# SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers



## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

For those of us still struggling to learn SketchUp there is a new source. Tim Killen, of finewoodworking.com's "Design. Click. Build" Blog on using SketchUp for woodworking design, has published an e-book in PDF format. If you are looking for a top notch tutorial you might want to check it out at...

finewoodworking

I just downloaded a copy of "Google SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers" (60MB) for $12.99. I have been keeping up with Tim's blog and this is a great resource for the price. (IMHO) I have no connections with Fine Woodworking other than the fact that I think it is a great mag. on-line or hard copy.


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Thanks George! I have attempted it several times, to no avail: It doest think like I do? Thanks for the heads up!


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## david cooksey (Jun 3, 2011)

Google Scketch Up crashed my computer, I am running 
Windows 7 Professional 64Bit


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## Funwitwood (Sep 8, 2011)

My Windosw 7 64 bit computer runs sketchup 8 fine. Yes it does take a bit to master but now I can pretty much, draw it, print it, stick it to the wood and cut it out.


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## cwcad (Mar 15, 2009)

I may go ahead and purchase additonal information for Sketch up? Then again it was quite difficult for me to remember what to do that reading another book on the same information may well serve to mix up the old proverbial "pot" for this old duffer. I hate doing things that re-enforce my inabilities. 

I agree, Wood magazine is a very good publication.


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## LexB (Apr 12, 2010)

I agree that e-book is a great resource and well worth the price. I used it to quickly learn the basics, and still go back to it to refine my learning and pick up new skills. I still am struggling with the "Follow Me" tool a bit to create moldings and raised panels, but it's trivial now for me to do mortise and tenon joints, box joints, and dovetails in my design.


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## prgl7 (Jun 26, 2011)

Sounds great. will try it out. Thanks.
George from the Central Coast of California


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

Try this site for easy to follow tutorials.
Sketchup for Woodworkers - Home


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I am glad that someone brought up the subject of "Sketch Up" because I have planned to try learning it when it gets cold. If I could learn even the basics I'm sure it could save me many an hour scratching my head.............. I am going to give Gav's link an honest effort


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## schipp11 (Jan 24, 2012)

I have been planning a lot of projects here and the one thing that want to be able to do is use Router Profiles on extrusions. Sketchup saved me a lot of time from trial and error because I knew exactly how long pieces need to be cut. So has any one seen a plugin or have router profile components?? I have tried creating them using the pictures provided from Router Bit Suppliers but that is tedios and I am not that good with my arcs yet.


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## digitless (Jan 28, 2012)

schipp11,

Sketchup accepts .dxf files just fine, so go to THIS site and download as many as you can find there.

But if you still think that is too much work, go to Google's *3d Warehouse* and search for " wood profiles " or " molding " or " moulding ". There are quite a few available, such as THIS one.

Hope this helps.


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

I downloaded the book and it was a great help. I have drawn several plans now and it keeps getting easier to work with every time I use it. Before the book I didn't have a clue. My first plan was a shadow box. I am building that in the shop now. I will post some pics soon. I am working on some whirligig plans in Sketch up 8 as we speak. It seems that I am drawing faster all of the time. Thanks to Tim and his great E book. Well worth the price!!!!!!!!!!
Roxanne



curiousgeorge said:


> For those of us still struggling to learn SketchUp there is a new source. Tim Killen, of finewoodworking.com's "Design. Click. Build" Blog on using SketchUp for woodworking design, has published an e-book in PDF format. If you are looking for a top notch tutorial you might want to check it out at...
> 
> 
> 
> I just downloaded a copy of "Google SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers" (60MB) for $12.99. I have been keeping up with Tim's blog and this is a great resource for the price. (IMHO) I have no connections with Fine Woodworking other than the fact that I think it is a great mag. on-line or hard copy.


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

*Excellent way to learn Sketchup!*



gav said:


> Try this site for easy to follow tutorials.
> Sketchup for Woodworkers - Home


Thank you very much for the link! :thank_you2: I have been using the Sketchup tutorials and they are excellent! 

I have been a TurboCAD user since 2000. I had become pretty good at completing detailed 2D drawings with TurboCAD after many hours, weeks & months of "banging my head against the wall". TurboCAD is a difficult product! In TurboCAD, I have never been able to get the 3D drawings to work very well for me. 

After the first Sketchup tutorial, I was able to create 3D drawing of my new 2nd stage box for my dust collector (see attachment). After about six (6) hours of using the Sketchup tutorials, I am able to do detailed 3D drawings! 

