Some Incredible Sketchup Models

[Iplayfarmer]

As I've mentioned a few times before, I really like Google Sketchup when I'm designing new projects or re-designing old projects. I'm a very visual person, and being able to look at a 3D model of a project has helped me avoid design issues before I start cutting and welding.

I was looking through The Google 3D warehouse this morning and I was so impressed by some of the models, I thought I'd post them here.

Here is a tractor and backhoe. I've been designing a backhoe for years. I may take some of the design elements from this one. Here is the backhoe alone.

Here is a SCUT Kubota with a loader. Might come in handy for those of you planning to build something in the future.

I'm sure there are a ton of others out there. I looked a little for good, detailed barn plans, but I didn't find any. There were a few shells, but nothing with good detail of everything from the framing out to the shell.

 

[Rustyiron]

Hey I play,
I wanna play too! Is this Google 3d sketch thing anybody can use? How much computer skills do you need? Keep in mind that I was very proud of myself when I figured out how to put pictures on TBN! It would be very helpful to look at my goofy ideas in 3d, as I to am very "visual".

 

[DavidVT]

Google Sketch is indeed free! Sure there is a pro version but the regular one is great.
I have spent the last few weeks learning to use it somewhat. While I am pretty good with the computer stuff, I have zero experience with any form of CAD.

Jump and and try it. There are tons of Utube videos to help get you started.

I use it to visualize projects that exist in 2D but do not yet have the justification for hard core 3D modeling. I have learned to pull in a picture or even a 2D cad file (DWG) and then extrude the project from those drawings. (DWG import was in older versions but seems to have moved to the paid version now)

Enjoy

 

[magicheater]

Just get it and play. Great free way to learn some cad similar basics. :thumbsup:

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I tried to learn a few CAD type programs before I tried Sketchup. For me sketchup was much more intuitive, and the help available online is amazing.

Here's another one for you Sketchup enthusiasts to look into. I just found it Saturday night... SketchyPhysics

It's a plugin for sketchup that lets you model 3D in motion. I played with it for about an hour yesterday, and I am amazed at the possibilities this now opens up.

 

[lostcause]

someone told me about sketchup a few years back, and i messed around with it some. i must be the odd person out, because i didn't have the best luck with it. i do like the concept, but i sometimes had trouble with it extruding and shrinking things more than i wanted, plus, sometimes the polygons would disappear when doing certain edits. i also often end up with multiple line segments stacked on top of one another. i also had trouble navigating when my project got too complex. i'm sure that it's all just me, because i see a lot of other people making impressive stuff with it.

maybe i'll sit down and mess with it again sometime, but for now i will probably stick with what i know. i use a 2d cad program called autosketch, from autodesk. it was originally marketed as drafix, but at some point in the past, autodesk bought it and took it over. i bought a one version out of date copy off ebay a couple years ago for about $30 and i've had good luck with it. granted, it is not a 3d modeling package, so if you make a change, you have to follow the change through completely, but that's not a problem for me. that's what i did for a living for the previous 20 years. probably also why i find certain packages more suited for me.

 

[eazyduzzit]

I love Sketchup too!
I tried several CAD products and couldn't draw anything, but with Sketchup I've designed and built many woodworking projects and a barn.
It made cutting the angles for the barn rafters easy, because I already knew what angles and lengths I needed.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Just get it and play. Great free way to learn some cad similar basics. :thumbsup:

Tried that! I'm not being lazy and have been through the tutorials, so it would be appreciated if someone could advise where to look.

I prefer to draw each object to a specific dimension - say a line 3200 mm long. So far, it seems possible only to draw the line, dimension it, then adjust it to the desired length. There must be a better way.

Alan

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Tried that! I'm not being lazy and have been through the tutorials, so it would be appreciated if someone could advise where to look.

I prefer to draw each object to a specific dimension - say a line 3200 mm long. So far, it seems possible only to draw the line, dimension it, then adjust it to the desired length. There must be a better way.

Alan

To draw your line after selecting the line tool, click once to start the line (without moving the mouse). Drag your mouse (without clicking) to start the line in the direction you want it and type in the length of the line. Press enter, and you should have a line that is exactly the dimension you typed in. When you start using sketchup it will ask you what dimensions you want to use... i.e. inches or millimeters. You can do the same thing for boxes, circles, and all the other shapes. The other helpful hint is that you can use the arrow keys to lock in the orientation to the three axes.

