Google Sketchup - Come Along for the Ride

Betsy said:

The Beginning

So you asked for it, so here it is-- a blog about Sketchup. Now the first thing you have to know is that I'm a complete novice and so this journey we are taking will be interesting. I'm looking forward to the challenge of bringing Sketchup to life for you and me! The other thing is that until Saturday I'm not going to be able to do much. My home internet is down until then when the repair guy comes, so I'm doing a little bit from work before the work day starts and maybe a bit at lunch time. Also know that I'm pretty much typing left handed until after my surgery, so if you see a typo, please forgive me. Fortunately I type for a living and my left hand knows where all the keys are!

First things first. You can download Google Sketchup (for free) at http://sketchup.google.com There is the free program and the Pro program. Definitely get the free one!

Having a mouse with a wheel helps a lot, but the program is also easy for us laptop folks. But if you use a mouse - try getting one with a wheel. (Although I think most new computers come with a mouse wit a wheel.)

Well - I need to get to work - a girls got to make a living.

I hope this blog will be enjoyable for you. I'm sur I'll learn alot as I've always said - the best way to learn somethin is to teach it to someone else.

Enjoy!

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Betsy said:

In the beginning.....

So the journey begins. The trip is short this morning because I've got to start work shortly.

I'm a beginner at this program so thsy's where we are starting. I will do my best to answer, or find answers to all questions. Everyoneis welcomed to chime in with questions, answers, or corections to my answers.

So like I said short and sweet this morning.

First - definitely get a mouse with a scrool wheel-even if you have a laptop. I got my mouse out last night and it makes a HUGE difference in using the program.

Next when you open a new sheet there's this man standing there. Ten points to the one who can tell me his name! I know it already. Anyway - I don't like the guy. He's a sexist slob. How do I know this? because he appears to be walking and he has his head turned in the "Wow that's a good looking woman" turn. Just kidding guys.

To get rid of the little guy - use the select tool, the little arrow in the top left corner to select him and then right click and scroll up to erase or hide. You can also just click on him and then right click.

I believe to make him go away permanently you need to make a template. I'll get into that later this weekend when my home internet is fixed and I have more time.

"Snip"--you know what that is right-- snip a stray thread off your shirt or you snip at your wife-- wait that must be snap at your wife--sorry.

Snip is how you can stop what ever you are trying to do from happening again. Say, for instance you are drawing a line and are done and want now to draw a circle. You move your cursor to select the cricle but you are still dragging a line along for the ride to the circle tool.

To stop drawing your line, or rectangle or circle, etc. when you finish with the action press the "esc" or escape button. This "snips" off the line,ectangle, etc. and you can go merrily to another action.

OK, gotta go for now. Will do more exploring and more indepth blog this weekend.

Thanks guys and rememberEveryoneis welcomed to chime in with questions, answers, or corections to my answers.

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Betsy said:

Baby steps, the blind leading the blind

Finally have my internet connection back!!!! Don't realize how much you use it until it's gone.

Learning Sketchup is no easy feat. I'm going to make the admission that I'm an not technically savvy and so this project is going to be taken in baby steps. Hopefully, those who are like me, technically challenged, will be able to learn from my little foray into the computer age. For those who are more technically able, perhaps this will provide some good fodder for jokes or water cooler talk! (I won't be offended in the least if you post your jokes here-all us woodworkers should be able to laugh at one another.) They, whoever "they" are, say you can learn the program in an afternoon--- well fear not those who are like me,,,,, not everyone can-but we will learn.

Be it hereby known, I will not be defeated! I will learn how to use this program if it's the very last thing I do! Now you have to hold me to it.

But as always, any interjection of comments, questions, ideas etc or more than welcomed.

My very first HUGE tip is to go to this site: www.youtube.com/aidanchopra -- this is the man who wrote Google Sketchup for Dummies. The videos are very helpful.

I did buy his book and the book says there is a website www.dummies.com/go/SketchUpFD. that you can use-- but I went to the site and could not get it to work for me.

The Youtube videos help to explain what you read in the book.

By way of minor review - the book is ok-- but it is still more technical than I'm used to. I am very old school and some of the technical stuff is mind boogling. I'm not stupid, I just have a different way of thinking of things and I think you have to change your perspective a bit to get into the computer age. I'm working on that and perhaps working through this program will help me to do just that.

The first thing I see that I need to consider with Sketchup (in legalees-- "SU" from hereinafter) is that we are working in 3D-- with axises as our guide. In SU there are three "lines" or axises on the screen. Blue, red and green. You have to view these lines correctly in order to work the system. What makes it work for me is to imagine that the green and red lines (which are the ground) come together in a 90 degree corner. The blue line (which is up or vertical) connects at the red/green corner and goes up into the sky (into infinity and beyond). If I am physically standing up, the green line goes to the front of me on the ground and the red line would go to the right of me on the ground. The blue line would go up through my pretty little head (I jest) into the sky.