I have given up on TurboCAD and will be using Sketchup from now on. :happy::happy::happy:

Eric


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

Do you have to have pro to use the dfx files? I can't seem to be able to import them in the free edition of sketchup 8.
Thanks
Roxanne


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

digitless said:


> schipp11,
> 
> Sketchup accepts .dxf files just fine, so go to THIS site and download as many as you can find there.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the great links!!!! You just save me hours of tedious work!! Now I can spend those hours in my wood shop creating sawdust!!!

Eric


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

*Dimensioning & Printing*

Anyone have some information (or links) on creating better dimensioning and printing in Sketchup? I really love the way the 3D works in Sketchup. I have been creating models like crazy with it. 

The only real drawbacks that I have found so far are the dimensioning and printing capabilities. Creating readable shop drawings has so far been a real pain in the back side. Sketchup appears to be very limited compared to TurboCAD with the dimensioning and printing.

Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks,
Eric


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

The dimensioning tool works fine for what I want to do.

I found a good thread on the sketchup forum about how to do control the print out. You set the camera angle to "parallel projection" and the standard view to what you want. Then in the printer dialog, turn off "fit to page" and "use model extents", and set the "in model" and "on printer" something that makes sense for you.

For me, since I was printing small things, and i wanted it actual size, so I set it to 1, and it printed what I wanted exactly the correct size.

fyi, here is info about printing to scale

http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=114462


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## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

Thanks for the link I have tried in the past to learn but unsuccessful. I like how he gets everything configured before statrting to teach the program.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

roxanne562001 said:


> Do you have to have pro to use the dfx files? I can't seem to be able to import them in the free edition of sketchup 8.
> Thanks
> Roxanne


Short answer, yes you need the pro version.

Comparison:
Google SketchUp


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

not bragging, but i have learned a decent amount about sketchup over the years, so feel free to ask, and i'll try to help if i can.

i am pretty good with the "how to do stuff" part, not so much the "does it support files created by <xxx>"


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## yipijian (Mar 29, 2012)

thanks for sharing , nice job


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> The dimensioning tool works fine for what I want to do.


Chris:

Maybe you can help me with this dimensioning. Draw an rectangle with a hole in it. Now use the dimensioning to determine the distance from the edge of the rectangle to the center of the hole. Yes, Sketchup will tell you the distance, but it will not create a dimension for it, because it will not dimension to just anywhere. The dimension tool has to have a marker like an endpoint, intersection, midpoint, center, etc.

The only way I have been able to make Sketchup put a dimension in is to:

1. Create a guide line at the point I want the dimension tool to stop.

2. Draw a line at the point where I put the guide line.

3. Create the dimension.

4. Erase the line and the guide line.

If you have a more efficient way to do this, please post it here. I would love to cut my keystrokes down when dimensioning.

Thanks,
Eric


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> not bragging, but i have learned a decent amount about sketchup over the years, so feel free to ask, and i'll try to help if i can.
> 
> i am pretty good with the "how to do stuff" part, not so much the "does it support files created by <xxx>"


Chris:

Check out the attached PDFs. The first one (Part01) is the dimensioning as I wanted it. I actually was in the "object edit" mode when I added the dimensions. As soon as I left the "object edit" mode, the dimensioning changed to the second PDF (Part02). 

Very interesting.......

Sketchup appears to be trying to think for me. Unfortunately, my mind doesn't work like a computer.....:cray:

Eric


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

I have always had a hard time "finding" the center of a circle or hole for later operations. For example, if I have a hole I made and then want to put another concentric circle in that hole, I had the hardest time finding the center of the first circle so that I could start the 2nd one at the same point. But I figured something out recently that might help others.

Here is what i have learned about finding the center of a hole: after selecting the tool, hover at the edge of the circle for which you want to find the center. It will gravitate to a point on the circle and tell you it is on an endpoint. Then (without clicking) move near the center of the circle, and it will gravitate to the center and tell you it is on the center. Then you can click and it will start that operation from there.

This works with the dimensioning tool as well.

As far as putting multiple dimensions on a grouped object, I was unable to duplicate your behavior. I did this on a grouped item and it left my dimensions where I put them. I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but I have the Windows version of SketchUp, version 8.0.11752.

I use groups for objects, not components ... is what you were working with a group or a component?


