DC StairCaseBuilder

Aidan_Weisz · 22 Jun 2009, 06:23

Thank you for all these, Howard.

utiler · 11 Aug 2009, 22:33

This is a great example Howard, very clever and very generous....

Ben Ritter · 28 Sept 2009, 21:08

Howard, thank you for the component. I'll have to start using SU7 now.

Howard leslie · 17 Mar 2010, 21:10

DC StairCaseBuilder V5-1 released
See first post in this thread
...........
Enjoy
Howard L'

brookefox · 29 Apr 2010, 00:59

From a distance, certainly looks nice, but codes in my vicinity, and throughout most of the US, require more horizontals: 4" inch max clear is common. Tough luck for the yanks.

CNC Paul · 3 May 2010, 10:13

Howard,
That is a great tool, how can I get a copy ?
Regards

Paul

TIG · 3 May 2010, 11:00

@brookefox said:

From a distance, certainly looks nice, but codes in my vicinity, and throughout most of the US, Part K requires more horizontals: 4" inch max clear is common. Tough luck for the yanks.

In the UK under "Part K" it's even slightly smaller - a 100mm diameter ball shouldn't pass through any gap in a stairs risers or associated railings/balustrades [there is an exception for the potentially non-compliant triangular gap between the riser/tread and a raking balustrade bottom]. This rule applies to any 'domestic' stair or building where you might reasonably expect children aged 5 or under - i.e. schools and the like. These days this is effectively most public buildings and even offices too - indeed, there was a tragic accident at a national TV station's offices a few years ago when a toddler fell several floors through a more open balustrade around an atrium, and was killed - he was there with his mother on a 'take-your children-to-work' day. A building operator is responsible for the Health and Safety of staff and visitors, so even if the Regs allow it many want 'safe' designs. Now only stairs in plant-rooms and the like can be the more 'gappy' type.
This '100mm ball rule' is actually determined from a toddler/baby's head size - whilst having these reduced gaps stops older kids falling through, the concern is that 'crawling' youngsters might squeeze through a small gap 'backwards', then fall BUT still get their head stuck in the gap if it's bigger than 100mm and then they could break their neck or strangle themselves - BUT they can't get their body through the 100mm gap in the first place, and so are 'safe'.
On aside note: I have also done work on maximum security prisons - in those the maximum gap is 125mm [was 5"] between rigid bars etc, this is determined as a gap a normal adult can't squeeze through - although in one jail there was a small skinny guy who would amuse himself by winding up the guards, he'd squeeze his whole body through the bars, but then get stuck because his head wouldn't pass through - then he was completely uncooperative about getting back through to the side where his head was [sawing off his head seemed the attractive option, but it's not allowed under some daft human-rights rule or other ]. Also no 'Shawshank Redemption' escapes because prison drains passing out of the secure compound can't be more than 300mm/12" internal diameter in the UK !
Back to the stairs... open-riser stairs of any type are also disallowed in public buildings under the Disability-Discrimination-Act[DDA]/BS8300 and Part M - 'Accessibility Regs' - if people with calipers on there legs might get then caught !
Where open-risers are allowed their gaps can be limited to <100mm by adding a single thin rod across them, or more commonly making the tread thicker at the riser location, or making the back of the tread with an upstand of ~25/50mm so that the gap is reduced AND you also have something to stop the tread finish against neatly.
Also often forgotten is in domestic/<5yrs buildings the parts of a balustrade etc are not allowed to be horizontal [rails etc], or even have 'holes', that could an be climbable by small children.
You talk about restrictions - "natural selection" has stopped here...

brookefox · 10 May 2010, 17:27

Thank you, Howard. At heart, of course, I'm just another spoiled child, wanting it all on my plate, served up, with savory sauce.

Thank you for delivering.

Howard leslie · 10 May 2010, 21:51

Brooke,
Some Top Tips for you ...
Use StairCaseBuilder to design the bulk of the Staircase, then ...
Finish off handrailing as shown - ProfileBuilder or PipeAlongPath Ruby Scripts help in this task.
...........
See attached file to give you some ideas.
StairCaseBuilder incorporates Horizontal (Handrail) and Vertical (Stanchion) Guidelines.
These are GUIDELINES that can be further enhanced or detailed to complete your staircase as required.
..........
Handrailing GUIDELINES (simple lines) are used in this DC (as opposed to more detailed handrailing) as the possibilities / combinations for more detailed handrailing are infinite eg

Position and Spacing of Stanchions.
No and position of Horizontals / Verticals
Handrailing / Stanchion Cross Sections, Which to choose ? eg Circular, Oval, Semi-Circular, Square, Rectangular or a more detailed / fancy section ?
..........
See other notes / images / ideas in the first post of this thread
..........
Hope this helps
Regards
Howard L'

StairCase_4in_Horizontals.skp

domus · 11 May 2010, 06:13

Thank you! You've made me appreciate dynamic components and glad I chose to get SU Pro. This is a real time saver!

domus · 11 May 2010, 06:32

I hope my last post doesn't give the impression that you can't use this Dynamic Component with SU free. You can, of course. I mean it's inspired me to learn more about how to create them, which you can only do in SU Pro.

