesh are reflected in the subdivision mesh.  Having said that, cutting meshes and faces may have some undesirable effects on the subdivision mesh.  An alternate method would be to create the subdivision object, convert it to a mesh so it's no longer mathematically derived, and then cut or otherwise edit the mesh as required.

[Old Codger]

Gotcha. Have decided it might just be easier to use the "cut faces" tool to produce boundaries for the new parts, copy the resulting mesh with new points/edges and then delete the unwanted parts of the two resulting meshes. When I'm done with the parts I can do a "join solids" and merge points to smooth out surface normals.

Do you know of a tutorial using the "topo knife" tool? I know Steven would not have gone to the trouble of implementing it if it did not have some significant value (as someone who used to program I know you seldom go to the trouble of programming a function just for shits and grins. Even a seemingly minor function can be a ball breaker. So, once more, the fact that Steven put in the time/effort to program it tells me it is a useful tool. I just cannot at this stage of my journey cannot imagine a use for it.

[Steve]

The topo knife is a very versitile tool. It was Raxx's idea, not mone. After a bit of practice you can build and edit meshes very quickly. I'd suggest trying the various tools on a simple grid mesh first to get a feel for how they work.