sketch up

[Paul Mathers]

I was wondering if google skeychup is any good for basic projects I have never used any kind of drawing program before thought it might help in figureing material and dimensions. Thanks for any advice

[Steve Sawyer]

I never do anything - even the simplest of projects - without doing a sketchup drawing first. just last night I drew three identical shelves that will be screwed into a corner of the family room to hold the new flat-panel TV and components we just got. Took longer to draw the TV than the shelves, but I'm now certain that I have the dimensions and shape right to accommodate the TV.

[jim hedgpeth]

I still find it kind of slow for really detailed work, but with practice I am getting faster.

It does come in handy for checking layout, and overall looks of a piece. Also works well to design pieces that have other thing going in/on them. Its a lot easier to fix a dimensional mistake on sketchup than in the shop.

On the down side it does have its quirks sometimes. If it doesn't like something you are trying to do it has a brain cramp and has to shut down.
A notice screen comes up saying sketchup experienced ..(what was it )..... a bug splat??... or something equally retarded (although admit-ably funny) sounding. Its been a while since I pissed it off that bad.

I do love being able to "spin" a completed drawing, and look at it from angles I couldn't see in a conventional blueprint style drawing.

To answer your original ?? on the short..................
1) figuring dimensions....ABSOLUTELY!!... its great for that.
2) Materials...... I think you are talking quantity (board feet) and cut list, not MDF vs. Oak, in which case I have seen mention of a plug-in that is supposed to do that, though I have never used it. If I remember the name, or where I saw it I'll post it later.

All in all I would say download it and play with it. There is a free version and one thats $$$$. Play with the free version and if you dont like it just delete it. The podcast tutorials are helpful to learn the basis.

Have fun,
Jim

[dan sherman]

I still find it kind of slow for really detailed work, but with practice I am getting faster.

Same here, The only thing that really annoys me about it, is that I can't enter x,y,z cordinates to make stuff happen. if i want to make a line that starts at 2,2,2.25 I can't do that. I have to reference the origon or an already defined point. After I've created the line, then I can move to where I actually want.

[Tom Veatch]

...2) Materials...... I think you are talking quantity (board feet) and cut list, not MDF vs. Oak, in which case I have seen mention of a plug-in that is supposed to do that, though I have never used it. If I remember the name, or where I saw it I'll post it later.

All in all I would say download it and play with it. There is a free version and one thats $$$$. Play with the free version and if you dont like it just delete it. The podcast tutorials are helpful to learn the basis.

Have fun,
Jim

There are a couple of programs involved. Both have the same basic name "CutList" which is a little confusing. One is a standalone application that is pretty powerful. The other is a free plugin for Sketchup that doesn't require the standalone application but will output a CSV file that can be imported into the standalone. Both are quite useful.

Standalone, commercial application:
CutList Plus, http://cutlistplus.com, the version I have installed is Silver Edition 2009.5.3. Don't know if that is the latest or whether the free version is still available, or not.

Sketchup Plugin:
Cutlist 4.0, http://lumberjocks.com/daltxguy/blog/5143. Current version is 4.0.7, I believe, and can be downloaded from here: http://www.box.net/shared/8nzm1tmdfm

[Rick Prosser]

I have just started using it - and find it is a great tool. It was (is) a steep learning curve for me, but I was trying to make it work to my logic instead of learning the way to tool works. I have done my new shop layout, framework for a pump house, and a few other odd things. More practice - better results...funny how that works:D

and it's free !

[Ken Higginbotham]

There a number of great videos on using Skecthup on the net! Just google it...

[dan sherman]

Scratch everything I posted above, A co-worker pointed out my umm... stupidity.

to exactly specify points in space see this page.
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=94817



Same here, The only thing that really annoys me about it, is that I can't enter x,y,z cordinates to make stuff happen. if i want to make a line that starts at 2,2,2.25 I can't do that. I have to reference the origon or an already defined point. After I've created the line, then I can move to where I actually want.

[glenn bradley]

SU started working for me when I learned to let go of the "page" and think in "space". I cannot dedicate enough time to it to learn to get the highly detailed stuff done quickly (follow me still pains me) but for basic layout, dimensions and dimensional relationship visualizations (as in what happens if I make this piece thicker?) and all that; great tool.