OK - before we get to far. One way that I think I need to change is that we need to use the terms that SU uses. So from now on those red, green and blue "lines" are "axis" (axises - plural). If you are going to be drug into the technical, computer world, might as well talk the talk.

These axises are VERY important to understand. You have to pay attention the axis that you are working on in order to draw correctly.

OK-- the dog is ready at the groomers so this is all for now. In those famous words "I'll be back."

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Betsy said:

Tools - general stuff

So now we have to take a look at tools. There are LOTS and LOTS of tools to look at. But the three most important are the zoom, orbit and pan tools. It seems that their importance are in that order.

Again, I've definitely discovered that if you don't have a mouse you better get one. You can do everything with your keyboard and cursor - but you'll save yourself a whole bunch of aggravation by getting a good mouse.

Moving the scroll wheel back and forth zooms in and out. This replaces the tool that looks like a magnifying glass on the menu bar. This feature helps you to move in close to any particular portion of your project that you want to work on at any one time. When you have a lot of different portions of a project on the screen the zoom feature will be a big advantage. (Layers is another feature that will be useful as zooming - but that's way ahead of where we are now.)

Pressing and holding the scroll wheel down orbits - allowing you to move around the object and see it on all sides. This replaces the icon that looks like two arrows going in a circle. (It's the one right next to that ghostly looking hand.) You want to become an expert at orbiting-- you'll thank yourself for obtaining this little talent. Picture yourself wanting to look at the back of your house. The only way to do that is to walk from the front to the back-- orbiting is like walking to the back yard.

The pan tool-- that ghostly looking hand - this allows you to move the object around the window. It does not spin the object - just moves it from one side of the window to another. The mouse, in my opinion is less useful with this particular tool. To use the mouse you need to hold down the scroll wheel and at the same time hold the shift key down. This makes the pan tool appear - then moving the mouse around (all the while holding the wheel and shift key down) will make the object move around. I think it is easier to use the icon - you have to select the icon then hold the LEFT mouse button down to move the icon/object around. I just think it's easier to have to hold only one thing down at a time.

Those are the three tools you MUST get a grasp on before getting very far.

Hopefully I'm not going to slow for everyone--I'm sorry if I am-- I am taking a long time to get the hang of the program. One thing that I think is very helpful is to just start "sketching" and clicking and doing the little things to get a feel for what each tool does.

I think that the biggest shortfall of any book, article, blog, or instruction on any topic is that the person who is writing or teaching leaves out some of the little things that make such a big difference to actually using the program-- I call those things the "Ah now I get it" things. The writer or teacher does not leave these things out intentionally, but the little things are just taken for granted. These are the things that I need to figure out to use the program. So that's what I'm going to try to do here.

Hopefully it won't be too boring. But we are going to take baby steps. I figure I have till about September before I can get back in the shop so that leaves a lot of time for baby steps! Not really, while I have until September, I won't really go that slow.

One assumption that I've made that is not necessarily wrong as a whole, but is not exactly right-- (did you get that?) is that everything starts out as a shape - in other words you have to start with a rectangle or circle or triangle, etc. This is not right.

The important thing is that you have to have an edge and a face to get anything done. You can accomplish this with the line tool (the pencil) - you don't have to start with a "shape."

Just try this-- select the pencil tool, click on any spot then move your cursor to another spot and click again. You now have a line. Because it is a single line attached to nothing in particular it will be a dark line.

Now something about lines and SU in general. As you drew your line did you notice what color it was? If it was green, red or blue that means you are drawing parallel to one of those axes. If the line is black as you are drawing - that means you are not parallel to any axis. Most of the time you want to be parallel to an axis - that will make everything that comes after easier.

Now back to that line-- if you have not moved your cursor from where you clicked the second time, you may notice that green dot at the end of the line - that dot - no matter the color is called an "inference" you need to pay attention to those little dots. The green dots indicates that you are at the end of the line and if you click again while that dot is green and move your cursor around you will begin drawing a new line from the "end" of the first. If you move your cursor so that the green dot disappears along the line it should turn red, this indicates that if you start drawing from there that your new line will begin on an edge not the end. Pretty simple. If you keep moving the dot will change to another color - light blue to my eye - indicating that you are at the midpoint or center of your original line. There are other dots or inferences to watch for. But those are the main ones to start with.

Now back to the end of your line where that green dot is take a look at the bottom right of your screen - you'll see a little box that says "length". This is the value control box. You can make this a complicated idea - but it's not. It's a dimension indication tool - that's it. Move your cursor away from the green dot and watch the box - it will show the length of your line. This will help you when you start actually drawing and want to make something a certain dimension. Don't make it a complicated thing--try to keep this simple. (That's what I keep telling myself.) If you are drawing a line - it shows length, if you are making a circle, it shows radius, etc.

Now just to complete (well not exactly complete) the thought on edges and faces-- take your line and draw four that are connected at those little dots. Once you finish that last line you'll see that the inside of the four lines turns a light black--that light black space is a "face."

