For SketchUp users or those interested

[Dave Richards]

I just thought I'd post a drawing I did yesterday in SketchUp. The cabinet is the one in the latest FWW. I added the bottle just for fun. Then I rendered it with a simple, free application called Kerkythea.
http://hamiltonwoodworks.com/drichards/wallcab1.jpg

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Dave, now that is just too cool! With all of these sketch up posts, I may just have to break down and get me a copy.

[Jim Becker]

Kerkythea looks really interesting judging from the results, Dave. Thanks for the reference!

[Dave Richards]

Jeff, thanks. I know SU isn't cheap but I think of it as just another power tool for my shop. It certainly ends up being a time saver for me.

Jim, FWIW, I made the "lights" for this drawing in SU. They are just rectangles placed as one would place soft boxes when doing a phot shoot. In this case there is a large box placed behind the viewer's left shoulder, a skinny one to the right of the first and one above the cabinet. The intensity and color of the light is adjusted in Kerkythea aka K.

[Keith Starosta]

Dave, that is just awesome. I had to look at it a couple of times before I realized it was indeed a SU drawing.

Myself, being but a lowly SU hack, bow before you.... :-)

Keith

[Mark Singer]

Amazing!!!!

[Keel McDonald]

That is a nice drawing. Are there any other programs out there that any of you use for drawings/sketches/layouts?

[Dave Richards]

Thank you all for the compliments. My point in posting this is that if I can do this, you all certainly can. I realize this sort of drawing isn't needed for creating shop drawings. The cool thing is, this could be your presentation to a client and you can use the same drawing from SU as your working drawing.

Keith, please get up off your knees. You'll just get them dirty. :D I'm still a hack with SU, too.

Keel, there are some CAD applications out there that would be good for making working drawings but I haven't seen any of them that can do 3D presentation drawings as nicely as SU. Even the raw output of SU is nice for showing others what you're working on.

[Bruce Page]

Dave, what kind of wood is that!?! :rolleyes:

Awesome rendering!

I wonder if Kerkythea will work with SolidWorks?
I do have the PhotoWorks upgrade for SW, but haven't installed it yet.

[Dave Richards]

Bruce, the wood is simucherry. You can get it for $0.00/BF with a 25% discount for 100 or more BF. :D

Thanks.

Kerkythea can import OBJ as well as a couple of other formats. I expect SW can export OBJ files.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Bruce, in addition to the simucherry, I think the drawer bottom is made of shlamaca. I'll be well protected from the UV rays there.

BTW, nice work Dave.

- Vaughn