Howard leslie · 12 May 2010, 08:12

Domus,

@unknownuser said:

Thank you! You've made me appreciate dynamic components and glad I chose to get SU Pro. This is a real time saver!

In case you haven't seen it yet - you may also like to try this DC for creating doors (another time saver). I created it because I found that I was forever having to model doors from scratch - this DC is also animated (use magic finger icon on DC toolbar):

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=289&t=21350

Hope this helps
Regards
Howard L'

domus · 12 May 2010, 10:25

Thanks again Howard, I didn't know about that one. Another gem!

penumbra · 16 Aug 2010, 01:46

I just wandered in to this post. This is absolutely fab!, thanks!

mac1 · 5 Dec 2010, 19:49

Howard
Hoping you are still watching this post. Have a problem in river city.
have xp sp3 and su 7.1+ free. Was trying to evaluate your builder but cannot get the input box to appear. Have tried various thing but no joy. Is this a limit of free or do I need 8

Howard leslie · 5 Dec 2010, 22:31

mac1,
StairCaseBuilder is a Dynamic Component (SU version 7 file format)
All users of SketchUp can take advantage of DCs - both Free & Pro.
SU 7 & SU 8 can both use Dynamic Components
...........
TO USE THIS DC:

Open Component File - Don't Import it into an existing SU Model
(but see note below).
...
Bring up DC Toolbar: View - Toolbars - Dynamic Components
Dynamic Components Toolbar - Yellow Middle Icon - Component Options
Click on DC
Dialog Box Options should appear
...
Set options
Apply
...
Copy & Paste DC Staircase into your own model
.....................
You can actually import this DC into an existing model like a regular Component but the DC will be nested 1 Level down
(Look at Outliner).
You can still bring up the Dialog Box but you'll have to go inside the Components Context to do this.
(or Explode the outer most Component once)
..............
Hope this Helps / Make Sense

Regards
Howard L'

mac1 · 6 Dec 2010, 01:25

@unknownuser said:

mac1,
StairCaseBuilder is a Dynamic Component (SU version 7 file format)
All users of SketchUp can take advantage of DCs - both Free & Pro.
SU 7 & SU 8 can both use Dynamic Components
...........
TO USE THIS DC:

Open Component File - Don't Import it into an existing SU Model
(but see note below).
...
Bring up DC Toolbar: View - Toolbars - Dynamic Components
Dynamic Components Toolbar - Yellow Middle Icon - Component Options
Click on DC
Dialog Box Options should appear
...
Set options
Apply
...
Copy & Paste DC Staircase into your own model
.....................
You can actually import this DC into an existing model like a regular Component but the DC will be nested 1 Level down
(Look at Outliner).
You can still bring up the Dialog Box but you'll have to go inside the Components Context to do this.
(or Explode the outer most Component once)
..............
Hope this Helps / Make Sense

Regards
Howard L'

Thanks for the quick reply. In ISO 1 context of Dc selected a step then component option .Ruby consul states
Error: #<TypeError: cannot convert nil into String>
(eval):1321:in set_file' (eval):1321:in show_dialog_orig'
(eval):7558:in show_dialog' (eval):7598:in show_configure_dialog'
(eval):155:in initialize' (eval):147:in call'
Error: #<TypeError: cannot convert nil into String>
(eval):1321:in set_file' (eval):1321:in show_dialog_orig'
(eval):7558:in show_dialog' (eval):7598:in show_configure_dialog'
(eval):155:in initialize' (eval):147:in call'
If I follow your instructions, tool bar, yellow icon, then click on the DC I get just one error. Bummer

mac1 · 8 Dec 2010, 18:36

Howard
Update for you.
Regressed back to SU 7.0 free, after a copy of may installed SU 7.1 plugins and tools to desk top, and your DC worked OK
Re-downloaded SU7.1 free with the as supplied Google plugins and tools, and your DC works OK
Search is now on for "bad" plugin or
Thanks again for your help

7348su · 1 Jan 2011, 03:04

Love it very much, thanks.

Dropout · 1 Jan 2011, 22:30

And we get it where?