Now let's play with that face. Move your cursor to the tool bar and pick up the "select" tool. That's the arrow in the upper left corner of the screen. Move the arrow over the new face and click-- that will change the texture of the face into a bunch of little dots. ANYTIME a face is selected it will have these dots. Anything that is selected will be the portion of the object that will be changed by any following action.

You can "select" by clicking as well - you don't necessarily have to use the select tool.

ok that's all for now - all this left handed typing gets tough! More later.

As always comments, suggestions, questions or corrections are always welcome.

oh and just because I don't think a blog is complete without a picture---



there - I feel better.

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Betsy said:

A simple table preview

I'm at work right now and don't have SU on this computer. But last evening I decided the best way to get moving on this was to put aside trying to do anything fancy (layers, components, MT joints, etc.) and do a simple table. So I spent about three hours or so putting a table together. The table is based on episode 11 of the Woodwhisperer's pod cast. I plan to take it one step at a time and go into detail of each step. I'm not going to do anything fancy like move, copy, tapers, etc. The only fancy thing will be guide marks. This will be an excercise in redundancy of effort. Such as you'll be forced to make 4 legs instead of one. But I think the practice will be good. Get the basics down and then the fancy stuff will really be easy to get. Doing this this way will help you see the various mistakes you can make and teach you how to avoid them.

I had a lot of fun making the table. I think I ran into some "ah that's how they do that" things that hopefully will help someone else.

If you have time, watch Marc's podcast and then check back tonight on my blog. Hopefully we'll all be on our way to mastering this program!

As always your thoughts, comments, questions and corrections are appreciated.

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Betsy said:

Continuing the table - inserting guides and preparing for legs

I really appreciate Brad and others (some PM's) that have responded to my blog. That's what I want - all the responses help me by either encouraging me to keep going or adding to the blog with other thoughts. That's what I want and I appreciate everyone's input.

Thanks to Brad Nailor I learned how to insert a picture of the table I am blogging about.



It's a crude project-- but it's a start and I've learned a lot doing it. Hopefully as I move along on the blog you can learn how to do it also and I'll reinforce what I learned to! There is a lot that's not right with it, but just like woodworking where you start with butt joints--this is the butt joint of SU. We'll all get better as we move along.

I left off with have a table top that is 36×72 x 3/4. A table is not really a functional table without legs. So legs are the goal tonight. Remember that I'm taking baby steps nothing fancy is going to happen tonight. Basics, basics, basics and redundancy - that to me makes everything stick in my little mind.

If you are following along and making a table with me - you should open your saved project. This is what you should have.



Guides are basically marks, or temporary lines that help you place other objects in your project. They replace your little tick marks that you make with your square and pencil. You make guide marks with the tape measure tool. This tool does several things - but right now we are focusing only on it's guide-making ability.

Click on the tape measure and move your cursor onto the short edge of the top (the one closest to you). When you see the inference dot turn red it should say "edge". Because your top has depth you can actually place your cursor on the top edge and the bottom edge. Since we are placing legs we want to place the cursor on the bottom edge.

This can be confusing because you have to remember that we are looking at the bottom of the table. So you want the cursor's inference dot to be on the top of the bottom. Got that-I know it can all be confusing.

OK - so now you have your cursor on the top edge of the bottom - left click once - and let go. Move your mouse about 1" or so away from the edge and click again. You should now have a dotted line crossing the short edge of the top.

Notice the VCB (value control box) in the bottom right corner of your screen. The box should say "length" type in "1" and hit enter. This moves your guide 1" from the short edge of the bottom of your top.

Now move your cursor/tape measure tool to one long edge and do the same exercise. You'll notice that your two guides cross at the corner - giving you a guide/location where to place your leg.

Next do the other short edge. You'll notice that when you place the guide it looks like it is not the same as the other short edge. This is because of the way you are looking at it.

When you do the second long edge you'll notice that it's hard to get the red dot to show up-this is again because of the position the top is in. This is a good time to use your mouse and move the top around so that you can see that second long edge better.

So we need to "orbit" to move the edge so we can see it better and get that red dot to show up. Place your cursor over the edge and click and hold down the mouse's scroll wheel. Your orbit tool should appear.

One tidbit here - it does not matter what tool/icon you have on the screen - when you press down and hold the scroll wheel it will always change to the orbit tool.

Now move your mouse around until you can see that second long edge better. Then release your scroll wheel. You should now be able to get that red inference dot to show up. Go ahead and draw your fourth guide line and enter 1" for the distance.

You should now have this on your screen.



Next is to actually place a leg. But that's the next section of the blog. My little hand is getting tired so I need to take a break.

As always your input is welcomed.

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Betsy said:

Putting in the legs and zooming and panning

Second try on this one. Had it almost done and it went into oblivion somewhere. Oh well - here we start again.

This is where we ended the last time.



