Scale 2D and perpendicular plane

nikola87 · 30 Dec 2011, 22:50

Hey, I have two questions I can't seem to google out... first when I use scale tool (and that is a lot) I have problem: when I have a 2D object (lets say circle) and it isn't in red, blue nor green plane scaling can be tricky. Is there a way to scale in certain plane?

Second is about finding perpendicular plane for a random line, I know how to find it by drawing two planes that have my custom line and then finding normals to it in each surface but it is not fun when you have to do it more than two-three times. help

I think these problems are really basic so I posted them here, but maybe I was wrong... sorry for that

Rich O Brien · 30 Dec 2011, 22:56

Have you tried Fredo's Fredoscale plugin?

It can adjust the scaling via numerous methods

TIG · 30 Dec 2011, 22:59

The 'Scale' Tool's handles follow the current axes, so if your 2d shape [circle etc] is not on one of the axial planes then you get a 'box' with many handles, not a simple rectangle
Then it's awkward to do what you want
Help is at hand...
Use the 'Axes' Tool and reset the axes... picking points so that two of the axes are on the same plane as the shape in question...
Now the 'Scale' Tool forms a rectangle of handles, making adjustments easy.
This works for other axis dependent tools too...
To reset the axes back to the original set, have axes visible, hover over an axis line and right-click context-menu 'reset axes'.

nikola87 · 30 Dec 2011, 23:11

thanks a lot, I thought about making an object component and defining it's own axes and then edit it, but this is much cleaner solution

now i just have problem with finding an orthogonal plane for random line.

TIG · 30 Dec 2011, 23:16

@nikola87 said:

thanks a lot, I thought about making an object component and defining it's own axes and then edit it, but this is much cleaner solution

now i just have problem with finding an orthogonal plane for random line.

For a single 'line' you can readily set the origin and Red-axis from the line's two ends, the Green-axis can be any other point in space, as you only want to make a 2d Scaling anyway; reset the axes when you are done !
If there are two non-colinear lines to Scale you can always get three points from their ends, to define the origin and Red/Green axis plane ?
I fail to see the issue here ???

TIG · 30 Dec 2011, 23:43

Perhaps WorkPlane, ToolsOnSurface etc ?

nikola87 · 30 Dec 2011, 23:43

The other "problem" had nothing to do with scaling, I was just wondering is there a plugin or some tool that draws a polygon or circle in perpendicular plane of the selected line on witch the centre of that circle/polygon lies or something like that... but now I can solve that with axis tool as well so it is ok... and thanks again, axis tools is basic it will help me a lot in future - I don't know how I missed it when I started learning sketchup

gilles · 31 Dec 2011, 00:10

Look at this one:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=17396#p139064

Gaieus · 31 Dec 2011, 01:18

@gilles said:

Look at this one:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=17396#p139064

That's it.

Aligning the axes to the line also works of course but that plugin is so useful!

Jean Lemire · 3 Jan 2012, 14:06

Hi folks.

For an idea about how to create a plane that is perpendicular to any line, see this SU file.

Plane perpendicular to line.skp