Sketchup anyone??

[John Keeton]

I have also observed so many valuable uses of Sketchup on SMC. Although, I have yet to undertake mastering this program, it seems that it would significantly enhance the woodworking experience.

Is there enough interest to justify a separate forum in the creek for this subject? I don't want to cause more work, but Sketchup is becoming increasingly popular.

Or, is there another source out there to which one can turn for a collective resource. I know there seems to be a lot of material, but it seems scattered.

Thoughts??

After posting this, I see the various threads come up in "Similar threads" - all in the Design Forum. Perhaps I just need to delve into that forum more. Would appreciate any comments in either event. Thanks.

[jerry nazard]

John,

Excellent blog on the FWW site. Starting something here on the Creek is a good idea.

Best!

-Jerry

[Larry Fox]

I would be VERY interested in this as well since I have tried to master Sketchup and have thus far failed. I consider myself to be of average intelligence but mastery of this program eludes me. I have worked with 3-d programs in the past with success but I have to think that there is something fundamental that I am just missing about this program which others have recognized and achieved success with.

Attempts to use it for anything other than a simple box with some holes in it have ended with my wanting to throw my computer out the window.

[Lewis Cobb]

Count me in favor of a sketchup forum as well. I've been playing with this program for a couple of years now and have really been able to visualize things and modify them without using up materials. In fact, I have my entire shop modelled - including all the tools that I don't own yet :D. The size of the file got so big I could barely navigate around in it.

Can't say enough good things about this program for shop layout once you get onto it. The learning curve was a bit steep though.

Cheers,
Lewis

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn286/LHC_02/Workshop%20Modelling/WorkshopPlanJune20081.jpg

[Mitchell Andrus]

I use Sketchup to build things that would othersize be too expensive to prototype.

I offer custom-made mantels and surrounds in the Arts and Crafts style. Of the dozen+ I've 'built', only a few have made it to my site and even fewer ever sell in any real numbers. This would be incredibly wasteful if I had to actually build these.

I've gotten pictures of living rooms from prospective customers and placed my mantel into their photograph - instant sale!!!

I spent about 30 hours over the course of a month learning only what I needed. The ability to insert my images (the tile, clock and the inlays are photographs) into a sketch is a big plus. I've got about 25 pictures of vases, clocks, wall mirrors... that I can place in a sketch.

It's just time at a desk instead of the TV....
.

[Greg Sznajdruk]

I would be VERY interested in this as well since I have tried to master Sketchup and have thus far failed. I consider myself to be of average intelligence but mastery of this program eludes me. I have worked with 3-d programs in the past with success but I have to think that there is something fundamental that I am just missing about this program which others have recognized and achieved success with.

Attempts to use it for anything other than a simple box with some holes in it have ended with my wanting to throw my computer out the window.


Larry I hear you, but check out this site specifically on drawing the book shelve.

http://www.garymkatz.com/charts_drawings.html


Greg

[Glenn Clabo]

The Sketchup discussions happen in the Design Forum. We discussed this before and decided to keep it there and not start a new forum. Here's some posts...
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/search.php?searchid=2558925

[Larry Fox]

Thanks Greg - I will check them out.

[Rob Cunningham]

John,
There's a couple of Sketchup forums that I have found useful along with info from SMC. There are also some tutorials on youtube
http://www.sketchucation.com/
http://forums.taunton.com/fw-designforum

Larry,
I was lucky enough to speak to Dave Richards (FWW Design. Click . Build Forum). I have used AutoCad for years but also struggled with SU. He told me that it seems more difficult for people with other drawing software experience to grasp SU. Just keep working at it, it will all the sudden make sense.

[Don Bullock]

I have also observed so many valuable uses of Sketchup on SMC. Although, I have yet to undertake mastering this program, it seems that it would significantly enhance the woodworking experience...

John, thanks for bringing this topic up again. If I ever learn Sketch Up I could justify a laptop for the shop.;):D


I would be VERY interested in this as well since I have tried to master Sketchup and have thus far failed. I consider myself to be of average intelligence but mastery of this program eludes me. I have worked with 3-d programs in the past with success but I have to think that there is something fundamental that I am just missing about this program which others have recognized and achieved success with.

Attempts to use it for anything other than a simple box with some holes in it have ended with my wanting to throw my computer out the window.

Larry, I'm in the same situation. My experience with computers dates back to the era of the punch card and the early "microcomputers," but Sketch Up seems to elude me. I even have trouble getting a simple box.:(


Count me in favor of a sketchup forum as well. I've been playing with this program for a couple of years now and have really been able to visualize things and modify them without using up materials. In fact, I have my entire shop modelled - including all the tools that I don't own yet :D. The size of the file got so big I could barely navigate around in it.