So now it's time to place the legs. This will be another exercise in redundancy. No copying and pasting - practice practice practice. :+)

We are going to work with the bottom left leg. You need to select your rectangle tool and move it to the corner of the two guide lines. When your tool hits the corner exactly a black inference dot will show up showing that you are at the intersection of the guides. Left click the mouse once and let go. push the mouse up about an inch or so and click again. Then type in 3,3 and Enter. This gives you the dimension of your leg.

Next select your push/pull tool, which is the same tool we used to give depth/thickness to the top.

One thing you have to remember about the push/pull tool is this-whatever it is hovering over will turn to a bunch of dots--that means the tool is ready to do something to that particular part of your project. Because of that you need to be sure that the tool is on top of the new rectangle/leg. Once you have it over the leg = left click and bring the leg up. Then type 29.25 in the VCB box and hit enter.

You should now have this.



Now we want to work on the top left leg. You can see that when you place your rectangle tool there that it is not as easy to get the intersection to come into view. This is like standing at your workbench and not being able to correctly see the part you are trying to work on. So you either walk around the bench or you move the project. In this case if you physically walk around the project all you'll see is the back of your computer-- that won't help-believe me. What you want to do is to pan and zoom.

I like to pan (use that ghostly hand) and move the project to the center of the screen and then I zoom in (using the scroll wheel on the mouse) until I get a good view.

This is what my screen looks like.



Now try getting your intersection inference to show up. Place your second leg just like the first. Then zoom an d pan some more until you get all four legs in place.



Now is a good time to learn the eraser function. You cannot use the Edit drop down menu for this part - you can only use the eraser. The eraser is the flat pink tool (7th from the left).

Before you go any further have you been saving your table progress? I'm assuming you are building with me and not just reading. Maybe, please.

So anyway - now is a good time to get rid of those guide lines. You do this two ways one simple one not so hard way. The simply way if you want all of your guides to go away is to go to the Edit menu on the tool bar and drop down and select delete guides and just like that they are gone.

However,what if you need to keep one or two guides and only need to erase one or two. Hummm you do that with the eraser tool and this is how that's done.

Select the eraser tool bring it to the guide you want erased and left click near the guide - it should turn blue the click again - and it's gone

So now we have an upside down table. That's not much use to us. Use your pan and orbit tools to flip this table upright.



This is what we want to end up with.



Hope you all are getting a little something out of this. I know I am. All questions and comments welcomed.

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Betsy said:

The next progect

I'm nearing the end of my basic table blog and will be starting another project that will be more complex. Such things as groups, components, etc.

Since I'm not allowed in the shop right now, I'm not going to tempt myself by designing a new progect. So what I've decided to do is to use SU to make a drawing of a project I've already done. It's the hall table that I have posted. http://lumberjocks.com/projects/3507

I'll be finishing up the table tonight and moving on to the hall table. I'm sure I'll need lots of pointers and tips on this new project - so feel free to help me learn SU!

Stay tuned!

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Betsy said:

Rotating ---- not sure I've got this right but here goes

Well I should be able to finish up the table project tonight. Still going slow and methodically. To everyone who has commented and added tips-- THANKS. I really appreciate it and hope you continue to add to my blog. This is all about learning after all.

So we left off here.



Now we have to back up just a bit. If you remember from the last section I had used the orbit tool to turn the table upright. Well come to find out there's a better way (thanks Brad!).

We started with the table upside down to add the legs. Like this-



Instead of using the orbit tool to upright the table-use the "rotate" tool. This is the 12th tool from the left and looks like two arrows chasing each other. When you click/select this tool when you move your cursor back over the work space - it should turn into a circular protractor. Pretty slick stuff!

The Rotate tool is just too much fun to be allowed actually. First the academics-- to flip the whole table you have to "select" the whole table. I'm pretty certain I'm missing something here. But let's just use the select tool to select the entire table - move the select tool over the table and left click three times, this should turn the entire table blue outlined.

Next just for giggles move your cursor around the table-notice how it changes color? What ever color the tool is means that your actions will take place in that axis.

Yet for more giggles try this little exercise. Move the cursor over the lower right corner until you see the green end point inference dot and the protractor turns blue. Left click and release-- then move your mouse around-- and watch the table swing around and around--- I know it does not take a lot to entertain me.

OK - back to the serious stuff-- hit the escape button to release the protractor (and for good measure go to edit and undo any rotating you might have done).

This is how I used the rotate tool - but I'm not sure I'm doing it correctly - but it seemed to work. I moved the tool to the left side of my table and let it turn to red - for the red axis then moved it so that the red/edge inference dot showed up and then double clicked. Then in the VCB I typed 180 degrees and hit enter. This flipped the table to its upright position.

So I think that's a way to rotate. But I really think I'm not grasping the rotate tool just yet. I'm going to have to work on that a bit more - OK a lot more.

Any help would be appreciated.

With all that said-- to do the rails on the table as I did them originally-in slow baby steps without anything fancy-- you need to flip the table back onto it's top. So you can practice with the rotate tool or can go to edit - undo rotate.

