Thank you very much, ely862me. This looks like a good solution with just the basic tools. I will give it a try. I just couldn't figure out how to do the dip/scallop in the sections.

K

Thank you very much, Dave R. I will look into this plug-in. It looks like it could be useful for a lot of things.

K

I am trying to make an open umbrella. I am having difficulty making the scalloped part of the fabric where it dips in between the ribs as it curves to follow the shape of the ribs.

I have tried to make a basic "U" shape and then extrude it out over a curve making the shape wider as I pull it out bit by bit. But, that doesn't work very well.

If I could get one section in between the ribs, it would be easy to rotate and repeat. The shape has to have the dip in it as it curves downward.

So, I need to know how to do two things:

1. Make a "U" shape that is wide on one end and small on the other end.
2. Make this shape follow a curve as it changes in size.

Reference images:
http://www.londonundercover.co.uk/shop/umbrellas

Thanks for the information and the links.

I also found this:
http://www.sketchup-ur-space.com/2012/Oct/raylectron-plugin-for-sketchup.html

On one page I saw that the free trial version has a faint watermark.

K

Has anyone used the Raylectron rendering plug-in?

Raylectron plugin for Sketchup

(www.sketchup-ur-space.com)

http://download.cnet.com/Raylectron/3000-18496_4-75651560.html

I have the Bezier Spline plug-in for SketchUp. I have been trying to find a way to use the Courbette Tool to make a symmetrical spiral. I could not find instructions online anywhere in a forum, webpage or on YouTube to do this. After working with the Tool for awhile, I figured it out.

Start at the Origin. Make a line one foot long along the Green or Red Axis. Move/copy it nine times end-to-end to create a ten foot long line with ten segments.

Rotate/copy the line twice at a ninety degree angle using the Origin as the pivot point. Hide the Axis so you can see the lines. Orbit your view so you have an upside down “T”. See 1. on the diagram linked below. These are your guidelines.

Select all the lines and Group them. If you don’t they will become part of the spiral.

Select the Courbette Tool. The Measurements field will show “202,24s”. I changed this to “202,48s” to create more sides for a smoother curve. See 2. on the diagram.

To start creating your spiral click on the left-most point. See 3.

Move to the top point and click. See 4.

Move to the right-most point and click. See 5.

You now want to click back and forth alternating between the left line segments and the right line segments moving one line segment inward each time. See 6. Note: Watch the smart tags as you find the next point to click on. You want to make sure you are using the “Endpoint in a Group” points and not the “Midpoint in a Group” points. See the second diagram.

Thanks for the Shape Bender and the posts about the Progress Bar.
I got the load error message; but, once I read and followed the instructions for the Progress Bar Plug-in, the Shape Bender worked.