Woodworking tools in SketchUp
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1.) The "board_stretcher.rb" in real life would be as possible as anti-gravity. I think, when drawing, it's easy enough to re-adjust certain components. However, It would be kinda cool to have a tool that would automatically adjust the length of "connecting" groups and components.
Example: you designing a chest of drawers and in view of the available space (real world) you decide to make it wider. This tool would automatically select the rails, top and other possible moldings and pieces, allowing the ability to un-select the ones you don't want altered, and ask "do you wish to lengthen intersecting groups/components?" It would save a lot of time.2.) A fastener selection tool. Something that would automatically put in, center, align and space out fasteners. Screws, brads, nails, doweling and wafers. Allowing the user to select the type, length and gauge of fastener as well as centering and spacing options.
3.) Joinery. When two groups or components are overlapping, it would be nice to have a tool that would allow the option of automatically select the type of joint (mortise and tenon, rabbit, butt, half-lap, dove-tail, etc) and thickness, spacing and depth.
4.) Centering tool. It would be nice to be able to take 2 or more groups and align them, like you do with fonts on a word processor, i.e.: Left, center or right align, and justify. this option would also be cool with the ability of multiple axis. One use could be to align drawers, doors or adjustable shelves or to align the knobs and pulls on drawer-fronts and doors.
I don't know if this is the type of suggestion you were looking for. I would be really great to be able to have tool to enable me to draw up wood project (cabinets, shelving units, etc) Right in front of a "customer" without wasting my or their time with minor detail like cosmetics of joinery and fasteners while showing them how it will be held together and well as what it will look like, should (example) a dovetail is exposed. As well it's nice to show them a cabinet with knobs and pulls on without wasting 20 minutes aligning and centering them.
Have a great day. Though I may not be able to afford to buy these tool (not working anymore) I'm sure a lot of people would appreciate a tool to cut down time while presenting as well as time and money saved while employees design and prepare the plan and break-down of a project.
This coming from a former renovation contractor.
Mike RL
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A router_selected_edges.rb tool. This tool would allow the user to sect a group or face, and automatically "router" the edge(s) with a choice of a multitude of existing (common) profiles of router bits.
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Mike, that's exactly the sort of feedback I'm looking for.
Your ideas for a fastener selection tool and the centering tool are construction design oriented and that's what we'll be concentrating on at first. Actually, the fastener tool is already a part of our planned 'Construction Method' tool wherein you would be able to define a construction method and apply it to the cacasses in your project.Thanks to everyone for your input.
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Tools that would assist with cut lists and cutting diagrams would also be helpful. After project design, the components need to be exploded and then re-arranged in two dimensions in preparation of cutting the components from the stock. Once they are in the same plane, cutting diagrams can be created to best optimize stock use.
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Hi,
Being that I am a newbee on SU and woodworking, a good tool for me would be something that creates a shopping list from a parts list, that way I could just print it and take it to home depot.
Thanks,
Carlos
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FWIW, there already is a very serviceable cutlist generator avaiable. The file is CutListandMaterials3.3 and is available on the the Google SketchUp Pro Groups Files page.
I do hope Gidon's tool includes one but in the meantime, there is an option for this one.
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Dave R
I'm trying to install that cutlist script and launching Sketchup says theres a syntax error. Anyone have any ideas?
I'm running Sketchup version 6.4 something (current), the free version
Error Loading File CutListAndMaterials.rb
C:/Program Files/Google/Google SketchUp 6/Plugins/CutListAndMaterials.rb:33: syntax errormodel. Volumes are given in board
^
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I'm not a Ruby wizard but I think there's something wrong with the way the file is named. Check to see that it is named CutListandMaterials.rb I wonder if the ':33' is screwing it up.
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@dave r said:
I'm not a Ruby wizard but I think there's something wrong with the way the file is named. Check to see that it is named CutListandMaterials.rb I wonder if the ':33' is screwing it up.
Looking at it, it looks like the :33: means the line number in the file. which is exactly what shows up after the :33:
which is weird as I'm assuming that other people would have this problem if that was an issue. -
Perhaps someone looking at the plugins forum can give you a smart answer. Sorry but I'm not the guy for that.
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@dave r said:
Perhaps someone looking at the plugins forum can give you a smart answer. Sorry but I'm not the guy for that.
Found the answer in the Ruby area, thanks.
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I have few sugestions, job sheduling by phase. e.g phase 1 footings, phase 2 piers, phase 3 beares and joists etc. automated wall numbering & window numbering would be useful. If you are yet to check out housebuilder.rb, this ruby has some powerful house building uses. If you need anither beta tester please let me know.
