[diarmaid]

I just realised that my Paint Shop Pro program could handle .dxf files. I only have the free Google Sketchup version so I cant save in .dxf. Do you see where this is going?....well then I checked to find that Paint Shop Pro cant handle .skp files Oh well, back to the drawing board. At least I can export 2D sketchup files as .jpg now and open them in Paint Shop Pro then save as .dxf. So I can kinda convert. Im not looking forward to forking out the $400+ for the full sketchup version (Sorry google) but I know Im gonna have to soon......oh well...

PS: My gates have started advancing to the level of nice marketable designs so Im a bit reluctant to put them up in case any future competitors see, at least until Im set up then they'll see anyway I suppose! But I'm doing some other stuff with sketchup and I'll post that as its finished.

Keep putting up examples of your work in sketchup!!

[Jakrro]

I can export the files for you diarmaid.
The only thing i don`t like is that Sketchup is export in inches even if i use mm so i have to scale it.
Got a lot of drawings but mostly comuter related stuff
Here are some

[diarmaid]

Thanks for the offer but I'll have it sorted out anyway before I really need it . Your two pics are really good, have you been using Gogskup long?

[diarmaid]

I didnt need to do threads, I'll let you know about thread drawing when I try it.

From the google sketchup group I found out that there is a tutorial for drawing threads and seemingly its not difficult but as I dont yet have the full version of the program I cant register and access it. Also there is lots and lots of bolts, screws, etc with threads and all in the google sketchup library for download so I probably dont need to do them myself anyway. Still good to know the capability exists.

[Jakrro]

I have used Pro Sketchup almost a year weary its easy to learn and make great drawings.
I am a toolmaker so i use UGS at work I have also tried Autodesk Inventor and Solidworks. If you guys are trying to learn a drawing program for your CNC hobby go for Solidworks it`s fast to learn and works with CAM programs

[diarmaid]

Thanks for the advice. I looked at solidworks site quickly. How much is solidworks office premium?

[greybeard]

I'm trying the free version of sketchup, and I've been through the basic tutorials.
I would like to draw a compound curve for a fairing.
Is this possible in the free version, as the pro version is beyond my budget ?
Many thanks
John

[greybeard]

I've just found my way through the index to terrain/sandbox, and it looks like the answer to my question is "no". These tools are only supported in the pro version.

Can anyone recommend a free 3d prog that does allow editing of compound curves like spherical surfaces ? Rendering would by nice, but not strictly necessary. I just want to be able to draw a wireframe model of a curved surface, and then be able to rotate it in 3d. (...just !! )
John

[ger21]

Have you tried Alibre Xpress? www.alibre.com/xpress

[diarmaid]

Im not sure exactly what type of curved surface you mean, but you can create a sphere in the free sketchup and then push and drag the sphere to alter its shape....

[greybeard]

Im not sure exactly what type of curved surface you mean, but you can create a sphere in the free sketchup and then push and drag the sphere to alter its shape....

I looked for "sphere" in the help file, but not listed.
Can you check, and give me BDI for it.

Thanks,
John

[diarmaid]

Here is the info you need on sphere:
http://sketchup.google.com/support/b...topic=0&type=f

Its a pain in the a*# having to do this instead of a sphere tool but it works.

[greybeard]

Here is the info you need on sphere:

Its a pain in the a*# having to do this instead of a sphere tool but it works.

Good grief !

Many thanks Diarmaid. I have been thinking along those lines, and you're right about the position of the pain, but it will get me going(if you see what I mean).
I'm working on a fairing for a tandem trike for us oldies, so if I can draw it. I'll post it.

Regards
John

[ger21]

A little project I'll be starting on in the next week or two.

[diarmaid]

That looks very nice. What size will it be ger?

[ger21]

Almost 20 feet from end to end. There will also be cabinets and counters behind it.

[diarmaid]

ger, or anyone else, do you make up your own textures for using in sketchup? If so, do you use digital photos at all to get an accurate representation of a texture or would this even work?

[ger21]

Those are default Sketchup textures in the pic I posted.

I used to do a lot of 3D rendering with high end rendering software, and using photos for textures is very common. However, I haven't tried it with Sketchup, and I'm not sure how it handles the stretching and/or tiling of the image. Try it and see how it works.

[diarmaid]

My sister was wondering if I could build her a solid oak door for her house to match the other ones she already has. Its an unusual width and will take €600 and until October to get it built by the people who made her other ones originally, so I priced the wood today at €221 and drew these up in sketchup.
The routering is not shown as I didn't bother since I dont need any 3D representations for doing that, and its not going to be done until a later date since I dont own a router yet! Tomorrow Im going to get a digital photo of her current doors and try to put it in as a texture before I show her so I'll post how that turns out. Anyway, thats the background, here are the pics.

I just tried to also upload the .skp extension file, but it says its invalid. Do you think the zone might add '.skp' to their list of accepted extensions so we can share our files?

[ger21]

I just tried to also upload the .skp extension file, but it says its invalid. Do you think the zone might add '.skp' to their list of accepted extensions so we can share our files?

Just .zip it.