Aha!
So, now that you've fessed up, what do you think of the models?
dh

Bots get my vote, with sunspots a close second. Well within the margin of error.
dh

I've recently posted several designs to the 3D Warehouse, and I find myself checking the number of views and downloads my sketches receive. It's nice to know that someone out there wants to see what I've done. Traffic (if you can call two or three views per day traffic) for some designs shows inexplicable spikes. I wish I could figure out why there's sudden spurts of interest in, say an Empire arm chair or a Mission slant-front desk.

Any thoughts? Could there be a spate of desire for period furniture among architects and designers? People building pieces from my sketches? Sunspots?

Best,
David Heim

Morton,
I neglected to thank you for the compliment. I'm glad you liked the modeling.
dh

I don't know what the actual furniture would cost. I based my sketches on images found on sellers' web sites. In both cases, prices vary depending on the wood you want, the finish you choose, or both. Here are links to the sites:

http://www.lutyens-furniture.com/index.html

Weatherend Furniture | An American Story - Weatherend

Luxury Outdoor Furniture Made in Maine. See our dining and casual collections and learn how our American Story began in 1904.

(www.weatherend.com)

I'm sure none of these pieces is cheap. I would not be surprised by prices in excess of US$2000 for each piece.

The three pieces I sketched are ones that have fascinated me for years. For example, I first encountered the Lutyens bench (the one with the very curvy back) more than 25 years ago. I even made a few in 1:12 scale, for people who collect dollhouse miniatures. But I have never for a minute thought I could make one full-size. Same goes for the tree bench and the Lutyens Delhi bench: I'm perfectly content to draw them rather than build them for real.
dh

It's the height of summer, the right time of year for some classic garden furniture. I worked up the two Lutyens benches from photos on the Lutyens Furniture & Lighting web site; the tree bench, from information on the Weatherend site. These and other of my models are also in the 3D Warehouse, where I use the name Daver.
Fair warning to anyone who looks closely: The arm and back slats on the Delhi bench are merely positioned, with no joinery. After all, it's the height of summer and I'm allowed to relax a bit.
Let me know what you think. I welcome any type of feedback.
Best,
david

delhi bench.skp

lutyens bench.skp

weatherend bench.skp

Glad you like them.
Working from plans in old books is always a challenge. They invariably omit key details, like the length of a tenon or the placement of dowels. And, of course, there are always erroneous dimensions to work around. But it wouldn't be any fun if it weren't for those challenges.
dh

I have too much spare time.
This week, I modeled two pieces from "Mission Furniture: How to Make It," by H.H. Windsor. The book contains plans for 40 pieces. Some are classics, like the Morris chair and the settle. Some are quirky, like the wastebasket and the foot warmer. And some are silly, like the davenport with a back that folds down to make a billiard table.
No silliness here. I modeled the "lady's writing desk," a small, slant-front piece that, at 34 in. wide and about 21 in. deep, would fit right into a modern house or apartment. I based the drawer pulls on ones offered by Van Dyke's Restorers, an excellent source for Arts & Crafts hardware.
I also modeled a "table for the den," a round-top table, 37 in. in diameter, with legs set at a slight angle to the stretchers and held in place with wedged tenons. It's another piece that would work well in modern households.
I don't have a good source for a quartersawn oak texture, so flat color will have to do for now.
Let me know what you think.
David Heim

mission slant front desk.skp

round mission table.skp

Dave R,
Oh, get the lathe. Delta makes a very nice midi lathe. Decent horsepower, good swing, won't take up much more room than a planer. Runs about $600. But believe me, I know all about cramped shops.
David H.

Does the plug-in work with Mac OS? When I download the file, I get the code, not the usual files or folders.

Blum, a major manufacturer of hinges and other cabinet hardware, makes leveling legs. They're designed for cabinets and are meant to be hidden behind a toe kick, but they are also designed to support the full weight of a cabinet. The alternative, I guess, would be a bolt held in place with a T-nut at the end of each leg.

I'd urge you to look at the 'Design.Click.Build' blog on FineWoodworking.com. It's full of good information for beginners and seasoned users alike. And in addition to Bob Lang's book, I'd also suggest looking at the SketchUp Guide for Woodworkers, an e-Book published by Taunton press. (Full disclosure: I edited that book.) It's definitely geared to newcomers to SketchUp.
To address one of your specific concerns: When you create a component, it's automatically saved. You can see all the components you have created for a specific model by clicking on the 'Window' drop-down menu at the top of the screen, then clicking on the 'Components' entry. That opens up a new window that shows all the components.
Every application has a learning curve; in my experience, the curve for SketchUp is far shorter and shallower than some other programs. I'm hopeful that you'll come to like SketchUp and find that most actions quickly become second-nature. (You should also take heart from knowing that even SketchUp veterans make boneheaded mistakes.)
If you have other specific questions or problems you're trying to overcome, send me a private message and I'll be happy to try to help.
Best,
dh

Thanks, dedmin, problem solved.

David

I'm having no luck printing a model actual size. Actually, it's more a mechanical drawing than a 3D model; all the components are flat planes, with no thickness. I'm using a Mac with SU8 Pro. I set the Camera view to parallel projection and the standard view to Front. Then, in the Document Setup menu, I deselect the fit-to-page option and set the scale so that 1" in the model equals 1" in print. The default scale is 1-23/64" to 1. But my setup settings don't take. It always prints oversized and reverts to the default scale. Am I missing something?
Thanks in advance for the help.
David

Solid Components that work with more than 2 components at once.
daviod

I recently completed a SketchUp model of a Governor Winthrop secretary, a piece of period furniture that features a carved flame finial at the center of the top. You can see the complete model in the 3D Warehouse by following this link:

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

(sketchup.google.com)

I've also done a tutorial (my first) explaining my method for creating the flame carving. You can read it here, and I'd appreciate feedback of all types:

Flame finial tutorial.pdf

Dear Karen05,
The chair is here. Look up a couple of entries to my post of February 12. You can also find the chair model on the 3D Warehouse by following this link:

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

(sketchup.google.com)

Let me know what you think of the piece.
Thanks,
David

Having done some chairs, it was obviously time for me to make a table. You can see it in the 3D warehouse by following this link:

Error 404 (Not Found)!!1

(sketchup.google.com)

The file is too large (5+MB) to post here directly.
As always, I'd appreciate feedback of all types.
Best,
david

A couple of additions:
An American Empire-style chair with scroll arms, from "American Furniture Treasures." And a Hepplewhite drawer pull based on a design from Whitechapel Ltd. Both models are also in the 3D warehouse.
As always, thanks to Dave Richards for casting his careful eye over the models and finding things that need to be fixed.
Also as always, I'd appreciate any kind of feedback.
Thanks,
David

hepplewhite pull.skp

empire chair.skp

I think you are referring to the Flip Along command. Select the geometry or component you wish to mirror, then copy it and move the copy slightly away from the original. Select the copy and go to the Edit menu; select either Entity or Solid Component then choose Flip Along. You can flip the copy along the red, green, or blue axis.
I hope this helps.
David