Hi Guys

I am designing something that needs to have multiple pivot points, much like a scissor arm. To allow me to see it actually moving before building it, I'd like to be able to connect all of the pivot points and then see how each pivot point effects the movement.

After some research, I found SketchyPhysics, which seems to do most of what I want. But it does not allow me to use the pivot/hinge points to physically align objects in the model. i.e if I click 'play', I can see the movement, but when I click stop, the objects return to their original position. It would really help speed up the process if I could permanently attach various points, so that when I move one point, the others stay together and move with the rest of the arms.

Perhaps a pic would help:

Is there a way to do what I need? Or am I stick with moving each component piece of the model bit by bit?

Actually I have a problem. I'm obviously missing a step somewhere. I draw one of the sections from scratch, make it a component and pull it out 9mm. When I open the component, select move and click the middle of one of the uprights, it moves the whole component in the blue direction.

If I do that on your model Dave, it behaves differently, it tilts the section up. Just like I want.

Where am I going wrong?

That's fantastic Dave. Very grateful for your help, as always. Worked a charm. Gives me the ability to play around with it until I get something that will work.

Just as a slight aside. Is there a simple way to take one section, lay it down flat and then measure all the angles. i.e I'm going to be cutting this for real out of wood and the next step is working out how to lay it all out. I'm using Sketchup to reduce some of the trial and error in the workshop.

Thanks everyone for chipping in. For some reason I can't get my head around some of the intermediate sketchup techniques

Hey Dave

ok I'm going to need a little more help on this. I've followed Box's instructions up to " select the midpoint vertical edge where they all come together and move it up on the blue axis." I'm lost at this point. Literally don't understand how to proceed.

3d star skp file

Hi

I need to draw a star that will eventually be cut from 9mm MDF. I'm having trouble with all of the angles involved. This is the basic shape I need to end up with

When cutting it out of wood I will cut 10 identical scalene triangles from 9mm mdf as this image depicts.

What I can't work out is all of the angles to make it 3D. I can normally hack my way around sketchup to get what I need, but this has eluded me for days.

Can anyone assist pls?

i'd love to see some real photos on this or a link to where you got the idea?

Thanks

Hi Guys

I usually use sketchup on my laptop but using the 'nub' mouse can be laborious when you need to get things done. I have installed sketchup on my main PC but sketchup is behaving oddly.

Firstly, my primary monitor is a 22" flatscreen at a resolution of 1680x1050 when I open sketchup I get a blank area to the far right of the screen. It disappears is I make the whole window smaller. But when maximised objects get hidden in this area.

Secondly, selecting objects seems to be playing up. Sometimes when I click an object it selects the object behind it or next to it. I have to change the view angle a few times before I can get a grip on it.

Both problems have never existed on any other PC? I tried upgrading to the latest version with no joy.

Any ideas?
Sketchup V6.2.112
Windows XP
Pentium Core2 6400 @ 2.13GHZ
3.5GB DDR Ram
Intel Q695/Q963 Express