Entity Info will report the area of a selected face

https://i.imgur.com/IzuWVYn.png

Or surface...

https://i.imgur.com/pei8WSj.png

Fredo Tools has a Report Area as Label feature too...

https://i.imgur.com/ChlEv87.png

Two things you can do:
1 - scale the model waaaay up, like 10000X, then perform the Outer Shell operation
2 - Export the models as STL, then upload to https://modelrepair.azurewebsites.net/ to have that free service merge them for you.

The Pro version is not likely to do any better than the free version for this operation.

@kellenraid said:

I am trying to "attach" one face of one solid to a face on the other. Will the whole thing become a solid if I take both of the latter groups and make them a single group?

Like Pilou says, you'll want to use the "Outer Shell" function. Here's a video:

@kellenraid said:

.......But on one edge, there are these triangles; though small, they kinda ruin the smooth edge. .......Is there a fix for this? .....

Temporarily make hidden geometry (all the edges) visible.
Did you try to smooth the triangle's edges by sweeping the 'Eraser' tool over its edges while holding down [Ctrl] This will smooth the triangle's edges and will make one large smooth surface.

Try doing it via the Sketchucation Plugin store tool. And make sure you've installed current versions of LibFredo and Curviloft, not the ones you installed in SU8.

I think one can say... depends! It really depends on what changes you are talking about and what your mesh looks like now. You can free-form model some detail or you can scale parts or whole. Look at Vertex Tools. But often it is actually faster to go back to get a new smooth mesh based on your outlines, especially for the sort of shape you describe.

Not sure that you have such SKetchup plugin!

Maybe better is export your model and use one of these ?

You can choose the Curviloft menu item "generate the junction edges (no face)" that gives you just the ancillary rails and your original rails. Then modify a rail and run curviloft again. Maybe that will work for you.

I'm curious how many user accounts you plan to use

It's pretty simple when you know how but confusing to begin with, rather than me writing it all have a look at this thread which gives instructions.
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=35746

Try Cubic Bezier from Fredo's BZ_Spline set.

@cotty said:

With the attached image, you can do it like in this screencast...
See image above)

Thanks Cotty, that is exactly what I ment. I didn't have the right transparent png at hand. The texture can be resized to show any grid one needs, even X and Y independently 👍

Jim, if you are going to follow Box's suggestion I would advice you to go for limited construction lines, (limited in length) made by a plugin, written by Jim Foltz.
See his blog and look for 'Construction Line Tool':
http://sketchuptips.blogspot.nl/p/my-plugins.html

Thing is that with a few (not even that much, really) infinite guides in your model you might get lost in modeling space when orbiting. Even 'Zoom Extent' would not bring your model back until you delete all infinite guides.

You might have a look at a plugin called Cloud and then Triangulate Points.

Look at this link for books by Bonnie Roskes (et al):
http://sketchupdate.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-sketchup-8-books-from-bonnie-roskes.html

That is for version 8, but the principles haven't changed. I have a book by her published for version 5.