Yes I think I'm getting a handle on my problems I extruded two surfaces of different colours out a long way right next to each other and than had a real close look and there was a noticeable difference but the measure tool couldn't pick it up, not until I increased the size of the entire model considerably and even then it was only 0.01. I'll have to keep my eye open to problems and correct them early I've obviously been covering problems rather than fixing them and the problem is manifesting elsewhere. Thanks heaps for your time.

Yep first time I've added an attachment I'm a very new newbie I've moved the layers around so I'm drawing on 0 Layer and it is better.
I have another ? though if you have say a rectangle with a line dividing it and one side is one colour and the other is white than you remove the line and it all turns white what has happened I am guessing that the different colour means that one was on a slightly different plane has SU compensated in some way or is there a hidden flaw that can turn up later to cause problems.

Thanks For getting back so quick guys. I went back and tried to cut out most of the infected aria and I'll start over unfortunately I lost the second floor. I think I know what caused the problem though. I made a door shape into a group then moved it around as I needed it however a couple of times I missed and grabbed other geometry its the only thing I can think of. there's only a small aria left infected now and I doubt that I will be able to find the cause. I've posted my progress Just to give you an idea but as I said I deleted the second floor so there's not much to see now. but you might like the fake mirror.By the way it's a space ship.

ship

I started to make a multi story building whilst trying to keep things nice and neat the first two stories were great but then on the third all of a sudden the wheels fell off and I ran into all sorts of problems like not being able to draw something as simple as a triangle on the floor and using push pull on it without selecting the entire surface, plus this floor being connected to the other stable floors seems to cause them to become unstable and I loose walls when I try to clean up unsightly and unnecessary lines that don't seem to have anything to do with the walls and floors I loose. My main question is what are the kinds of operations that could be causing these problems. as I said I was trying to keep things neat so that my overall file size is smaller.
One more question I read somewhere in this forum that you should only draw on 0 layer ( which I haven't been ) Why and can that cause problems of any kind.

Hi Fred
Decided to download this to give you a look at how I think this cabin is surposed to be put together to some extent and unfortunatly if I'm right theres not the right amount of wood to build it as it was intended giveing you a 14 metre long cabin.
Don't bother counting the balks because I've added quite a few. I'm going to try and modify it so it works but this one requires no fancy cuting other than doors and windows.
You may have been down this road yourself it seems too fit.

a lot of wood but not enough.skp

Yes Fred I can certainly see how you could get very frustrated with it, some things just don't seem to make sense at all and made even worse knowing that the correct plan would mean much less cutting and would go up in three or four days, minus site preparation, it sounds like your on a very tight schedule and even though a slab would be better it would eat up your allotted time.
How long before you go.
Ant

Hi Fred
Yes all the peaces left stacked are the left overs except the green one and the two light blue ones at the far end they are there just to represent that the two light blue ones can be joined to make one green however I'm sure that a better join could easily be made.

You said that some of the bauks have holes in them could you be more specific it may give more of a hint as to what they should be used for.

The more I look at the available wood the more convinced I am that there's a second floor.so even if we find the right way it may not be the way you finally build it

I love a good puzzle and this is one of the best.
starting enother one now lets see if I can get a large loft.

Talk soon

Hi Fred

Still can't think of how those multi notched bauks fit into the cabin but I had a little fun trying to get the biggest cabin I could with the available wood I had to add a couple of windows a concrete floor with a concrete rise that comes up the height of one bauk and of course there's no roof but its been fun pushing the brain around a bit.

I think I recall you said that animals would be kept in this cabin that's why I went for a concrete floor and riser so it would be easy to clean and more hygienic.

Have you found out any more about where or what country it was made in.
I've been looking around a bit and I saw a picture of a cabin that looked a good fit but there were no plans.

I'm new to skechup so this has been great for learning about groups and groups within groups and a lot of other features.

just for fun

Hi Fred

I've decided to drop this design and start again the amount of red Bauks I have left leads me to think there's an extra outer small room or porch because of the two small bauks with 3 cutaways in them. I do believe that the builder is intended to make quite an number of cuts to the timber and the secret to this cabin will be in the amount of wast left over. however I'm happy now to know that there is enough timbre to make an entire cabin so I think it's complete minus the roof Because there is no actual roofing material and the type of roof is left up to the builder which is good because there are lots of different types of roofing ( While I'm on the subject of roof its also occurred to me that the heavy bauk ceiling beams may be for a second flore loft and the little window is for up there that is of course with a high pitched roof). Im trying to look at this as a classy little cabin and no log is sacred.

Back Again I've been playing around with your logs and you may get some ideas from where I'm going with it, bear in mind i'm not a builder and I may run out of wood. All the wood thats there is whats left for me to play with except the one at the far end that I cut up to show you that if you make cuts in the right places and place the doors and window in certen places you can gane extra walls. however I don"t know if all the logs are of the same diametre. have a look anyway.

a lot less wood.skp