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08-28-2009, 09:05 AM
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#1
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Chief hand holder
Trade:
Residential Remodeling
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 551
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Sketchup
This program looks great so far but damn it is hard for me to pick up!
Any guidance other than the Google vids and trial and error?
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08-28-2009, 09:45 AM
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#2
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Pro
Trade:
Framing Contractor
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Caldwell, New Jersey
Posts: 984
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bert0168
This program looks great so far but damn it is hard for me to pick up!
Any guidance other than the Google vids and trial and error?
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Go on YOUTUBE and type in anything you want about Sketchup and you will get many videos showing you how to do something. You can definitley learn something form those videos.
__________________
Joe Carola
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08-28-2009, 09:46 AM
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#3
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Pro
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Chicago's North Shore
Posts: 438
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I don't have any better advice than the google vids but I will say it gets easier. I have a tone of Autocad experience and it still took me a while to figure out sketch up.
My advice would be to start with smaller projects, maybe a cabinet you want to build for your shop, or a shed for the back yard, then work your way up to bigger projects. I still don't have it all figured out but I'm getting faster and better with it.
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08-28-2009, 09:57 AM
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#4
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Pro
Trade:
Project Management; LEED AP
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: near Trenton, NJ
Posts: 316
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A copy of "Sketchup for Dummies" is handy and cheap. I got a copy from half.com for about 10.00 delivered, and it was like new. Local libraries usually have the book too. Community colleges often have courses for Sketchup as well.
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08-28-2009, 10:13 AM
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#5
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Chief hand holder
Trade:
Residential Remodeling
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 551
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Thanks for the help.
I'm just trying to draw a simple deck as practice and am finding I have to start by drawing simple lumber elements.
Can't barely do that  .
Problem with the vids is I don't even know what I don't know. They are good, I need to keep watching them 2 and 3 times.
I guess I need to keep practicing away and eventually it'll come to me.
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08-28-2009, 10:43 AM
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#6
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General Contractor
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 474
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Do the "Dummies" book. They have interactive examples online. It is an easy program for novices, but people with any other cad experience seem to have a steeper "relearning" curve. But it WILL come to you.
I have years of AutoCAD experience, but I've come to LOVE SU, and now use it much more than any other program.
__________________
"True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and only that which is."
François Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Bill Everett - St. Petersburg, FL
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The Following User Says Thank You to Willie T For This Useful Post:
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08-28-2009, 11:36 AM
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#7
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Chief hand holder
Trade:
Residential Remodeling
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 551
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willie T
Do the "Dummies" book. They have interactive examples online. It is an easy program for novices, but people with any other cad experience seem to have a steeper "relearning" curve. But it WILL come to you.
I have years of AutoCAD experience, but I've come to LOVE SU, and now use it much more than any other program.
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I'm familiar with the hardcopy books.
Is this an online "book" you are talking about with the online examples?
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08-28-2009, 11:45 AM
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#8
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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Last edited by mics_54; 08-28-2009 at 11:49 AM.
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08-28-2009, 11:51 AM
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#9
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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bert I can also point you at some great tutorials, depending upon what your use for sketchup would be.
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08-28-2009, 11:53 AM
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#10
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General Contractor
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 474
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bert0168
I'm familiar with the hardcopy books.
Is this an online "book" you are talking about with the online examples?
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Check out this site... http://www.aidanchopra.com/
__________________
"True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and only that which is."
François Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Bill Everett - St. Petersburg, FL
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08-28-2009, 11:59 AM
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#11
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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aidens book site does have a few of the chapters viewable online and would be worth a look
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08-28-2009, 12:10 PM
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#12
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Chief hand holder
Trade:
Residential Remodeling
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 551
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Hey thanks for all the guidance guys!
Mics, some neat stuff you drew there. I'm nowhere near that.
I want to use it for both permit submittal drawings of decks and additions and as a presentation tool for those projects to give customers a 3D rendition. Eventually use it for cabinetry I'm sure.
I currently use Punch Pro (not very good, I know). I was/am using it mostly for plan drawings. The other day I tried to use it for a multi level deck proposal and when the 3d was rendered, what crap. Really was lacking in the detail that it seems you can get from SU.
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08-28-2009, 12:16 PM
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#13
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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Last edited by mics_54; 08-28-2009 at 12:21 PM.
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08-28-2009, 12:24 PM
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#14
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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I also use cabinet cruncher and drawer and door cruncher which utilizes sketchup models to produce cut lists for cabinets. However there is now a "cutlist" addon thats free and will make sheet and board cutlists from within sketchup.
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08-28-2009, 12:38 PM
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#15
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Chief hand holder
Trade:
Residential Remodeling
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 551
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 OK, now I'm jealous. I wish I found this ALOT sooner.
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08-28-2009, 01:00 PM
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#16
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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This was an airplane hangar I built a couple of years ago. The sketchup modeling program allowed me to meet the client once when he purchased the lot on the air strip and I didn't see him again for two years. He's a great customer. He just flew up again yesterday for the second time this year and is driving down from anchorage as we speak. He bought a plane in june up here and flew it back to his home state for a while.
The skp is a little diffrent as we are considering extending the roof in one area.
BTW the previous cabinets and mudroom are all in the same building which has a 1200 sqft living area.
Last edited by mics_54; 08-28-2009 at 01:05 PM.
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08-28-2009, 01:07 PM
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#17
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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Here is the finished kitchen
Last edited by mics_54; 08-28-2009 at 01:10 PM.
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08-28-2009, 01:30 PM
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#18
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General Contractor
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 474
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D B T,
Your website turned out really nice......
__________________
"True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and only that which is."
François Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Bill Everett - St. Petersburg, FL
Last edited by Willie T; 08-28-2009 at 01:32 PM.
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08-28-2009, 01:39 PM
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#19
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Pro
Trade:
general contractor
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sterling ,Alaska
Posts: 731
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Who is DBT?
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08-28-2009, 01:52 PM
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#20
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General Contractor
Trade:
General Contractor
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: St. Petersburg, FL
Posts: 474
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That's Bert.
__________________
"True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and only that which is."
François Duc de La Rochefoucauld
Bill Everett - St. Petersburg, FL
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