[TheForge] Sketchup Help

Thu Jul 17 13:48:26 EDT 2008

Thanks All for the suggestions.

I had gone through the interactive tutorials (the "Start a Drawing, Part 
1-3) While I found cool stuff in there, not quite enough to get me where 
I wanted to be.

I hadn't watched the videos yet cuz I was sitting beside my wife while 
she was watching the tube, and didn't want any audio running. (I didn't 
even try the videos, so maybe there isn't an audio track. I'll try that 
tonight)

The layers are a worthy suggestion. I've used them for photo-type stuff 
with GIMP, and agree that they are handy. I expect to run into 
"problems" where features that I want are not in the free version of the 
tool. But that's life in the "freeware" space.

I'll continue to play with it. If I have a revelation, I'll post it.

**paul

Jerry Frost wrote:
> A couple things:
> 
> The free download isn't a complete version, naturally, some of the most 
> important (to me anyway) features aren't included. One of the features I 
> use the most in cad drawing is various "copies". The free version nly 
> has one "copy" function. No; multiple, radial, spline, etc. etc. There 
> are other missing features as well.
> 
> It draws in 3D, not 2D and add the third. Some features work this way 
> though but in general you're drawing in 3D.
> 
> Keeping orientation is always the toughest part of 3D drawing and 
> Sketchup is WAY easier than Autocad. There are a couple tricks to 
> snapping to a point:
> 
> Learn to use layers and keep components on their own layer. The simpler 
> the drawing the easier it is to accurately place things. One way this 
> works is by being able to hide components so you can see what you need 
> to. The tough thing is remembering to change layers when you want to 
> make a mod on the fly.
> 
> For instance you're drawing a cart and you're working on the fender. You 
> discover you can't put the fender on the cart body without it hitting 
> the tire so you move the tire out an inch. Now you have to stretch the 
> axle so you do. Later you discover you forgot to change layers and now 
> your brackets holding the fender are pinned to the axle and rotate when 
> the cart moves. Don't worry though you accidently changed layers on the 
> tires and they're pinned to the ground back in St. Louis. <grin>
> 
> What I've found handy is assigning each layer a color. This also helps 
> keep components straight in a finished drawing, say the frame from the 
> hydraulics from the electrical, etc. It's not so good if you're drawing 
> a house for the wife but you can change colors, textures, materials, 
> etc. any time as well as reasign layers, lock or unlock things, etc.
> 
> Ayway, layers is one of the most useful features of any cad program.
> 
> If you make an object a "Component" you can lock it's orientation and 
> plane, a menu will come up when you make a component and ask your 
> preferences. This can be changed as necessary too. For instance you draw 
> a bolt and want it locked to a particular plane. later you discover you 
> need more on another plane. "Copy" a bolt, "make it unique," "edit 
> component," reorient it, make any other changes, give it a new name and 
> make it a component of it's own and glue to the desired plane.
> 
> You can also "group" components and objects. For instance you're drawing 
> a tire hammer. The main shaft is a component, it's pillow blocks are 
> distinct components because you may ned to reposition them on the shaft 
> or copy them to another place on the hammer. However you're going to 
> want these two permanently on the main shaft somewhere so you "group" 
> the shaft and bearings. If you made them a component it's harder to edit 
> later, possible but harder. A group also doesn't have to be in one spot. 
> Perhaps you're drawing a castle and "group" all the wall towers. Now a 
> change to one tower will effect the others. This will work if the towers 
> are copied components as well but differently. (don't ask, I haven't 
> figured out how and why but they're a genuine "same difference.")
> 
> I think snap is another feature that's incomplete in the free version 
> though there are quite a few. If I have a persnickety placement I'll 
> sometimes create an offset snap point. For instance I forgot a bolt in 
> the middle of a widgit and the widgit has 39 components on top of and in 
> between me and the bolt hole. I pick a point of reference on the bolt 
> hole and draw a 12" vertical line. (the line can be whatever length you 
> need to clear everything) Then I draw the same length and orientated 
> line on the bolt. Highlight the bolt, click "Move" click the end of the 
> reference line and move it to the end of the other reference line. The 
> bolt will go exactly where you sent it. (Not always where I wanted it 
> though.<grin>) Then erase the reference lines.
> 
> I know there are proper ways to do offset snaps but I've never been able 
> to figure them out.
> 
> I followed the tutorials when I started using Sketchup but soon 
> discovered they're for the Pro version and there are lots of things I 
> can't do with the free (what I can afford right now) version. Still, 
> they'll show you the ropes a lot faster than trying to figure it out 
> without them, even if you've been using cad for years. Heck, the 
> turorials are even faster if you have cad experience.
> 
> My problem learning these things is trying to use the demo drawings or 
> just play around. I learn MUCH faster if I have the incentive of a 
> personal project on the board. That's why I drew up and built my new 
> Variable Volume forge. I've drawn up a couple other things during and 
> since but the forge leveled the major part of the learning curve for me.
> 
> I think I've covered this group of questions as well as I can. I'm self 
> taught and know for a fact there's lots I don't know and much I have wrong.
> 
> Frosty
> -------------------------------
> If it ain't forged
> it ain't real.
> Wrought iron is.
> The FrostWorks
> 
> Meadow Lakes, AK.
> 
> 
> From: "Paul Novorolsky" <crosspein at sbcglobal.net>
> 
> 
>> The Google Sketchup tool was mentioned here a while back.
>>
>> After reading some more about it in the "Hammer's Blow", I downloaded 
>> the plugins from drawmetal.com for making scrolls and tapers (very, 
>> very cool stuff) I've found myself struggling on a few concepts.
>>
>> I'm finding it cumbersome to keep objects in the same plane. While I 
>> can accomplish this by moving my view, and rotating and  moving 
>> pieces, I have this feeling that I'm "doing this the hard way".
>>
>> I'll admit that I need a lot more practice, but I'm hoping that 
>> someone here can provide some help, and save me some time as I muddle 
>> through this.
>>
>> Is there an easy way to keep things in the same plane?
>> Is there an easy way to "snap" (join) pieces together so I can easily 
>> group them?
>>
>> There's probably more, but I don't want to be greedy :-)
>>
>> I'm looking forward to using the drawmeteal plug in components to give 
>> me material lists and weight for a gate I'm designing (I consider 
>> myself an "Intermediate" level smith, and this will be the biggest 
>> project yet for me.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> **paul
>>
> 
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