SAWWG PRESENTATIONS

SIX TIPS TO GET STARTED IN SKETCHUP

Sketchup for Woodworkers
How to get started
Six Tips to get you started
1. Setting up your template for woodworking
2. 3 Button scroll wheel mouse
3. 2D vs 3D
4. Geometry
5. Stickiness
6. Groups and components
1. Templates – Setting up the correct template for your use
▪ On the menu bar at top select (Window)
▪ From the drop down select (Preferences)
▪ In the pop up box
• For 3D scroll down to and select – woodworking inches or MM
• For 2D scroll down to and select - Construction documents Feet & Inches or MM (Not Recommended)
▪ Start a new drawing for the selected template to take affect
▪ If your new drawing opens with a figure of a person in it just click on it and delete it
2. How to use the 3 Button scroll Mouse for drawing
▪ Left button click and let go
▪ Move and click and let go ***
▪ To zoom in and out use the scroll wheel
3. Use 2D to learn how to draw before moving into 3D
▪ The Origin Point (Always start your drawing here)
▪ The Axis ***
• Solid Red axis is left to right (Right of the origin point)
• Solid Green axis is front to back (Behind the origin point)
• Solid Blue axis is up and down (Above the origin point)
▪ Dotted axis lines are left, below and in front of the origin point
▪ Try each drawing tool
▪ For the best accuracy always enter your desired lengths or diameters in the box bottom left of screen***
4. Geometry
▪ All geometry is made up of three things
• points, edges, and faces
▪ Geometry can be
• A single line (2 points)
Sketchup for Woodworkers
How to get started
• Several Lines connected (Multiple Points)
• A shape with points, lines and a single face (2D) or multiple faces in (3D)
5. Stickiness
▪ Use this option to create new shapes from overlaying basic shapes
▪ This can be the most frustrating thing in Sketchup ***
6. Groups and Components
▪ Use these 2 options to keep geometry from sticking to other geometry ***
▪ Always Group items or you will end up with an unusable drawing
▪ A Group can be 1 piece of geometry or multiple pieces
• To make a group double click (left Button)a piece of geometry and right click (right button) over the top of it. In the pop-up box select group
• A group can be easily copied and moved
• A copied group becomes independent from the original and can be modified independently. ***
▪ A Component should be 1 piece of geometry ***
• A component can be exported to a cut list using an special extension tool ***
• An existing group can be made into a component by right clicking on it and selecting make component. Then right click on the new component select Entity Info at the top of the pop-up box. Enter a Unique Name in the definition box. This is the same as the name box when making a component below***
• A new Component can be made by double clicking on a piece of geometry and selecting make component. Then giving it a unique name (IE: Cabinet Side)
Extra Tips
• Control Z undo (each control Z deletes the last change you can do several)
• If you get lost inside your drawing/shapes, select the zoom extents tool
• To Lock the direction of movement - Left arrow key = green axis, Right Arrow = red axis, up arrow = blue axis
• Use the “Camera” option select “standard views” from drop down for different views Top, Front, Right, Left, Bottom, Iso
• Use Guidelines “Tape measure tool” to help drawing accuracy
• Use the Hide feature to help see details covered by other geometry