First SU Design Assistance

[John Lytle]

Hello all,

I recently down-loaded the free version of SU (cool tool). While in London on a two week business trip I have figured out most of the functions while working on my first design. I am certain I am not using this tool to its most efficient, but hopefully that will come with time.

I've attached the design I am working on, and which generates my question. The design is intended to be a combination of Woodsmith's jewelry box plans from issues 106 & 159, with some obvious design liberties. What has me stuck is the legs for the lower cabinet. How would I go about drawing a Cabriole, or Ogee, or worse yet, ball-and-claw style leg?

Any help would be greatly appreciated? Is there such a place as a free components library where I can simply down-load the 'parts' I need? Should there be?

Thanks in advance.

John

p.s. Just in case you wondering, the file name is intentional. I figure that if building this cabinet doesn't kill me, filling it with jewlery will.:)

[Dave Richards]

John, you've got a good start. If you haven't done so, look back through the design forum for some of my blabbering regarding the use of groups and components.

As far as the feet go, I think I have a tutorial on my home machine that shows how to do bracket feet. Perhaps that would help a bit. As for claw and ball feet, I would start with the ball as a separate element--group it to start so it doesn't stick to the rest of the leg. I would probably draw the claws by drawing the shape of the space between individual claws and extruding that through the leg. Then use Intersect with model to cut and delete the waste with the eraser.

[Aaron Beaver]

Dave, I know I ask this before, but group vs. component. You stated above to group the ball so it wouldn't stick, doesn't component do that as well. I have not messed with group, I have only used components to make each piece.

[Dave Richards]

Aaron, yes, you could make a component of the ball, too. From a drawing standpoint, the only differences between a component and a group are that copies of a component all get edited when one gets edited. With groups, each copy is a separate thing and not related to the others. Using components is a good idea when you'll have multiple copies of the same item. Table legs, shelves, etc. Because the copies of the component are related, SU only keeps track of the geometry for the first one. This helps to keep file size down which reduces problems with proccessor slow down.

In the case of the ball and claw, I would probably start with a ball and group it or make it a component, it doesn't matter. After getting the claw drawn so it fits around the ball, I'd expode the ball group (or component) and run an Intersect with model. Then I'd delete unneeded geomtry inside the leg to help reduce file size. Finally, I'd make a component of the whole thing.

Unless the ball was going to be made of some other material, there's little point in keeping it separated from the claw after the claw had been drawn. If the whole thing were to be carved froma single piece of wood, there'd be no seapration.