thanks Anssi, unfortunately it's not large or far from origin. I've experienced this on small models and large ones. It's weird, I removed and reinstalled sketchup but it still happens. It only happens occasionaly, and when it happens on a "face" I can sometimes eliminate it by drawing a line accross the face, and then soften it. it's as if the flat plane becomes non-planer and planer (I think thats the term) at the same time somehow. entering the fourth dimension, or twilight zone. arrrgggg

Thanks! You must have designed something really special, to afford yourself printouts on Sundays and maybe on Christmas eve... Crazy!

Yeah, I know the 3ds pains (have been experimenting with them). UV maps are just exploded and texturing is almost impossible (OR you keep the UV maps but lose softened edges and then the soften command don't work from Kerky). Well, I hope Tomasz will find out ways - as well as for section cuts.

thanks all, thought it was just me. and thanks for the tips TIG, they will save me a lot of time.