Grateful for Shapeways

[John]

How long does it take an idiot to learn 3D?

I will let you know 

[wcfn100]

Jason this statement is misleading- skin models are not the same as a solid.  The 3d solid software knows exactly how much material is inside the solid, otherwise it could not calculate the center of gravity or mass, which most 3D software tools can do.

It's not mis-leading because I said there may be other properties that a solid model has over what Sketchup can do.  The point is that it doesn't matter because in either case the files are converted to something that the printer can use so anything 'watertight', regardless of whether it's a true solids model or not, will work.

Jason

[Hyperion]

Seeing as that SketchUp supports real-time newtonian-physics based manipulation and animation of complex mechanical objects via a number of available plug-ins, it surely must now "exactly how much material is inside the solid... to calculate the center of gravity or mass".  It may not be in the base downloadable version, but the capability is there.

[peteski]

How long does it take an idiot to learn 3D?  My autoCAD has 3D, but I can't even draw a straight line with it. 

SketchUp is quite easy and probably even intuitive for someone with no 3D drawing experience. It is designed for average computer user to assist Google in creating 3D models of buildings from photographs (for Google Maps).

You need to take all the basic and advanced video tutorials - they will really help understanding how SketchUp works.
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/training/videos.html
Then, if you feel like you need to, you can dive into other tutorials on http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=36e1fa0d054a15eecc725c514c21d975&prevstart=0&hl=en&ct=lc

[Sokramiketes]

How long does it take an idiot to learn 3D?  My autoCAD has 3D, but I can't even draw a straight line with it. 

LOL, I had the same problem.  Plain AutoCAD 3D is awful.  I didn't get into 3D modeling until Solidworks.  The Solidworks interface is incredibly intuitive, and more powerful than SketchUp.  It's also $$$, unfortunately. 

I just finished up some tooling design this afternoon.  I (almost) wish my day-job needed Solidworks because it's such a joy to use. 

[Chris333]

I made it through the first video here:
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/training/videos/new_to_gsu.html

But I find it odd that I haven't used a single dimension yet.

[peteski]

I made it through the first video here:
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/training/videos/new_to_gsu.html

But I find it odd that I haven't used a single dimension yet.

Oh, you'll get there!  You're just playing around so far.

I also found it best to design the object in larger (even in 1:1) scale, then when ready, shrink it to 1:160.  If I design in 1:160 to begin with, certain operations do not work or do not produce the expected results.  Weird but true.

[Hyperion]

I also found it best to design the object in larger (even in 1:1) scale, then when ready, shrink it to 1:160.  If I design in 1:160 to begin with, certain operations do not work or do not produce the expected results.  Weird but true.

See my previous query -- how do you do that?

The scale function doesn't work for me to that level (only can reduce 1/100th at a time), and scaling an item multiple times to get it down to 1:160 (first time down to 0.01, second time down to 0.6 I think it was) crashes SketchUp every time for me.

Or is that exactly how you do it, it just doesn't crash for you?

[peteski]

See my previous query -- how do you do that?

The scale function doesn't work for me to that level (only can reduce 1/100th at a time), and scaling an item multiple times to get it down to 1:160 (first time down to 0.01, second time down to 0.6 I think it was) crashes SketchUp every time for me.

Or is that exactly how you do it, it just doesn't crash for you?

Hmm... I didn't have a problem. I scaled 1:1 object down to 0.00625 of the original size.

[wcfn100]

I gave up on Sketchup.  I can't use it to even make a simple stake pocket.  Maybe with the solids tools upgrade I could get close but not with the free version.


Jason

[Hyperion]

Hmm... I didn't have a problem. I scaled 1:1 object down to 0.00625 of the original size.

Hm.

I'm using SketchUp Pro 8.   And the Scale tool, unlike all the other functions, doesn't allow manual entry of the dimension.  I just have to drag the mouse, and it only goes in 0.05 increments down to 0.05.  Guess I'll have to play around with it some more.

EDIT:  Weird.  SketchUp on the work laptop (not Pro) works just fine.

[peteski]

Hm.

I'm using SketchUp Pro 8.   And the Scale tool, unlike all the other functions, doesn't allow manual entry of the dimension.  I just have to drag the mouse, and it only goes in 0.05 increments down to 0.05.  Guess I'll have to play around with it some more.

EDIT:  Weird.  SketchUp on the work laptop (not Pro) works just fine.

That is weird. Mine is the free version (also .
I just select the object then when scale tool shows the handles around the object, I select one corner and start shrinking it with the mouse. At that point if you release the mouse button, you can then type in the numerical value and hit enter.

It is a bit non-intuitive but it works.

[DKS]

That is weird. Mine is the free version (also .
I just select the object then when scale tool shows the handles around the object, I select one corner and start shrinking it with the mouse. At that point if you release the mouse button, you can then type in the numerical value and hit enter.

It is a bit non-intuitive but it works.

That's the same way hard dimensions are entered as well while drawing primitives or dragging surfaces. However, I believe the numeric entries must be made while the mouse button is down. I'll have to check--it's been a while...

[Hyperion]

No, the mouse button doesn't have to be depressed.  Despite my issues with "Scale", I'm quite 'fluent' in SketchUp, having used it to design a large number of real-life 1:1 objects, all the way up to my house including all the interior design work.

I'll have to play around with Pro when I get back home this weekend and see exactly what issue I was having because I was able to scale down exactly how I wanted last night with the standard build.  Though I had resulting camera issues where the camera increment wanted to skip right past my now miniscule model, but I didn't play around with it much at all.  It obviously goes without saying, but it's amazing just how small something gets once it's reduced to 1:160.  Doing it in real-time, and seeing how small it gets, it instantly reminded me of that old (by my young'un standards) Dennis Quaid movie where the guy gets shrunk down really small and injected into this guy -- "Innerspace" I think it was called.

[John]

From CES .. this kind of fits

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/01/08/3-d-printers-ces-makerbot-Replicator-diy-revolution/