@gaieus said:

Intersection only works in the editing context you are in. So if the top part is a group, you will need to explode it first (or edit the group to get that circle to appear inside the group).

As for orbit and pan: you need a three button mouse where you can use the middle button (the wheel) to click with: that's the Orbit tool and if you also press Shift, that's the Pan tool. Once you release the middle mouse button, you'll get back to the tool (Rectangle, Move etc.) that you were using before clicking.

Okay...totally makes sense. I think I got it. Also...the 3rd button was what I was missing...I wish there was a keyboard shorcut like in Photoshop, where I could just press and hold the space bar to enter pan mode and release to go back to the tool.

@box said:

That's about right. Plus the use of intersect where appropriate.

As a simple example of intersect, Cube with sphere inside, place a face through the cube and the sphere and intersect the whole lot. This will join all those bits together making it possible to separate them into two halves.

So...I am trying to replicate this, and I am close, but I just can't seem to make it happen. Here is what I end up with. I had to make a group of the top half to rotate it up without staying connected to the bottom half. Is that right? I still don't get the sphere cutout tho.

Side question: Is there a way to access orbit and pan mode while still having another tool active? There are many times where I want to move the field of view around while I am in the middle of, say, making a rectangle. If I select orbit, it deselects my tool, and I have to start all over.

Great discussion! Thanks. This is very informative. This is what I captured so far as possible solutions to the operation of creating a void within another object:

1. Reverse all the faces on the interior object (makes total sense, btw)
2. Use the Solid Tools subtract tool (pro version only - which I don't have at the moment)
3. Use a boolean plugin that will provide for solid tools-like operations to be used in the free version of SU.

Does that cover it correctly? Thanks again everyone!

Total newb here, so I'd like to thank you in advance for the help. I have ordered my first 3D printer, and have several months before delivery. This is now my time to learn 3D modeling and design so that when it arrives I can print useful things. I've chosen Sketchup as my platform to learn.

I have searched with no luck, but it could be that I don't know what to call what I want to do.

I basically what to use an object as a model to build around, but then would like to delete the object and leave a hole where it was. The best way I can think of to describe would be making a cell phone case.

Let's assume I have a model of a phone, then I build a box around it that I want to be a case. If I could delete the cell phone object (or dissolve it) out of the center of the box, I would like it leave a void that is the same shape as the object that was there. Does that make any sense at all?

Or if I wanted a cube with a hollow sphere in the middle.... I could make a sphere (I know...hard also) and then make a box around it. Then delete the sphere leaving a sphere shaped void inside the box.

Is this possible either natively or via plugin? If so...what the heck is it called? : )

Thanks again!