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

*I found a work around for the Dxf files*

You can download and install Sketchup 7.1 pro Sketchup 8 and 7.1 can be installed at the same time7.1 pro will revert back to free version after 8 hours. You can use a free DWG Importer plug in with 7.1 Then you can import the DXF files. I found the info on the Ruby plug in site.


rwl7532 said:


> Short answer, yes you need the pro version.
> 
> Comparison:
> Google SketchUp


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

*Help drawing screw threads on a shaft Sketchup 8*

I have been trying to figure out how to draw threads on a 3/16 shaft in sketchup 8. I have tried some of the ruby plug ins I tried screw 1.5. RB I might just be using the plug in wrong. It just seems to distort the shaft. I read a few posts on the subject but I am still not having any luck making threads on a shaft has anyone had any luck doing this what is the the secret. 

Thank you
Roxanne


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## Drew Eckhardt (Aug 2, 2008)

Chris Curl said:


> I have always had a hard time "finding" the center of a circle or hole for later operations. For example, if I have a hole I made and then want to put another concentric circle in that hole, I had the hardest time finding the center of the first circle so that I could start the 2nd one at the same point. But I figured something out recently that might help others.
> 
> Here is what i have learned about finding the center of a hole: after selecting the tool, hover at the edge of the circle for which you want to find the center. It will gravitate to a point on the circle and tell you it is on an endpoint. Then (without clicking) move near the center of the circle, and it will gravitate to the center and tell you it is on the center. Then you can click and it will start that operation from there.


I use the arc center point plugin

http://sites.google.com/site/jimfoltz/sketchup/my-sketchup-plugins/arc-center-point

which adds a center point option to the right click menu that works for arcs of all flavors.


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

ok roxanne, here we go ...

make with a 3/32 radius circle on the origin. this gives you a 3/16 diameter circle
if it gives you a filled in circle, select the solid part of the circle and delete it. this leaves you with just the circle
select the circle and right click and select "explode circle"
make sure nothing is selected and activate the move tool
select one of the intersection points and move it on the blue axis up any distance, 1/16" is good. now you have a circle with one part sticking up
go back to the select tool and triple click on one of the lines to select all the lines and then shift-select on the left riser to deselect it
hit delete to delete everything but the one riser
using the rotate tool rotate and copy that one line arount the origin 15 degrees
type "x23" to repeat that 23 times. this gives you 24 risers arranged in a circle
now select them all and move/copy them straight up so that the bottoms of the copies touch the tops of the originals
type x23 to do that 23 times as well
now you have 24 spirals going up one full circle
triple click on one spiral and move it 1" on either the green or red axis. this gets it out of the way for the next step
select all the other spirals, but not the one you moved, and delete them
select the other spiral you moved earlier and move it back to the origin
while it is still selected, right click and make it a group
now use the scale tool and scale it down to 1/16"
now you have one thread around 
edit the group, select loop and move/copy it to make 2 loops
type x15 to repeat that 15 times
viola! you have 1" of threads for a 3/16 bolt. you still need to make the 3/16 diameter circle and pull it through the threads to make the bolt, but that is pretty straightforward.

it's late. i'll make a pictorial version of it tomorrow.

if you want a bolt that has the threads actually indented like a real bolt, that is more involved


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

with illustrations ...

- make a 3/32 radius circle on the origin. this gives you a 3/16 diameter circle
if it gives you a filled in circle, select the solid part of the circle and delete it. this leaves you with just the circle

- select the circle and right click and select "explode circle"
- make sure nothing is selected and activate the move tool
- move one of the intersection points on the blue axis up any distance, 1/16" is good. now you have a circle with one part sticking up









- go back to the select tool and triple click on one of the lines to select all the lines and then shift-select on the left riser to deselect it









- hit delete to delete everything but the one line. select that line









- using the rotate tool rotate and copy that one line around the origin 15 degrees









- type "x23" to repeat that 23 times. this gives you 24 risers arranged in a circle









- now select them all and move/copy them straight up so that the bottoms of the copies touch the tops of the originals









- type x23 to do that 23 times as well. now you have 24 spirals going up one full circle









- triple click on one spiral, or select one segment and then right click and select "select all connected"









- move it 1" on either the green or red axis. this gets it out of the way for the next step









- select all the other spirals, but not the one you moved, and delete them









- select the other spiral you moved earlier and move it back to the origin









- while it is still selected, right click and make it a group









- now use the scale tool and scale it down to 1/16". if you want 20 threads per inch, use 1/20". for 24 TPI, use 1/24".
make sure you include the quote, because otherwise, it thinks you are typing in a percentage, not an actual length.
eg - 1/20 (no quote) means scale it to 5% of its current size, while 1/20" means to make it 1/20th of an inch on that scale.