I'll do another section on this later tonight-maybe tomorrow - my neck is really bothering me so I need to take a break.

if someone can shed some more light on the rotate tool and how to use it correctly - I'd (and I'm sure someone besides me) would appreciate it. Jump on in!

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Betsy said:

Last of the simple table blog - then onto bigger and better projects!

So now we are going to finish up the table. Since I started this little project I have learned a ton of stuff. All that will be explored on my next project - the hall table, however, I really feel like I need to finish this blog project the way I started, with baby steps - and not necessarily the very best way to get things done.

(one caveat-my pictures are screwed up and I'm not exactly sure why. So there are not many pictures tonight. Will start fresh for the next project.)

The last blog we flipped the table over onto its feet. Now we need to undo that and set it back on it's top.

Use the "select" tool and triple click the table so that it turns completely blue. Select the rotate tool and click the edge of the table so that the red inference dot is showing. Left click again and type in 180 in the VCB box-- then hit enter. This should flip the table back onto its top.

We are going to put in the aprons, end rails and stiles. I'll do several ways. Mostly I'll do this to show you really why you do want to do things differently, by using components, groups and layers. So this exercise really will be helpful in the end.

Use your zoom tool and pan tool to move the table around so that the legs are filling up much of your screen.

So now use your guide placing talents to place a guide 3/8" from the outside edge of the leg. Then place guides 3" from the top and 3" and 6" from either end of the leg. It should now look like this.



Select your rectangle tool and move it so that you get the black intersection inference dot to show (in the lower left corner at the "top" of the leg). Move the cursor up to the guide mark and over to the right slightly. Type in 3, .75 in the VCB box. This should give you a tall rectangle - not one on it's side.

Now do the same for the other end of the leg. You now have your short apron rail.

I've pictured here what will happen if you do not put the rectangle squarely on the axis.



Now you need to redo that rectangle to make sure it is square on the face of the leg. Now pan around so that the table's end is facing you and use the push pull tool to pull it out the two rectangles to meet the other leg.

This is what you should now have.



Now onto the stiles. Use your new found zoom and pan skills to zoom around and get a good look at the bottom rail and draw guide lines to place three stiles evenly across the width. (3, 6 and 12.5 from each end).

Then zoom and pan around to place a guide 1/8 in from the outside of the rail.

Place your first rectangle and push/pull and this is what you should have.

Repeat two more times on one end and duplicate the actions on the other. Very, very repetitive, and not necessary.

The next blog will explore a better way but doing a hall table.

Hope you have enjoyed this ride. I know I've learned a lot. Mostly that I've got a lot more to learn!

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Betsy said:

Simple Sketchup bookcase

Here I am going to try a little bit more of this Sketchup program. I'm having a bit of trouble getting the hang of things - but I'm determined to whip this program into submission! I was going to work on a hall table - but decided that's still out of my SU talent range so I've decided to do a simple bookcase. I've picked up few tricks. Nothing to fancy - but more than the baby steps I took with the table blog.

Between the medication for my neck and the cat sitting on my keyboard - I might get this accomplished.

First start with a rectangle the outside diameter of the bookcase. I'm shooting for 14" deep and 32 wide.

Use the push/pull tool to pull the rectangle up to 5'.



Now we'll use the "offset tool." This is the tool that looks like a half circle with an arrow coming through the top (13th tool from the left of the small tool bar).

Position the offset tool on the top edge of the rectangle so that the red inference dot shows up. Then slowly move the tool inward - you should see a second rectangle being created - left click and type in ¾" in your VCB box. This will give you ¾" sides.


Next select the face of the rectangle and use the push/pull tool to push the face back 13.75"



As it appears this is just a simple box that will have shelves added. Nothing fancy. I've not figured out how to show the rabbet on the back or the dados for the shelves. But I'll get there!

Next so that nothing happens to my shell - I'll make this into a "group."

Select the box by triple clicking so that all the edges are blue.

The right click and select "make group"

Now onto making a few shelves.

Select the rectangle tool and draw a rectangle on the bottom of the case. I choose to make mine 12" deep (by 31" long).

Then select the rectangle and right click and select "make component."

Now select the rectangle/component by using the select tool and double clicking,

Bring the move/copy tool onto the shelf component you should see four red crosses (x's) and it should say on "on face on group"

Left click and hold the control key down-and move your copy up to the top of the case. Type in /4 then hit Enter. You should get four additional shelves evenly spaced.

Click on the bottom shelf (the original rectangle) and delete.

Now select one of the shelves by double clicking and use the push/pull tool to expand the shelf - ¾". Because you made the shelf a component - what ever you do to one shelf will happen to the others.



Certainly nothing fancy here. I want to work on figuring out how to put the rabbet on the back and the dado's for the shelves. I still need to figure out how to show the screen I'm looking at into the blog. That would probably help a lot. But I'm missing something in my fellow LJ's explaination of how to do that. But will keep trying.

Hope this makes sense!