There's definately a knack to sketchup. It takes some time to figure out all the details, but to me it was easy to pick up vs. requiring classes and books to figure out most CAD programs.

 

[teg]

Need to design a house... not sure why I didn't think of this sooner, doh!!!

 

[DavidVT]

For 2D I found "DraftSight" which seems to be as powerful as AutoCad with zero cost. Someone at work complained they could not open a drawing from a newer version of AutoCad. As an experiment I was able to open it in Draftsight and save it to an older AutoCad format they could open.

I am spending hours almost every night learning Sketch. It starts to go fast once you get the extrude thing (push pull tool).

When I am dragging a rectangle to form something, I still struggle to get the final point to be exactly where I want it. I know I can type in dimensions but that does not help when I don't know them.

Ah the fun of it all!

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Need to design a house... not sure why I didn't think of this sooner, doh!!!

A trick I learned when designing a small workshop space is the use of components. The nice thing about components is that when you change one, every other copy you have made of the same component changes too. For example, I made a 2X4 component for the walls. I wanted to see how the space would feel with a taller ceiling, so I lengthened all of the 2X4's at the same time by changing one of the components. If I ever need one of the components to be different, I right click and make it unique.

For you enthusiasts, here is a model of a fully functioning excavator that works with the sketchyphysics plugin.

 

[o2batsea]

Actual real live professional CAD software costs about $4500 per seat. You can down load a trial version of AutoCAD for free and try it for 30 days. Then you can get an idea of what it's really like and not fool with the Google toy.
If you want to export to tools or cutting tables you need this.

Play, the technical term for that is "instanced geometry"

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Actual real live professional CAD software costs about $4500 per seat. You can down load a trial version of AutoCAD for free and try it for 30 days. Then you can get an idea of what it's really like and not fool with the Google toy.
If you want to export to tools or cutting tables you need this.

Play, the technical term for that is "instanced geometry"

I'm not going to argue the merits of professional AutoCAD software when coupled with professional AutoCAD users. I have no doubt that it's everything it needs to be and much more. When needed it is likely the only tool that will do the job.

There are a lot of things I can do with $4500 and the many months it would take to really learn AutoCAD. For no money and a few hours here and there of tinkering, I have a software tool that does everything I need it to and more.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Thanks "Iplayfarmer"

You saved me hours of experimentation with that tip. I remember when I started learning Paradox and Access database design, also Dreamweaver, I spent days with the tutorials but all it took was 5 minutes from someone with practical experience to resolve the tricky bits.

Cheers

Alan

 

[oughtsix]

Need to design a house... not sure why I didn't think of this sooner, doh!!!

Designing a house in SketchIt is a foolish choice. Chief Architect or its low end user version "Home Designer" is a WAY better choice! You can design a basic rectangular Ranch house in an hour or so and then print out complete floor plans, framing plans, material lists and 3d views. It is the right tool for the job!

But if you want to drive a screw with a hammer... well good luck to you!


I have all but given up on 3D Cad. Especially for a one off project. It takes me longer to design something than it does to build it. And if I don't use the software everyday I have to relearn it every time I want to draw something. (I have been a computer geek for 20+ years now. But I still have the drafting table I built in High School with a drafting arm.)

I do miss Generic Cadd! (DOS version of course!) Geeze could it make an incredible print on a Dot Matrix printer!

 

[magicheater]

Tried that! I'm not being lazy and have been through the tutorials, so it would be appreciated if someone could advise where to look.

I prefer to draw each object to a specific dimension - say a line 3200 mm long. So far, it seems possible only to draw the line, dimension it, then adjust it to the desired length. There must be a better way.
Alan

Then perhaps you need a cad program that does that. I have graduated to the Solidworks platform and like it. I have learned that it can be as intuitive as Google Sketchup but at a MUCH higher cost. They have Sketchup8 now, maybe I will revisit and comment on what I find.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I'm not a high end user, but I haven't seen much in Sketchup 8 that wasn't in any of the earlier versions. I looked into solidworks for the capability to make interactive 3D components that can model motion and force. There is no way I can ever justify the cost of these programs. For as much as I'd use any of it I could probably pay a professional to design something for me and still not spend as much as I would on the program alone.

I was excited to find the Sketchyphysics plugin. It's nowhere near the capability of Solidworks, but at least now I can do some basic 3D modeling in motion. I haven't looked at any of the other plugins, but there are dozens made. I guess that's the beauty of an open platform software.