Project Plans - Self Conceived Project....

[George Bokros]

What do you use to develop working drawings for projects you conceived yourself? I have a closet system I want to build and want to make drawings to develop the look and dimensions of the components. I do not need 3D drawings.

Do you use CAD software or the good old drawing board and T-Square route?

I am asking because I am struggling with SketchUp.

Thanks

George

[Mark Carlson]

I use sketchup. Have you tried the Sketchup for Wookworkers tutorials? It was the quick start I needed. http://sketchupforwoodworkers.com/

~mark

[Charlie Barnes]

I use Visio, but I'm probably an odd-ball. I like it because I can easily make orthographic projections to scale and add dimensions which is what I use to build from. Like you, I've tried Sketch-up and haven't got comfortable with it yet. But I can see that it would be a very powerful tool. I'm just not there yet.

Charlie

[Dick Mahany]

I first struggled with Sketchup also, and fully find the struggling part true, but fortunately that changed! However, I now use it exclusively to design my furniture and projects and here's why. I found an excellent set of video tutorials on a woodworker's site who is both a master craftsman and sketchup teacher. Google Chief Woodworker's Blog and you should find it as I don't think it's allowed to post a direct link here..

After investing the time to look at 7 of his "Beginner's" tutorials, I was designing away with only minor difficulties. I love the ability to generate dimensioned drawings so quickly and easily after the design is finished. I learned just how versatile and powerful this tool can be when used as shown. I used to use Autosketch 2D but Sketchup is so much more useful for my needs. I suggest another try as that is what showed me the light. Good luck.

[Bill Huber]

I use Visio for some things and Sketchup for most everything else.

Sketchup is not fun to start with, it takes awhile but then it turns in to great fun.
I installed Sketchup and after about a hour uninstalled it, then I installed it again and after about 2 hours I uninstalled it, I just didn't get it.

Then I watched some videos from Sketchup for dummies (http://www.aidanchopra.com/web-content) and that help a lot. Then I watched some videos for woodworkers (http://sketchupforwoodworkers.com) and a few others on You Tube and now I really like it.

Don't give up on it, work on it for awhile and then leave it and come back and work some more. To me the Biggest thing is learning to make groups and moving them to were you want them.

[Jim Becker]

I use SketchUp! when I make any kind of formal illustrations to work with.

[glenn bradley]

SketchUp here as well.

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There comes a moment when learning SketchUp where the 3D space of your drawing kind of pops into reality on your monitor. Getting past the 2D mind set was the key for me. I knew that one object was in front of and to the left of another but, I didn't treat it that way. I treated it like a pencil and paper rendering of a 3D object; doesn't work well. Embrace "the space". ;)