Can't say enough good things about this program for shop layout once you get onto it. The learning curve was a bit steep though.

Cheers,
Lewis

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn286/LHC_02/Workshop%20Modelling/WorkshopPlanJune20081.jpg

Lewis, that's impressive! I sure would like to be able to do something like that.:eek: Maybe now that I'm retired I'll be able to find the time to work with the program and the tutorials.

[Joe Cunningham]

Wow, I just started playing with it this week and that shop model is MOST impressive. I'm fumbling around with getting a chest-of-drawers model.

Haven't done anything like this since high school drafting class, so I am sure the learning curve is fairly steep.

Will have to poke around in the design forum more.

[Charles P. Wright]

Lewis,

Did you model all of those tools on your own; or did you get premade models for them?

Charles

[John Schreiber]

I'm a big fan and a big user of SketchUp. I've posted a lot of my models in the 3D warehouse. Look here if you are interested (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?uq=18231480013402454788). They are mostly woodworking related.

The blog at Fine Woodworking is great. The "Sketchucation forum" is generally great and it has a special section for woodworkers.

There's also lots of background here on the Creek and I'm sure there are many who would be happy to help out.

[Michael Schapansky]

Wow! I vote for Lewis Cobb to teach Sketchup. I've resorted to pencil and paper because I can't get the simplest things to work in that program. Even though I know I will get it the more I play with it, it seems like it will be years before I can get anything useful out of it. I just picked up my cyclone this afternoon, in fact it's still on the back of the truck and I would love to layout my ducting like that!

[John Sanford]

Over at Lumberjocks there's a fair amount of Sketchup activity as well, including at least one blog of a newbie learning it.

[Dave Shawley]

I was lucky enough to speak to Dave Richards (FWW Design. Click . Build Forum). I have used AutoCad for years but also struggled with SU. He told me that it seems more difficult for people with other drawing software experience to grasp SU. Just keep working at it, it will all the sudden make sense.

Rob, that is about the best description for my experience with SketchUp. I have used quite a few CADD programs over the years and found SU non-intuitive at first. Once you get used to the idea of pushing and pulling instead of cutting, it's pretty easy. The trick is to not think of how you would mill wood into the desired shape. Get used to creating holes by pushing circles and squares through an object instead.

I was debating on picking up a professional CAD package that I already know (either AutoCAD or MicroStation) before I stumbled across SU. This tool has saved me a bundle since I've completely redesigned projects before they have even hit to prototype stage just by modeling them in SU. I do find the lack of good materials a bit bothersome though. Has anyone found a good materials library for woodworking?

[Lewis Cobb]

Lewis,

Did you model all of those tools on your own; or did you get premade models for them?

Charles

Sorry for the delay Charles - been away from the computer for a bit.

Most of them I found on the 3D warehouse in Sketchup, and then modified them to match the dimensions of the machines I either have or am planning to buy. Also, I changed all the colors to Powermatic's mustard :D. I also grabbed actual photos of machines etc. and painted that onto the sides at times. The window is a good example of that - I took a picture of the window last winter and stuck it on as well.

[glenn bradley]

I was almost ready to throw in the towel on SU haveing lived too long in the 2D graphics world. With some practice and pointer from others I learned to picture the screen as a 3D space and finally had one of those Ah-Ha! moments. Now I can whip up fairly complex stuff in just a short time. I did this just now as a silly example:

[Neal Clayton]

sketchup is the best thing to hit my shop since lumber. i can't even begin to imagine how i would go about laying out door and window designs by hand, in fact i think for most other people who have basic experience but have just in the past few years begun to try and elevate their work to a higher level, by far the biggest obstacle is design. at least for me it was.

what would cost me a ton of time and 2x6s to mock up can be done in an hour in front of a football game on my laptop. google are my heroes ;).

[David Sallee]

I too have been playing with SU for the last year on and off but for the life of me I can't seem to get a grip on it... I will, no doubt try again and maybe, just maybe with the help of the links posted and help on here from others, I just might be able to mock-up and nice bookshelf... LOL

Thanks for the links
Dave

[Thomas Bank]

For those having difficulty starting out in SketchUp, I highly recommend the training videos on SketchUp's website - particularly the "new to SketchUp" videos here: http://sketchup.google.com/training/videos/new_to_gsu.html

Each video focuses on a single command and shows you all the ins and outs of it.

People with some extent of CAD background do seem to have a tougher time starting out with SU than complete newcomers because it is a fairly different way of working with things. Much more akin to working with modeling clay than with conventional drafting practices.

I've had some informal instructional sessions with some members of my woodworking class and most of them say two things: 1) that they haven't bothered to watch the videos and 2) that just watching me put things together suddenly made things a lot clearer for them. They've all then gone on to watch the videos and improved their skills at a much faster pace.