The technology of a Woodworker/Geek

[Todd Burch]

Using Sketchup and Camtasia Studio (techsmith.com), I made this Sketchup drawing and movie in about 30 minutes (start to finish) for a remote client in Atlanta.

Too cool. Tool easy. The software makes me look pretty smart. (But we know the truth - don't we!!)

Comments? Feedback? You should be able to see a utility table with dimensions and hear my voice. It requires Flash, and perhaps the Techsmith Codec to view. The whole enchilada is just over 500K and lasts about a minute long.

Laundry Table Video (http://www.burchwoodusa.com/miscpix/PlanningStage/Sandra_G/laundry_Table.html)

Thanks, Todd

[Mark Stutz]

Todd,
You are a genius! :D Seriuosly, this is a great tool. I watched the Frank Klausz video this weekend on cutting dovetails. In it he described the desk he was making for a client. No plans, just a story stick. We sure have come a long way.

[Bruce Page]

Todd, that's too cool!

I use SolidWorks at work and it is amazing what the software can do.

[Jerry Olexa]

WOW! I feel inadequate! Wonderful tool!

[Alan Turner]

Hey Todd. Great sales presentation. Want to do my out of town sales pitches?
Alan

[Karl Laustrup]

Very KEWL, Todd.:cool: Some of this stuff just makes me wonder how we managed before all this tecnology. :confused:

Should we look for you at next years Oscar's? ;) :D

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Todd,

That is neat! You sure have removed any questions that your client may have had. Great job!

[Mark Singer]

Todd,

That is terrific! It allows anyone to understand clearly the design!

[Todd Burch]

The only thing I forgot to tell her in the video, was to be sure that the table could fit through all the doors and passageways on route to it's new home. I sent her a followup email on that point.

Producing a high quality video has never been a problem. Producing a high quality video in a small file size has been. The software I used works great.

Thanks everyone.

[Jim Becker]

"Wow"!! That's really kewel, Todd.

[Rob Russell]

Todd,

That's neat. Pictures are supposedly worth a 1000 words and a small video clip like that is even better.

Now - when you have a desktop package for under $1K that will download a cutlist to your slider ... :rolleyes:

Rob

[John Scarpa]

Todd,
Now that's a communication tool! Very cool indeed.
John

[David Wilson]

Todd

Great presentation. You should do a promo for techsmith.

[John Miliunas]

That's just way too neat, Todd! What a great marriage between techno-magic and your pure woodworking skills! Well done.:) :cool:

[Steve Inniss]

Todd,
That's a great use of Camtasia Studio to ensure agreement on your product specs up front - well done. I use it to do a voiceover demo of an Emergency Preparedness application on the Blackberry for remote clients. TIn addition to moving screen shots, the keys on the virtually Blackberry are actually depressed as text is input - and is a lot less expensive than a demo visit by me. -Steve

[Todd Burch]

Steve, I would like to see one of your demos, if I could. Thanks.

[Ian Barley]

Masterful. No other word expresses how impressive this is. I can only begin to imagine how much hassle this takes out of agreeing project specs with customers. Is this the first time you have done this?

[Todd Burch]

Hi Ian. Yes, it is the first time. No, it's not the last time!!

[Ian Barley]

Hi Ian. Yes, it is the first time. No, it's not the last time!!

I kinda thought that you might use this again! I think I will have to have a go at spending some real time with sketchup to get one of my chairs modeled in it. Sending a 3D walk around model on screen has to be a great way to distance sell a product as well as define a project.

My problem is that I have all kinds of compound curves on arcs and that kind of messy stuff AND I am completely without artistic merit in any way shape or form. When I have used CAD type programs I tend to control the cursor numerically rather than through mouse etc. Can I drive sketchup in this way? I have played with the demo a bit but had not found this kind of feature in it and have always foundered after a short time.

[Todd Burch]

While SU is not CAD, there are plenty of ways to control precision. In the bottom right of the screen is a box called the VCB, or value control box. When you draw a line and want it a specific length, you simply draw any length line segment in the direction you want, then type a value, like 25cm, or 10", or whatever. Same with rectangles, but you have two values separated by a comma (width, height). Circles and arcs get a radius ( 10r for 10 "units" radius), where units are your current drawing units (mm, cm, inches, miles, etc.)

The forums are fantastic on sketchup.com, and like SMC, folks are VERY friendly and willing to help. (Just don't mention you know me, or they will razz you!!)

Watch the videos in the training/tutorials section. They are awesome.

Todd

[Steve Inniss]

Steve, I would like to see one of your demos, if I could. Thanks.

Todd, I sent you a fat zip file to sales@burch... -Steve

[Chris Padilla]

Neat-o!! :)