- now you have one thread around!









- edit the group, select the loop and move/copy it to make 2 loops
type x15 to repeat that 15 times









viola! you have 1" of threads for a 3/16 bolt.


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

Thank you again Chris. I am going to give it a try. I will let you know how I make out.
Roxanne


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> Chris:
> 
> Maybe you can help me with this dimensioning. Draw an rectangle with a hole in it. Now use the dimensioning to determine the distance from the edge of the rectangle to the center of the hole. Yes, Sketchup will tell you the distance, but it will not create a dimension for it, because it will not dimension to just anywhere. The dimension tool has to have a marker like an endpoint, intersection, midpoint, center, etc.
> 
> ...


Eric,

When adding dimensions I pick the center of the circle first by inference (hovering) and then the edge I want to reference and it always seems to create the reference dimension properly this way for me.

I'm also not sure what advantage there may be to adding the dimensions inside of a group or component? I add them externally to the group or component and they seem to work fine.


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

schipp11 said:


> I have been planning a lot of projects here and the one thing that want to be able to do is use Router Profiles on extrusions. Sketchup saved me a lot of time from trial and error because I knew exactly how long pieces need to be cut. So has any one seen a plugin or have router profile components?? I have tried creating them using the pictures provided from Router Bit Suppliers but that is tedios and I am not that good with my arcs yet.


A GREAT plugin for profiles:yes4:

Profile Builder Free Edition:

View topic - [Plugin] Profile Builder Free Edition • SketchUcation Community Forums


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

Hi Chris
I did good until I got to the scale tool. It won't let me type in 1/20" or any thing else. I selected the center point and started moving down it moves but there are no numbers in the measurement box.
Thanks
Roxanne


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

roxanne562001 said:


> Hi Chris
> I did good until I got to the scale tool. It won't let me type in 1/20" or any thing else. I selected the center point and started moving down it moves but there are no numbers in the measurement box.
> Thanks
> Roxanne


you have to "grab" the center dot on the top and move it down a little first. then let go of the mouse and type.

the process is just like the other places where you can type exact values, like drawing lines, moving things, drawing circles, push/pull ...


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## roxanne562001 (Feb 5, 2012)

Thank you Chris. I am not sure what I was doing wrong but after I read your reply it worked right away. Attached is the finished bolt.

Thank you again for all of your help.
Have a great day.
Roxanne


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

roxanne562001 said:


> Thank you Chris. I am not sure what I was doing wrong but after I read your reply it worked right away. Attached is the finished bolt.
> 
> Thank you again for all of your help.
> Have a great day.
> Roxanne


Excellent! Glad I could help.


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Chris:



gregW said:


> When adding dimensions I pick the center of the circle first by inference (hovering) and then the edge I want to reference and it always seems to create the reference dimension properly this way for me.


That is very interesting...I sure wish my version would do that! I am using version 8.0.11752. Are you using a different version that may work better? 

Even if I select the center of the circle first, I am not able to click on the edge of the box, unless there is a cross reference of some sort, i.e. guide line, line, etc. Yes, Sketchup will show me the proper distance, but I am not able to create a dimension there.



gregW said:


> I'm also not sure what advantage there may be to adding the dimensions inside of a group or component? I add them externally to the group or component and they seem to work fine.


Really? That is a great feature of Sketchup. Allowing dimensions to be contained with the group or component helps reduce the "clutter" when hiding parts of the drawings using the outliner. When the parts are hidden, the dimensions are also. This process improves both the editing and the viewing of the drawing.

Eric


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> Chris:
> Even if I select the center of the circle first, I am not able to click on the edge of the box, unless there is a cross reference of some sort, i.e. guide line, line, etc. Yes, Sketchup will show me the proper distance, but I am not able to create a dimension there.
> Eric


i noticed that too. but i noticed that if i clicked on the corner, or an endpoint, it gave me the dimension i was looking for (to the edge/line, not to the corner i clicked on) again, hovering on the line you want probably helps SU to make sure it has the correct dimension.


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> Chris:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Selecting the center first works for me using the free versions of sketchup 7 or 8...and yes, just like Chris noted, after selecting the circle center I also have to reference some feature (midpoint, endpoint) on the edge to select it. It seems like with any software - once you identify and learn the little "quirks" it makes life a whole lot easier..I was just relating what works for me, YMMV 

I usually use layers and scenes to organize dimensions and notes in my Sketchup models..layers to filter whether the dimensions or notes are visable and scenes to orient them the way I want to see them on the screen when they are visable. 

