Google Sketch Up - Is cool !

Yay!Gurrr

Yay!Gurrr

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Hey just wanted to start a thread about google sketch up.. I downloaded it and was able to make a graphic after some time that has helped me a lot with my camper. While its not perfect and i made a few mistakes creating it, im getting the hang of it.

Anyone else use it ?

Question i have is when i want to make a 'new' thing i somehow end up pulling/extruding a section of something else vs making a separate piece, what am i doing wrong ? I end up having to make it in free space then drag it in then resize and thats a pain..

camper002.jpg

camper003.jpg
 
thats pretty cool, reminds me of Solidworks, are things movable in Sketch up? (i.e. making a tire carrier that the hinge can swing back and forth?) Is it a free Download?

Zack
 
Alright, I took a few minutes to download and play with... Ya.... It's freeware.....

I see what you are saying and that messed up. If you want to play with a real 3D program that you can download a free 30 day trial of, go to Strata Studio 3D http://www.strata.com/strata3d_demo.asp

You get 30 days of saving files. After that you can't save them and it put a water mark on your rendering. But you can still work in the program and take Screen shots of your finished product... with a watermark on it of course. It's a much more intense program than Google Sketch!
 
I can send you my pic file if you want to mess with it.. I'm sure there is some way to do it.. I've tried to use other apps, and for the little I use them the learning curve is just to much. I like free and this gets the job done..
 
SketchUp is a huge piece of shit.

That said, it's the best damn modelling software out there.

Break your model into components, then edit each component separately. For example, make a component that is the outer shell of the camper. Then another component that is a bed, another that's the shelves (or better yet, a component that is made up of several individual "shelf" components).

Just pick what you want to be in the component, right click, Make Component (or hit G), replace selection with component.

When you need to edit the component, double-click on it.
 
thats how i ended up doing it after i ran into several issues, i made the following components: walls, left side, right side, center, bed. Each was added on a separate layer, which helped greatly when trying to edit components on the inside. I simply didn't show the parts in the way. I agree it has limits but for free package thats runs pretty well even on an older PC its not bad..
 
sounds like solidworks, but i think solidworks is better. i can design some pretty sweet stuff with it. i made a few bumpers with it that allowed the tire carrier to swing out. also allows you to make pieces that can be pulled out, like say a pin for instance. i have seen people build entire cars with it to scale with each individual component. only problem with solidworks, unless you are able to get a free copy, is that it is expensive.
 
highrollintj said:
sounds like solidworks, but i think solidworks is better.
Click to expand...

No, solidworks is just different, not "better". Solidworks is production-level mechanical design software. Sketchup is a 3D conceptual modeling program. You can churn out stuff in a couple of hours in Sketchup that would take you days to generate in any other program. But it's not as precise or as robust.
 
saf-t scissors said:
Sketchup is a 3D conceptual modeling program. You can churn out stuff in a couple of hours in Sketchup that would take you days to generate in any other program. But it's not as precise or as robust.
Click to expand...

Aw, c'mon now..days?... I've played with that Sketch up, and quite honestly it's crap. Leaves much to be desired but it is FREE! I've worked in several 3D Conceptual programs and would churn out several fully modeled, skinned, lighted and rendered models each day.
 
saf-t scissors said:
You bought Vista?
Dumbass. :shaking:
Click to expand...


HELL NO.. I would not pay for this Crap System..

But since I am the IT Guy here at work we had to get one to test and see if it will work with our environment or not..

Answer = NOT Yet.
 
mbalbritton said:
Aw, c'mon now..days?... I've played with that Sketch up, and quite honestly it's crap. Leaves much to be desired but it is FREE! I've worked in several 3D Conceptual programs and would churn out several fully modeled, skinned, lighted and rendered models each day.
Click to expand...

You may be using the free version... I'm not.

It still begs the question, though.... sure, SketchUp sucks... but what's better? Nothing, really. Sure, there's stuff out there that can do a model in several hours... but I need something that can do it in seconds. We'll take SketchUp models into meetings and redesign them right there with the client. If they want a prettier rendering, we can throw the model into Viz or Accurender.

It's easy, it's fast, and it works.
 
I designed some tabs and then a triple bend control arm bracket last night on emachine.com and its pretty cool. Only problem is I haven't figured out how to print it with demensions. They don't add that feature I am sure since its set up so once you design it, you just order it from them. I'm curious...does the skectchup print out with dimensions etc. so you know the demensions of bends and location of wholes, etc?
 
saf-t scissors said:
You may be using the free version... I'm not.
Click to expand...
Yep just downloaded the free version

It still begs the question, though.... sure, SketchUp sucks... but what's better? Nothing, really. Sure, there's stuff out there that can do a model in several hours... but I need something that can do it in seconds. We'll take SketchUp models into meetings and redesign them right there with the client. If they want a prettier rendering, we can throw the model into Viz or Accurender.
It's easy, it's fast, and it works.
Click to expand...

Been there done all that with Form-Z and Strata 3D ;)
 
I thought it was cool to take my idea and in a few hours spit out a 'good' model of it.. NOT to debate its quality vs an off the shelf (NOT FREE) product, or some 30day trial stuff...

As Shawn clearly pointed out, its got limitations, BUT its can be the right tool for the job..

I know it definitely runs pretty well on my old 600MHz desktop web surfing clunker at home... Can't say the other apps would run as well (or at all)...

AND ITs FREE !!!!!
 
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