Modeling software

[terry]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have updated the metalworking plugins (extensions) for SketchUp that I wrote for drawing curved tapers and estimating the amount of stock required to create the tapers.

You can download the updated versions from www.drawmetal.com - Download

If you are using the plugins, I encourage you to download and install this latest version. It fixes some important bugs and includes a few usability enhancements.

To install, just replace all of the current plugin files with the corresponding ones in the new version.

I have also added a couple of JPG's of SketchUp models and the corresponding metalwork to the gallery at www.drawmetal.com - Gallery

[Frosty]

Thanks Terry.

I uploaded and installed the updates.

Much appreciated.

Frosty

[Ruuf]

For my workshop drawings I use Powershape by Delcam. Its free, not too hard to use, very acurate, and seems to be fully functional. Has free tutorials too. I really like it. Needs a bit of RAM otherwise is a bit slow to load. I just use the line drawings rather than the solid modeling, as it is a proper 3D CAD package.

[terry]

Here's yet another announcement of updated plugins for drawing curved tapers in SketchUp.

The previous version (1.0) had a bad bug that impacted users with a French, Spanish, German or Italian locale. I apologize to international users for not having been more sensitive to those pesky commas in positional notation.

In any event, you can download the latest version (1.01) from www.drawmetal.com - Download. Alternatively, if you need more detailed installation instructions you can also download the plugins from www.drawmetal.com - Installation Instructions.

[terry]

In response to a request for more information on how to use the (free) Curve Maker plugin to draw spirals, I prepared a tutorial (available at www.drawmetal.com - Tutorials). I welcome feedback on this tutorial.

If you are not using the latest version (1.03), you will not be able to draw some of the Archimedean spirals in the tutorial that are illustrated in the attached jpg.

More information on the plugin is available at www.drawmetal.com - Curve Maker

The plugin can be downloaded from www.drawmetal.com - Download

[1860cooper]

I've used Sketchup for a while and I love it. I haven't used it in the blacksmithing context yet, but its inevitable. I have a background in some of the more heavyweight 3D programs and can say SU is not a full blown 3D modeling program, but it is really fast and simple and I end up using it a lot to plan out things.

Lately I've been planning some woodworking with it. The following site is very helpful for planning multi-piece projects, its woodworking, but I think in principle a lot of it applies to metal work too: Design. Click. Build.

Also, there are bunches of good videos on youtube, some put out by the Sketchup team themselves, that teach about everything imaginable related to working in SU.

[CurlyGeorge]

Frosty, if it don't come with crayons, I'm lost!! LOL.

[Frosty]

Crayons are good. I think that's why they took them away from me, I kept eating them.

Crimson . . . Mmmmmmmm.

Frosty