Thread: 3-D CAD software - Alibre Design

IMHO Sketchup is really, really good for the price. After using a few high end 3D products for film and TV, I found that after doing the tutes, it was super easy to use.

I like the ability to take photos and use them as a texture for whatever material you are using. I have used it a bit for basic deck layouts and basic cabinetry and it suits my needs.

Just imagine getting some of the awesome jigs and projects the forumites have created in a CAD drawing Mmmmmm drool!

My 2c worth.

Matt and Lou: here's an example relevant to both your posts.

The new version of Sketchup has an image import option, whereby you can set the perspective to match your photo, then draw directly on top of it in 3-d. The pics show an example using an old photo I put on the forum a while ago.

I also tried a couple of different wood textures: cherry for the front, and plywood with knots for the back.

Original photo:


And the pics show the Sketchup model. Pic 1 is the photo in Sketchup with the tuned perspective and the model overlay. Pic 2 is the scaled model with dimensions and textures.

I am a boilermaker by trade, & spent many years building things that would not fit in too many of our sheds. I spent years looking at 2d dwgs in 2 & 3 planes, & just kinda got used to it. the down side is, I cant build a box with out a dwg of some description, sometimes a sketch on a scrap of wood or sometime quite a few hours on autocad. My brother is the exact opposite. He never uses a dwg for anything.

If 3d is what you want or need, then go for it I say, but if a cad program is too hard to learn, or too expensive to buy, or maybe you just like the old graph paper & 3 sided scale ruler, thats ok to.

If you feel that skecthup is perfect for you, thats great, or if you use something else everyday that cost a fortune & it does what you need, again, thats great, but the best drawing system is the one you know.

Good luck with the new progam Zen, looking forward to seeing a dwg or 2

Steve

Originally Posted by Mattsplatt

Just imagine getting some of the awesome jigs and projects the forumites have created in a CAD drawing Mmmmmm drool!

My 2c worth.

Matt,

Here you go. Have a look at post #59 in this thread: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/mortising-jig-5633 .

Rocker

Note: by clicking on the "#59" in the thread, you can bring up a single-post view, and its corresponding URL:

https://www.woodworkforums.com/showpo...0&postcount=59

You can then click on "Thread: Mortising Jig" to bring up the entire thread.

Originally Posted by Rocker

Matt,

Here you go. Have a look at post #59 in this thread: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/mortising-jig-5633 .

Rocker

That's exactly what I am talking about! (Have to admit I might have already salivated heavily on this thread previously!)

I just love being an armchair woodworker! No splinters, dust up the nose and dreams of what I would like to make and of course the tools to make it!!!

Hi Zenwood!

Great spot there at Eden Hills! Staying with my folks across the over side of Sturt Gorge at the moment! Anyway.....

Your overlay of the photo and the 'Sketch' is exactly what I was referring to and a fantastic example of what can actually be achieved. I am afraid that most of the time I need a drawing or plan to work to, but did manage to recently build a bench for SCMS with just a tape measure and of course the obligatory timber, tools and fittings for the "Wise Guys"out there!

I have even tinkered with laying out some photos with lat and long from the GPS to Google Earth which is pretty cool too, but not at all relevant.

Great work Zenwood!

Cheers, Mattspl@tt. You must be near my old stamping grounds Bellevue Heights and Flinders Uni

A quick trip up the hill, and you'll bypass my shed on the way to the Belair pub

I need at least a sketch to work to most of the time, unless I'm making just a simple box. The beauty of sketchup is it's so easy to make virtual mockups and fiddle with ideas, proportions. Then read off final dimensions once you're happy with how it looks. All part of being a good armchair woodworker!

Gday Zenwood, you seem like you're well versed with SketchUp, so I'm wondering how you go about constructing your drawings. Do you draw everything as components first, and then put it all together much like you would in real life?

Its pretty new to me, but I tend to make construction points, then rectangles, push-pull, lines, push-pull, rub-out, etc....

martrix:
Generally everything starts with a rectangle, then push to get some thickness, rotation to get orientation, then add lines, arcs, circles etc, and push then rub-out to get curves, holes, facets, etc. The tape measure and protractor tool are useful for making construction lines. For duplicate parts I make them into components. I generally don't actually draw the detailed joinery (dovetails, M&Ts etc), leaving that to the construction phase. Then shading, add critical dimensions, and print, and it's off to get some wood.

I have clawed my way onto the lower foothills of the learning curve of Alibre Design. Here is a model of my zigzag chair, to exact dimensions. To make up the model each part is drawn separately; then the parts are assembled into sub-assemblies and the sub-assemblies are assembled into the final model, analogously, in a way, to successive glue-ups in the shed.

Tomorrow I will have a go at producing an exploded model.

Rocker