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Betsy said:

Simple Sketchup bookcase

Here I am going to try a little bit more of this Sketchup program. I'm having a bit of trouble getting the hang of things - but I'm determined to whip this program into submission! I was going to work on a hall table - but decided that's still out of my SU talent range so I've decided to do a simple bookcase. I've picked up few tricks. Nothing to fancy - but more than the baby steps I took with the table blog.

Between the medication for my neck and the cat sitting on my keyboard - I might get this accomplished.

First start with a rectangle the outside diameter of the bookcase. I'm shooting for 14" deep and 32 wide.

Use the push/pull tool to pull the rectangle up to 5'.



Now we'll use the "offset tool." This is the tool that looks like a half circle with an arrow coming through the top (13th tool from the left of the small tool bar).

Position the offset tool on the top edge of the rectangle so that the red inference dot shows up. Then slowly move the tool inward - you should see a second rectangle being created - left click and type in ¾" in your VCB box. This will give you ¾" sides.


Next select the face of the rectangle and use the push/pull tool to push the face back 13.75"



As it appears this is just a simple box that will have shelves added. Nothing fancy. I've not figured out how to show the rabbet on the back or the dados for the shelves. But I'll get there!

Next so that nothing happens to my shell - I'll make this into a "group."

Select the box by triple clicking so that all the edges are blue.

The right click and select "make group"

Now onto making a few shelves.

Select the rectangle tool and draw a rectangle on the bottom of the case. I choose to make mine 12" deep (by 31" long).

Then select the rectangle and right click and select "make component."

Now select the rectangle/component by using the select tool and double clicking,

Bring the move/copy tool onto the shelf component you should see four red crosses (x's) and it should say on "on face on group"

Left click and hold the control key down-and move your copy up to the top of the case. Type in /4 then hit Enter. You should get four additional shelves evenly spaced.

Click on the bottom shelf (the original rectangle) and delete.

Now select one of the shelves by double clicking and use the push/pull tool to expand the shelf - ¾". Because you made the shelf a component - what ever you do to one shelf will happen to the others.



Certainly nothing fancy here. I want to work on figuring out how to put the rabbet on the back and the dado's for the shelves. I still need to figure out how to show the screen I'm looking at into the blog. That would probably help a lot. But I'm missing something in my fellow LJ's explaination of how to do that. But will keep trying.

Hope this makes sense!

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Betsy said:

Hall table project - starting out

Well - I'm still recovering from my surgery. Today is my first day/night at home by myself. I'm trying to keep busy by learning this Sketchup program. So far, it's beating me. But I'm still going to keep at it.

So my thought is that I can't just keep trying to make things up to learn how to do the program. I think I mentioned before that I would try to use the program to draw the hall table that I made a long, long time ago. I happen to have the prototype in my bedroom so I could get the measurements and work from there.

These are still baby steps but I have learned two very important lessons while tooling around.

If you are going to need more than one of anything in your project, such as a leg - make it a component.

If you need only one of something in a project, such as a table top - make it a group.

To me the two terms "component" and "group" are a little confusing. A "group" seems like it should be more than one thing. Not sure why they use the term the way they do, but it is what it is. Just remember if you need more than one - make it a component and if only one is used make it a group.

So the dimensions for my table are:

Top 42×14 x ¾
Legs 1.5 x. 1.5×28
Long aprons 36×5.5. x ¾
Short aprons 9.5 x. 5.5. x ¾

The front apron is divided into five individual parts.

The top and bottom pieces are 36×1.5. There are three small dividers that make the openings for the two drawers. The two dividers on the ends are 2.25×3.5 and the middle divider is 3.5×3.5 and is, of course centered across the length of the apron.

The legs are set in ¾" from the front and back edges and 1.5" from each side.

So here we go, we'll see how far I get this session.

First is to make the top. Select the rectangle tool and make a rectangle 14×42 and use the push/pull tool to bring it up to 3/4.

Use the select tool and triple click on the top so that the entire top is blue.



Right click and select "Make Group."

Once you've made the top a group - no other geometry, or parts/functions will change the top.

To change the top you just open the group and edit as desired.

Now we get into a bit of the confusing part for me. I'm going to put in some guide lines using the tape measure tool to place my legs. There are two ways to get to the bottom of the top - orbit around so that the bottom shows or right click the top and select "reverse face." I think that you need to orbit around to the bottom.



Next orbit and zoom around until you can adequately see the guide marks and use the rectangle tool to put in the first leg (1.5×1.5)


Select the rectangle and right click and select "make component". I'm going to call my component - "leg" - how creative!

Then while the component is selected - capture your "move/copy" tool and while holding down the control key (option on Macs) click on the leg component and move your mouse to the other corner. Repeat two more times.

There is a way to copy once and then select both copies and then move those copies to the other end of the table-- but I'm not sure how it's done.



Double click one of the legs to open the component.

Select the push/pull tool and pull to 28". Pulling one component will pull all four legs up.

Now orbit around to put the table back on it's feet.

Here's a big question that I'd appreciate help with.

