Variable Rabbet and Dado Depth/Width for a Dynamic Component
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I'm trying to create a model with dynamic components that will create all the parts for a basic drawer set. While I get length, width, and height to scale correctly in the DC, I can't seem to figure out a way to set up a DC for the dado for the bottom panel and the rabbets on the front and back panels (nothing fancy here, just basic rabbets and dado).
I tried to get the 'Intersect with model' to work, but with no luck. I tried putting a 2-D model with a cutting plane, but no luck there also. I did a significant amount of Googling before posting here. Cutting the rabbets and dadoes is a basic push/pull operation, but I can't seem to figure out how to do this with a dynamic components. My current state of affairs is that I have the rabbets are formed by a DC that consists of 3 pieces, 2 rabbet 'extensions' on either side of a box. I know this is very kludgy, but I can't figure out how to make the rabbets work in a DC.
Hoping my fellow woodworkers will have some insight...
Agglomerator
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I think you're more likely to get an answer in the Dynamic Components forum so I moved your post there.
As far as I know the only way to do things such as you want would involve dividing the parts into sections. The two ways to move something are by scaling or by changing the location. If you use scaling to change the length of the drawer side, for example, you wind up scaling the rabbets as well which wouldn't be appropriate. The fix would be to divide the drawer side into three parts; each rabbet and a center section. Then scale the center section and move a rabbet to resize. This does seem very much a kudge to me and I dislike it because the drawer side is in three pieces. It gets worse for a raised panel because you would have to divide it into 9 sections to be able to make it dynamic. Scaling is just not the correct way to resize either of those elements.
Maybe someone else has a bright idea but I think no matter what you do, it's going to be kludgy.
I made myself a dynamic drawer component but omitted all of the joinery. I use it only for drawers that are going to be ordered from a supplier. I enter the dimensions of the drawer opening and the depth of the cabinet. the drawer box is drawn with the proper spacing for the drawer glides and the DC panel gives me a part number to order the drawer. Again, no joinery but that isn't needed for the application.
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Would Profile Builder be useful here? As far as I know, it's not dynamic, but how many variations would be needed?
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Dave - thanks for the response. That's what I've done with the rabbets - make each drawer front into 3 parts - 2 rabbets (itself a component) and the center section. It seems to work, but I expect when I get around to exporting to Cutlist it will show those the drawer front as 3 separate pieces. Any way to fool Sketchup into thinking it's one piece for Cutlist purposes?
One other question - I got the above model working, but when I scale the drawer height, the dado for the drawer bottom scales also, making it bigger than the thickness of the drawer bottom. Do I need to make this into two parts also (small 1/2" section across the drawer under the dado, and the piece above?
I've been looking for a good ruby program that could draw this, but many of the ones out there for cabinets and such don't use joinery - so no dadoes or rabbets are needed.
Agglomerator
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The cutlist is always my concern, too. There's no way to fool it into not listing the lowest level components which would be each end and the middle. A drawer such as you're describing would be trivial to resize as needed as a non-dynamic component anyway so I wouldn't bother with making a DC for it. And for me, the cutlist is more important than a dynamic component.
The groove for the bottom adds additional complexity to a DC component. I'm thinking you'd need to divide the drawer side in 3 vertically as well to make that work.
Maybe you should consider what you really need out of the model. Prioritize and work from there. Maybe you don't need the joinery drawn? Or maybe you just need to skip the dynamic component thing.
I mentioned that I made a dynamic drawer component. It doesn't have any joinery so the parts are single components so I would get accurate dimensions from the cutlist but I don't include those in the selection set when I make the cutlist since someone else will be making the drawers.
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Hi
Can consider this as part of solution, Three holes, rebate sides and some hidden lines plus outline
For a stop housing one need only front and one side hole, the filled end can be added to the rebate sides.
Note metricCheers
Philip
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Thank you Philip. I hadn't thought about making the groove as a separate component. That would work and perhaps with some gymnastics the rabbets on the ends could be made to work as well. As far as a cutlist goes, the drawer side wouldn't show because it isn't at the lowest level but you would get the groove and rabbets included.
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an idea...
to make the cut-list see it as one piece, explode the internal components or groups, leaving the outside component with you main attributes, then cut-list will take-off the item correctly. Then if later you required to modify, swap it with a saved component in your files.
These components need to be set up so as to reference the options/attributes left behind on your internally-exploded component. Then they will update. Use the generic parent! in front of the attribute you are trying to change, not a specific parent name.
In DC folder you might have "door","window" and "xx_door","xx_window" where the latter are already contained in the former, and can be swapped in the model. Typical the attributes like =parent!LenX will be red in these xx_ children looking for adoption
why "xx_"? well I am sure a well-meaning ruby coder could make a script to attach to the cut-list menu, that could explode the a selection or all the entities with this prefix or similar. Plus even go one step further and delete the internal geometry, ready for printing?
I did also consider "shell", but then cut-list reports on the generic shell name, plus the inners have to be solids
Philip
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Hi Pcmoor,
I was wondering if there is a way to scale a part in DC the same way “FredoScale/Stretch Target” does, meaning; part should stretch from the center with center details, so any machining engraved in part should move along at the same position and same size. I was stunned to your drawer sides, but I couldn’t imitate it for my panel that needs miter ends, is miter cut possible? Or is the Stretch Target an option? Otherwise I will need to split my part in 3. Please educate me…
Thanks, vigy.
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Hi Vigy,
To make the holes, they are first contained within the surface then expanded to the edges, this makes the remaining surface act as one, and "self heals" as per attachment.
Its probably best to build the mitre ends as 3 part component if you wish to use Dynamic Components
At some point though your efforts may be best spent on the ruby code. Its fairly simple to move an edge to form the mitre using a script.I have considered your concept of engraving, which is to develop the hole further, attached is a reversed moulding to build a cutout in a panel.
The biggest problem with DC's is that they soon become memory hungry and "clunky".
Cheers for now
still experimenting
PhilipPS
after a weekend check the mitre box in wood working forum for update
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