SketchUp Tutorials

[Dave Richards]

I thought I would post this for those who are looking for ways to advance their SketchUp skills. Last fall I think I mentioned that I was working on tutorials for drawing pieces like those in the following images. Those tutorials are collected in an eBook that has finally been published by the Taunton Press. I'm not really trying to make a sales pitch. I'm just letting those who were interested know it's out there. I won't put a link to it but you can find it via Fine Woodworking's site.

 

[patlaw]

Dave, can you remind me how to scale, size, and rotate the woodgrain patterns that are placed on boards? There was a right click function that was available only if some things were selected and you stood with your right foot in the air, but I can't find it. The woodgrain looks blurry. I remember to edit from 72" to 8", or something like that, but there's more to the process that I just don't remember. The only wood I used is the included cherry texture, and it looks cheesy.

 

[Dave Richards]

Mike, have you seen this?

 

[patlaw]

I have now!

 

[Dave Richards]

Questions answered?

 

[patlaw]

Questions answered?

Maybe. I have to play with them some more. The texture button is the one that seems to show up when it chooses to.

 

[Dave Richards]

The texture button is the one that seems to show up when it chooses to.

Do you mean Texture in the Context menu? If so, it only shows when you right click on a single face that is painted with the texture. If you get sloppy and paint the component/group wrapper, you won't have the option to adjust the orientation and size of the material. Also, if you are getting more than one face in your selection as you would by right clicking on the side of a cylinder, you won't get the option but you can turn on Hidden Geometry and then select the single face. Make sure you are not selecting the face and edges, too.

 

[patlaw]

Do you mean Texture in the Context menu? If so, it only shows when you right click on a single face that is painted with the texture. If you get sloppy and paint the component/group wrapper, you won't have the option to adjust the orientation and size of the material. Also, if you are getting more than one face in your selection as you would by right clicking on the side of a cylinder, you won't get the option but you can turn on Hidden Geometry and then select the single face. Make sure you are not selecting the face and edges, too.

I'm sure that's what I was doing, and the explanation makes a lot of sense, of course.

 

[Dave Richards]

Good enough. Let me know if you have any other puzzlements.

 

[McRabbet]

Dave,

I've got a tester (for me at least). I'm designing a slant front desk where the three piece pull down slanted door is a slab with breadboard ends (slab component and BB ends components). I want a round over with filet around three sides, but cannot get the Follow Me tool to pass through the junction between the BB ends seam line with the slab component. If I model the thing as a single component (drawn full size) I can get the profile I want, but then how do I "cut" off the BB ends? Suggestions?

 

[Dave Richards]

Can you send me the the SKP file? I can either show you now or try to make a quickie tutorial. I'll PM my e-mail address.