I've used the measuring tool to measure between the inside of both front legs and that distance should be 36"-- I'm 1/8" off. How do I move the leg just a little bit to make that distance?

When I placed my leg copies I placed them to the guide marks. There must be a more accurate way to do that.



Well I think I'm done for now. I'm still having problems getting all my pictures to download - but I've got a few in here.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

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Betsy said:

Hall table progress with questions at end

Today, I'm going to put in the aprons and hopefully with the help of my LJ friends the openings for the drawers.

First the aprons. This is what I what I'm going to end up with at the end of this blog session.



Use your zoom tool and pan tool to move the table around so that one of the "short end" legs are showing. (Since I've already managed to get the aprons on, I'm simply going to erase one short apron to demonstrate what I did.)

Select your rectangle tool and move it so that you get the black intersection inference dot to show (in the lower left corner at the "top" of the leg). Move the cursor up to the guide mark and over to the right slightly. Type in 5.5, .75 in the VCB box. This should give you a tall rectangle - not one on it's side.

Use the push/pull tool and pull the rectangle out 9.5". This will give you your short apron. Do the same procedure on the other end. On the front and back do the same procedure but pull out the rectangle to 36".



Now my problem - how to do the front.





What technique should I use to make the front? The front as made in the real world is 5 pieces. Top and bottom rails are 1" x 36". There are three stiles. Two stiles on the ends are 2.25×3.5 and the center stile is 3.5×3.5.

I've put in the guide lines.



Now the question should I use the line tool to outline the drawer openings or should I use the rectangle to do so?

I've drawn a separate front and did the lines and did both the line tool and the rectangle tool. I came up with the same result.





Now I've gone back to my model and drawn the lines and then used the rectangle tool. Doing this brings up the blue "face" of the drawer openings.



I've tried to use the push pull tool to push the openings and it does not go all the way out. From under the table you can see what I'm talking about.



I can get one drawer opening to push all the way to be an actual opening but the other I can't get to do the same.

So how would you do the front of this table?

Thanks in advance.

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Betsy said:

Hall table redo -- just putsing along - and questions, course

OK - so its redo time now I'm just playing a little trying to figure things out.

First off this picture is kind of messed up-not sure why my dimensions did not show correctly. But here it is.



I managed to get my legs spaced correctly at 39" front/back outside to outside and 36" front/back inside to inside measurements; and 12.5 side to side outside and 9.5" inside to inside measurements. The legs measure 28" tall. The mortises are 1/2" deep and centered on the legs. And surprise surprise, I think I've managed to get all four legs on the same plane.

Here's an up close of the mortises.



With all the great help I'm getting from Dave and David (aka Brad-Nailor - by the way-- what's the deal with the name?)-- I am probably (actually almost certainly) missing some of the small points of the instructions. Long and short though some of this stuff is sinking in.

Question - I made my first two legs and made each a separate component (left front leg and left rear leg). Then I copied each one and moved it across - then selected and right clicked to "make unique." Does that make each right leg their own component? The reason I ask is that when you select "make unique" it does not give you the option to give it a new name.

Question Now that I have all four legs made should I make them a group? If so, how?

I'll have to outline my steps making this far in a different blog entry.

I guess the next logical question is I need to make my side and front aprons and insert them into the legs. I am sure I need to make the short aprons (2), back apron and front apron separate components. Once I draw them, how do I insert or move them into the mortises?

OK - that's all I can do for now. I sure hope that my floundering around the program is helping some of my fellow LJs.

By the way-not only do I appreciate all the Sketchup help I'm getting, I really appreciate all the good wishes coming my way while I recover from surgery. All are encouraging.

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Betsy said:

Hall table - drawers -- not a good start

I was not going to do any more on this project tonight-- but could not sleep. So I piddled with the drawers for the hall table. They are not pretty. The box resembles and box joint box-but that's about it. I still have to work out how to to interface with other parts. But that will come. For now this is the box I'm working with to make a drawer for my table. I am using 3/4" material here, but will switch to 1/2 material on the real project drawers.

So without further ado-- here is my masterpiece.



Geez you guys have no idea how badly I want to be making sawdust and nicking my fingers with my chisels or even smelling the sweet smell of freshly jointed wood. But alas I must work on design and play with this computer until about mid-September at the earliest as it stands now.

So fellas-make some dust for me and appreciate it!

Thanks

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Betsy said:

Hall table project

I know you have all probably have had enough of this blasted table by now, but the repetition is helping me learn.

I'm trying to blog about a few of the smaller things that I've picked up that I did not know before and that others may not have known. Some who are more computer savvy-- please look away and or forgive me!

The first shot just shows that I've drawn out guidelines for the footprint of my table, my first leg which has the mortises cut in. Pretty basic - but until just a short while ago I struggled with. I made the leg a component.



The second shot shows that I have copied and moved my leg. The shot shows that both legs are "blue" which means they are both "selected". Until just recently I did not know that if you select the first object then hold down the Shift key and click the next object that both would be "selected." (I believe there is a way to do so by clicking and holding down the mouse key - but I can't seem to get that to work.)