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Great idea Gidon
I'll be watching the progression with interest.Mike
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Wow, is this a wish list or what?
I'm way into the idea of a board stretcher. Perhaps it could have better size controls as well. It would be nice to know what the final size is, not just the difference between original and final versions.
I have a lot of trouble designing furniture in Sketchup because there is so little control of curves. How about the SU equivalent of Beziers? I also have a lot of trouble editing what I've done. Often I trash a work in progress because it's easier to start over than to edit. I'm sure the skill will grow on me, but as a newbie I find the learning curve starts easy but quickly gets steep, at least for anything with delicacy or intricacy.
Another tool I would like to see is a Molding Maker. It would be a specialized hybrid of a components manager and a Follow Me Tool. From a library of cutters (negative shapes) or patterns (actual moldings) you could extrude shapes along lines. Store anything from casing patterns to panel raises to tabletop edges and apply them to selected lines. Ideally, you could control where the profile hits the wood by dragging the shape into the rough stock, thereby setting the depth and height of the cutter relative to the stock.
And as everyone else here has said, put me on the list of beta testers!
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@jim57 said:
I have a lot of trouble designing furniture in Sketchup because there is so little control of curves. How about the SU equivalent of Beziers?
Already exists in several plugins.
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Hi all !
I gave an idea of a script here ! -
Any progress on this by chance? Specifically, the "board stretcher" option. That would be tremendously helpful! It would be nice to be able to make a small section of door stiles and rails for any cope and stick pattern I use, and then just be able to stretch those into whatever size door I needed.
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@sparky977 said:
Any progress on this by chance? Specifically, the "board stretcher" option. That would be tremendously helpful! It would be nice to be able to make a small section of door stiles and rails for any cope and stick pattern I use, and then just be able to stretch those into whatever size door I needed.
You can do this already, Sparky, using the basic SketchUp tools. A plugin would be nice for it but it is possible without. Now with SU7Pro, you could make dynamic components to do the same thing although the components wouldn't be very useful for a cutlist later.
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@dave r said:
@sparky977 said:
Any progress on this by chance? Specifically, the "board stretcher" option. That would be tremendously helpful! It would be nice to be able to make a small section of door stiles and rails for any cope and stick pattern I use, and then just be able to stretch those into whatever size door I needed.
You can do this already, Sparky, using the basic SketchUp tools. A plugin would be nice for it but it is possible without. Now with SU7Pro, you could make dynamic components to do the same thing although the components wouldn't be very useful for a cutlist later.
Mind telling me how?
I've been trying to figure out a good way, and everything I've tried has been extremely inefficient. The scale tool doesn't work for what I'm talking about, because it scales the edge profiles as well. I just need the length changed, not the scale. -
@sparky977 said:
@dave r said:
@sparky977 said:
Any progress on this by chance? Specifically, the "board stretcher" option. That would be tremendously helpful! It would be nice to be able to make a small section of door stiles and rails for any cope and stick pattern I use, and then just be able to stretch those into whatever size door I needed.
You can do this already, Sparky, using the basic SketchUp tools. A plugin would be nice for it but it is possible without. Now with SU7Pro, you could make dynamic components to do the same thing although the components wouldn't be very useful for a cutlist later.
Mind telling me how?
I've been trying to figure out a good way, and everything I've tried has been extremely inefficient. The scale tool doesn't work for what I'm talking about, because it scales the edge profiles as well. I just need the length changed, not the scale.Are you drawing the doors as five separate pieces? Assuming you are, here are the steps. Suppose you want to add 3" to the width of a door with a raised panel and cope and stick joints. Just for fun, we'll make the door 3" wider to the right.
- Move the right hand stile 3" to the right.
- Open the top (or bottom. Unless they are different as in a tombstone door, they should be instances of the same component) rail component for editing.
- With the Select tool, drag a left to right selection box around the right end of the rail.
- Get the Move tool and move the selected geometry 3" to the right.
- Open the raised panel component and repeat steps 4 and 5.
Done.
If the rail you didn't open for editing gets lengthened at the opposite end from the one you did edit, you rotated the copy instead of flipping it. This means you'll also need to move one rail to align its ends correctly. If you flip or mirror the copy, you won't have that problem.
If you are using SketchUp for woodworking, you might find some useful stuff url=http://finewoodworking.taunton.com/blog/design-click-build]here[/url].
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