The Google SketchUp Thread

[finescalerr]

About the fur/grass maker: Is it a cost effective solution for scenery? Have you seen actual output? -- Russ

[Frederic Testard]

I really find this topic very beautiful.  Not only that, full of information too, but the renderings are very beautiful.

That being said, I dream of a software where you would have a text window and on every line an order for drawing something, with coordinates - or parameters - written by hand, or an order for drawing or removing an intersection, etc. Not something with a mouse where it's hard to correct mistakes.
I use a math program for making 2D works which is part of the TeX program that some of you may be aware of. Although a bit basic, it allows me to draw almost everything. And it's free with the TeX distribution.

[eTraxx]

About the fur/grass maker: Is it a cost effective solution for scenery? Have you seen actual output? -- Russ

Played with it a bit .. is very effective. I'll post up some in a bit.

[eTraxx]

I just did this really really quickly just now.

Here's a scene from my Acme Oil Company I'm Imagineering ..


Here's the same scene (mostly .. I moved the mouse) with grass .. etc

[marc_reusser]

I found sim problems when doing the scaling.....however, I think mine might have come partialy from some surfaces not being ansolutely in the proper/same planes (probably due to a small error/glitch when rotating and/or extruding a portion of the part)....which did not seem to cause a problem in full size...but when reduced to scale the error is oviously magnified and results in the issue you had...and when one tries to fix these in the scaled down drawing they are a hellishly frustrating excercise.

I have found some issues when drawing in "scale" as well.....SU seems to balk at really small radii (IE .010" and smaller).....I noticed this when doing my small parts for the initial test......so......My bunker I did a bit differently...instead of working in feet and inches, I worked in Metric.....then used the scale tool to shringk it to size....and maybe it was because of the simplicity of the model, or maybe because a simple decimal conversion reduction is easier for the program....Or I was just lucky.....but it seemed to go very easy and problem free.

[marc_reusser]

Cool little project you have going there.....but it seems to be missing a 12x12 shed.


Marc

[eTraxx]

Yep. I think part of the problem as you said is that I was scaling from full size to 1:48. A good example being 16" (I was putting my studs on 16" centers in my 12'x12' shed). Divide 12/48 and you get .... .3333333~ .. and so on. I ran into that exact same issue with Sketchup balking at small radii. Combine that with the scaling issues I had and I'm going to try and draw the wheel in 1:12 scale. That should be large enough to eliminate the problems with small radii and since it converting to 1:48 will simply be reducing the part by .25% that should also fix the scaling.

My next problem is trying to make the spoke correctly. The first try with the round spoke works but isn't prototypical. Here's a graphic of a Model T spoke I found online. It looks to me that they turned the lower portion round then cut the wedge and sliced off the sides. My next step will be to attempt that by basically following the original process virtually .. lathe the spoke then intersect flat planes at the right places in Sketchup and delete the 'bits' not needed.


My 12'x12' shed .. is coming on nicely .. at least the walls have. I'm having as much trouble 'cutting' the birdsmouth in the rafters as I would in full scale .. the only difference being that it doesn't hurt so much to discard the messed up lumber. ..

That scene where I 'grew' the grass is from my on-going (and never ending) puttering around with my ACME Oil Co. I love using Sketchup for mocking up 'stuff'. In this 'scene' I have various models I have drawn up in Sketchup .. and I can move things around, change their shape and so on.

Here's a earlier version .. with two vertical storage tanks on the upper level. Not sure how that fellow got on that walkway around the tanks as I don't have any stairs yet. Ha.


A later version .. stairs partially completed for the tanks .. my horizontal tank added at right angles to the track .. diff upper structure.


Here, I rotated the horizontal tank and moved it behind the vertical tanks.


One thing that I really like about using Sketchup in designing models is that in 3D you can see if the 'bits' don't align properly. That horizontal tank for example, I found in a book published in 1903. Trying to scale up from a fuzzy drawing having the ability to spin the object you are modeling helps make sense out of looking at a 2D elevation and front view.

[marc_reusser]

Google has just released their new release, Sketchup v.8.....the Pro version has some really nifty new tools for solid modeling...especially addititive/subtractive and intersection tools. Both the Pro and the basic also have a new feature called "Wrap" wihich will apparantly wrap and clean up your models in prep for 3-D printing. There are numerous other improvements and new features, many of them in the Site Builder, Building Maker, and Layout portions and interfaces. (for instance SU Layout will now export as vector based drawings as dwg or dxf files directly into CAD.).  All-in-all looks like some very cool and useful new features.  I already did my upgrade, and will now have to play around with it a bit.

M

[eTraxx]

Cool. Thanks Marc. I just downloaded it. Here's a link to "What's New in Google Sketchup 8"

[marc_reusser]

Thought that this might be of interest.  This is for my current 1/35 project.  The DML 'Ommr' Gondola kits have no brake detailing whatsoever, and it looks really of, and naked underneath. A fellow modeler on a German forum was kind enough tu send me a cope of original WW2 builders drawings of these cars...from them, along with some images of current day cars, I was able to devine the brake system. This was drawn in SU. and once I get all the individual parts onto a sprue, sent to PAP for printing.  The whole assembly consisits of 25 pieces per axle. (The red rods are not part of the parts to be printed, They will be brass, or are an exist. kit part.)

[finescalerr]

Quite adequate. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

Shucks, Russ...you have such a way with words.

Here are two shots of what the parts look like assembled into a sprue tree. The orientation for the parts was specifically done so that most of the larger flat surfaces faced up and down, so that they would print with the smoother finish on them.

Currently the file is being converted into a .STL with Cadspan...it's a big one 44,820 triangles and 2241084 bytes....netx is to wait for the file to finish processing, then upload it to PAP for a quote.

[RoughboyModelworks]

Well planned Marc... I'll be interested to see what PAP quotes on that. PM me if you don't want to share that information publicly.

How dimensionally accurate have you found the circular parts? I'm drawing up the contoured wheel centers for the Heywood Brake Van and was considering sending them to PAP, four on a sprue. Just the centers so I can turn a tire to fit onto them.

Paul

[finescalerr]

It's one thing to design the part and quite another to design the sprue tree. I'm speechless (at the moment). But what I really want to see is how suitable the output resolution will be for a 1:35 model. Please post follow up photos with comments. -- Russ

[Hauk]

I am avaiting the PAP result of this with great anticipation!

But I must confess that I am wondering if PAP-printed parts is such a great idea for all those parts. The loops of flat irons looks like they could be made much easier and solid from brass strips formed and soldered. And a lot of the other parts would be very well suited for photo-etching.

Regards, Haavard