Using Sketchup to model a neck for an Ukulele
-
I want so bad for Sketchup to be the one program that I use when it comes to part making. I get discouraged because I want to find tutorials on how to sculpt and model but instead I find tutorials on building tractors and putting textures on a birdhouse. Before I get blasted for that I want to say that I love sketchup and I know that probably 98% of its intended use is for architecture so I think that the tuts are definitely needed and useful.
I know just enough about sketchup to make some very screwed up models.
I have a CNC router that I use to take my exported designs and then cut them out of wood. I am currently building ukeleles and I can really only cut a few things out on the CNC for it. One of the things being the neck. Since I only have a Z depth of 1 inch on my machine I am just going to slice (is that the correct term?) the model into three sections before machining. NOW! ON WITH THE QUESTIONS!
I have included my ghetto model for someone to glance at. I have to issues and both of them deal with blending to objects together. The first is how to blend the headstock with the neck and the second is how to blend the heel cap (the pointy thing) to the neck. I have tried a thousand different ways. Seems every time that I think I found a solution, it doesnt pan out. Sandbox seems like a great solution but when I use it half of the surface looks good and the other half is all mangled. I want to use sketchup, but I dont know if I would just be better off going with something like rhino. sorry for the crazy long post.
PS the smaller model is actually to scale. i just find it easier to work bigger then scale it down.
-
Hi betacrash,
Note that the "intersect" tool can be a great help for you. Most of these surfaces - after all - are made up of more basic, "primitive", curved surfaces. There are a couple of "rules" however: you can use the intersect tool only
- when two faces (curved surfaces) completely "merge" into each other (the one you want to keep must be "cut" thoroughly from edge to edge)
- when two lines (edges) cross each other at a given point
- when a line is perfectly on a face and reaches from edge to edge (to divide that face).
As your model looks quite convincing about your skills, I hardly dare to ask whether you use "show hidden geometry" when modelling these things. It is often a "must" when one wants to examine the real geometry of complex curves.
Also, this way you can discover that your curved geometry is actually made up of straight segments and if you connect the endpoints of these segments to create (most likely triangulated) surfaces, you can smooth them.
You can speed up your workflow with this with the help of the Skin.rb.
Soap Skin and Bubble could also be useful but unfortunately it is unavailable at the moment. -
Like Mr.Gaieus sad:
You can speed up your workflow with this with the help of the Skin.rb.
It's little tricky but save a lot's of time.
Advertisement