The third shot shows that I've copied and moved my two leg set to the other end of the footprint and both are still "selected."



The fourth shot shows that I have picked the scale tool and will be scaling/mirroring both legs at once. I could not get my print screen program to work while holding the Control key down-- but to scale across the center point of the object you have to hold down the Control key while you are pushing the object through.



The fifth and last shot simply shows that my legs are now correctly positioned with the mortises in their proper order.



The program is certainly getting easier to use and understand. The devil is certainly in the details.

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Betsy said:

Web site for Sketchup

I have the Google Sketchup for Dummies book and it gives a website to go to for tips, etc. It's listed in the book as www.dummies.com/go/SketchUpFD, but I could never get that site to work for me. So I ended up tonight just e-mailing the author, Aidan Chopra, for help. He sent me a different link and I wanted to share it with all of you.

www.sketchupfordummies.com

I've looked at a great deal of the videos and they are well worth the time to view.

Happy sketching!

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Betsy said:

Drawers - still more questions

I'm still working on this project and the drawers are coming closer.

As with anything there are numerous ways to get to the same destination. DaveR, who has the patience of a saint, has been trying to show me how to do this project.

See this entry http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/Betsy/blog/5575

I've been struggling with this technique - not sure why - but it is what it is. Long and short I came up with an alternate method that probably won't work if I were going to do any cutlist plugins, etc. but it's getting me closer. I still have a long, long way to go.

So without further delay - this is how I did my drawer.

First, of course, I started with my side which is .5×10.25×3.5. On one end I put in a guideline to 1/2" to start marking the box joint.



Next I copied the guideline, moved it down by 1/2" (typed in .5, hit enter, then 5) then did an "array" which is essentially the number of copies that you need to complete the project.





Then I used the line tool to outline each finger (just on the end).





Next, I used the push/pull tool to push back the top finger by 1/2".



You can push back the other fingers by double clicking the left mouse button.





Repeat the same process on the opposite end.

I don't show it, but I made a dado on the inside of the side to accept the drawer bottom. Then the part is made into a component.

You'll notice in this next shot that I have the part blued out and there is an additional guideline placed 1/2" from the red axis. You'll also notice the inference dot showing that I have the bottom inside corner of the last finger picked up to move over to the other side of my grid. The extra guideline makes it easy to know exactly where to drop the side.





You'll notice that I took out the extra guideline and you can see that there is perfect placement of the second side.



Next I used the scale tool to mirror the side so that the dado is on the correct side.



Now to work on the front/back of the box. I draw a rectangle from the upper left corner to the lower right corner of the second side. You'll see that it is green and the rectangle breaks through the box joint.



I next used the push/pull tool to pull the rectangle out by 1/2"





I failed to take a screen shot of this, but I used the line tool to outline the fingers on the front - on both ends and used the push/pull tool to move the fingers back. Then I pulled out the side.



You'll notice the completed box - I simply followed the same procedure to insert the dado and moved a copy to the other end of the box.



I finished up by making a second copy to simply move into one of the drawer openings. I also made the drawer bottom.



I next need to figure out how to place the drawer bottom into the drawer and apply the drawer front.

I've certainly been having fun with this project. Hoping to get it finished up so I can work on something else. But I really think I'm starting to get the hang of things.

If you have not already done so you should get on Youtube and search "Sketchup woodworking." You'll be given lots of good videos to watch.

As always any comments, help and suggestions are welcomes.

And a great BIG* thanks to everyone who has helped me along the road here.

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Betsy said:

Hall table --- project DONE!

Or as done as it's going to be. So here's the finish up.

The last entry had me down to the drawers and putting in the bottom. This shot shows where I put in some guidelines to set the bottom. I hide the side so I could see where to guide the bottom.





I also tried to do the move by using the x-ray function (found under view on the program's menu bar).



You can see here where I moved the bottom in - notice the inference dot.



The next two shots just show that I managed to get the bottom in OK and have taken off the x-ray view.





I had been wondering how I was supposed to put on the front piece, but that was one of those duh moments. I simply put in some guidelines.



Next drew a rectangle on the front.



Then push/pulled to 3/8".



Here's the finished drawer.



The table with the drawers "installed."



And drum roll--- here's the finished table. It's not perfect by any long shot of the imagination, but I think if I were to be going into the shop, I could build from this. I would probably break it out into dimensions and maybe install a cutlist plugin, but I could build without that stuff.

The "paint" is the cherry original.



Thanks for following my blog and all the input.

I've learned quite a lot about Sketchup through this little project. Along with that, I also learned a lot about computers in general and a little about patience and tenacity. When I started this project, I really did not think I would finish it. I surprised myself that I not only was able to learn the basics of the program but that I finished as well. I hope that some of you were able to learn a couple of things along the way also.

A special big thanks to DaveR who has patiently, through this blog and through private e-mail, tutored me through the process. THANKS DAVE!

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