The only reason I questioned the advantage is because I'm not sure how you keep the dimensions from showing up in each instance of a component, and I thought that maybe the group or components bounding box may have been causing the issues you were having? 

Lots of great features to Sketchup and I seem to find more every time I use it...


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

gregW said:


> ... The only reason I questioned the advantage is because I'm not sure how you keep the dimensions from showing up in each instance of a component ...


this is exactly why i have all of the components that i typically change as simply wrappers for groups of things. 

for example, i have components for the different typical wood sizes i use (1x2, 1x4, 2x3, 2x4, ply, ...) i know i am going to change them after i put them in the model, so i set them up as components with only one group in them. that way, i can explode it after i put it in the model and have the group to work with. any changes i make to the group are specific to that group.

that approach lets me have named items (components) and edit them without propagating the changes to all the other instances of the thing.


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> this is exactly why i have all of the components that i typically change as simply wrappers for groups of things.
> 
> for example, i have components for the different typical wood sizes i use (1x2, 1x4, 2x3, 2x4, ply, ...) i know i am going to change them after i put them in the model, so i set them up as components with only one group in them. that way, i can explode it after i put it in the model and have the group to work with. any changes i make to the group are specific to that group.
> 
> that approach lets me have named items (components) and edit them without propagating the changes to all the other instances of the thing.


Wow! You lost me with that posting....

1. I usually create the dimensions for a particular part. 
2. Select all the dimensions, using the Ctrl key and clicking each dimension. 
3. Right click on one of the dimensions and then click the Group menu option.

The rest of the steps are done in the Outliner box:
1. I click with the right mouse button on the new Group and rename it to dimension.
2. I drag the renamed group to the part that is being dimensioned.
3. Now, I can hide the dimensions using the right mouse button when it the mouse is on the group.

By grouping the dimensions together, I can hide them when I don't want to see them or Unhide them when I want to see them. The part they are dimensioning can be still visible, but the dimensions hidden.

This technique also works with the components, also.

Eric


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

Eric, sorry about the confusion ...

attached is a pic of my "starting" model, which is basically just a bunch of components that are models of the base materials that are part of all my projects.

each thing in there is a "component", so it has a name and can be easily added to the model via the "components" window.

but if i add one of those things to the model, and then edit it, it changes ALL the instances of the component that are in the model, which is not what i want. Of course, I could right click and select "make unique", but then i end up with a bunch of extra things is my list of components.

so what i did is to make each thing a component, but i set it up so that when i explode the component, it explodes into a single group. 

with it set up like that, to add things to the model, i can use the "components" window, and then i explode the thing i just put in the model (which leaves me with a group). then when i edit the group, it does not change all the other instances of the thing i inserted into the model.

i don't know if that helps at all ... if not, i'll try again.


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> Eric, sorry about the confusion ...
> 
> attached is a pic of my "starting" model, which is basically just a bunch of components that are models of the base materials that are part of all my projects.
> 
> ...


Chris:

Ok, now I get it! Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.

Did you stay up all night to figure that one out? Sometimes, I wake up early in the morning with a solution that was bugging me when I went to bed. My brain must work all night while my body is resting! I wonder when my brain rests. Maybe, when I am dead.....

Eric


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## adjustablebeds (Apr 19, 2012)

I thought sketchup was pretty quick and easy to learn with plenty of online tutorials for what ever level you needed. Fortunately we can keep ours simple as Chris Curl and Eric lost me. I'm not that bright!


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

adjustablebeds said:


> I thought sketchup was pretty quick and easy to learn with plenty of online tutorials for what ever level you needed. Fortunately we can keep ours simple as Chris Curl and Eric lost me. I'm not that bright!


Ellie:

Amen to quick and easy! I like the KISS (Keep It Simple St...) principle, but sometimes you just have to take it to a more complicated point to make everything work......

Computers, for all the promises of making our lives easier, have also made them more complicated. I use to be able to get in my car, turn the key and drive away. Now, I have to have a "key fob" in my pocket, remember to wait (because the computer has to "wake up") while I grab the handle to unlock the door, adjust the 8 way seat settings (because the computer decided to change the settings to a "better" position for me after I turned off the car from my last drive) to a comfortable setting, press my foot on the brake, press the start button, turn off the navigation system (because the computer thinks I should use it), press the shift lever lock button, move the shift lever to drive, readjust all my mirrors (because the computer adjusted them for me to a place that they are useless), ignore the beeping (the computer thinks my car is too close to the garage wall). All these complications makes me want to just use my motorcycle or better yet my bicycle.

Enjoy life's simple pleasures, while you can. They are disappearing fast....

Eric


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> Chris:
> 
> Ok, now I get it! Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.
> 
> ...


Eric, no I am not one of those people who can stay up all night. But I do stay up later than I should sometimes. When my head hits the pillow, I am usually out within 5 minutes.

I read somewhere that sleep is really important for your brain to organize and make sense of the things it learned during the day. Without that sleep, the brain doesn't integrate the information completely.

My mother in law used to say that there will be plenty of time to rest when we are dead.


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## monty.smith (May 2, 2012)

Hi 

So your component list, can this become the cut sheet? Will this program lay out the cuts as if it were on a plywood sheet or dimensional lumber?

Thanks for your time 

Monty


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

monty, i don't think anything like that is built in, but after you designed it, you could explode a copy of it and lay those out to make your own cut sheet out of the parts.


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

I normally just position the pieces on a rectangle of the base stock (sheet goods, dimension lumber, etc) leaving a gap for saw kerf. If you like you can eliminate everything but the face plane for an easy two-D cut diagram.

GCG


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

monty.smith said:


> Hi
> 
> So your component list, can this become the cut sheet? Will this program lay out the cuts as if it were on a plywood sheet or dimensional lumber?
> 
> ...


I wish! IF anyone figures this out, please post it here.

I just downloaded the 30 day trial for TurboCAD 19. I have been using TurboCAD 9.0 for about 10 years. I refuse to upgrade a product that is solving my problems, so I keep that version until I am either forced to upgrade or the newer version has a feature that I want to use. Well.. the IMSI sales people were advertising that TurboCAD 19 will import Sketchup files. 

Well..I can testify that TurboCAD 19 does import Sketchup files, but I haven't figured out how to make it create a parts list or material layout from the file. I have been able to create both from 2D drawings that I created in TurboCAD 9, but I am not finding any way to do from 3D drawings. 

Eric


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> monty, i don't think anything like that is built in, but after you designed it, you could explode a copy of it and lay those out to make your own cut sheet out of the parts.


Hey Chris:

Are you literally referring to the "Explode" menu option in Sketchup or just explode as a general process? If you are referring to the former, please explain more. I only use the Explode menu option to break up a group or component I have created. Is there more functionality to the "Explode" menu option?

Eric


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Jul 14, 2011)

GulfcoastGuy said:


> I normally just position the pieces on a rectangle of the base stock (sheet goods, dimension lumber, etc) leaving a gap for saw kerf. If you like you can eliminate everything but the face plane for an easy two-D cut diagram.
> 
> GCG


GCG:

That looks like a good solution....Do you copy the pieces or actually move them? In TurboCAD, I would just copy the outside perimeter to a dimensioned sheet on the drawing. The perimeter usually contained the part name, part number and dimensions. I was able to link the perimeter to the original object, so if I changed the original object the perimeter was changed on the dimensioned sheet. You can do that in Sketchup by creating components for each part that you draw. When you change something on the component in your drawing, the component on your dimensioned sheet is updated also. It works pretty good.

Eric


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## GulfcoastGuy (Feb 27, 2012)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> GCG:
> 
> That looks like a good solution....Do you copy the pieces or actually move them?
> 
> Eric


Normally I make a copy of the drawing adding dims to the file name for clarity. I like to rotate the basic components as needed to lay them out on a rectangle of the stock I plan to use and move them around to determine the optimum compromise between best utilization of stock and simplification of cuts.

GCG


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## Chris Curl (Feb 13, 2012)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> Hey Chris:
> 
> Are you literally referring to the "Explode" menu option in Sketchup or just explode as a general process? If you are referring to the former, please explain more. I only use the Explode menu option to break up a group or component I have created. Is there more functionality to the "Explode" menu option?
> 
> Eric


I am referring to a logical explode, where you end up with a bunch of flat pieces that you can move around and rotate individually. Then you can put lay them all out flat and arrange them in an area the size of the plywood sheet you are going to use as GCG was talking about.

I tend to group and sub-group my things out the wazzoo, so for me, it is an "explode" operation in Sketchup. 

If you are not as "group happy" as I am, it might not be a explode fo you.


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