Exploding a drawing

[garfield]

Hi All,

I'm just wondering how I'd explode a picture of a cabinet I want to draw. I want to draw it in panels with shelves and a draw the whole lot and then explode it so I can follow a detailed drawing and buy my pieces according to the drawing. Is this possible to do - and if so is it hard?

All help appreciated
Geoff

[kmthor]

shore is possible. but there is no magic button for the exploded view. you will need to be very careful when creating your components and groups

km

[Mollywood]

Hi All,

I'm just wondering how I'd explode a picture of a cabinet I want to draw. I want to draw it in panels with shelves and a draw the whole lot and then explode it so I can follow a detailed drawing and buy my pieces according to the drawing. Is this possible to do - and if so is it hard?

All help appreciated
Geoff

Hi Geoff,
Do you mean you have a photo of a cabinet that you wish to do a life size drawing of?
I'm not too clear of what you actually want to do.:rolleyes:

[garfield]

Hi Geoff,
Do you mean you have a photo of a cabinet that you wish to do a life size drawing of?
I'm not too clear of what you actually want to do.:rolleyes:

What i want is to have it set out like a plan that i can follow - like the type of plans you see in PDF format to follow and build things.... does that make sense - or should i post a pic?

thanks
Geoff

[silentC]

I do this with my drawings and then add dimensions and print them out so I've got something to follow.

You have to make each solid item a component - so each leg, stile, rail, panel, drawer front - all need to be individual components so that you can drag them out of the finished item and lay them out how you want to see them when you print. I take the finished drawing and make a copy, then 'explode' the copy to print.

[garfield]

I do this with my drawings and then add dimensions and print them out so I've got something to follow.

You have to make each solid item a component - so each leg, stile, rail, panel, drawer front - all need to be individual components so that you can drag them out of the finished item and lay them out how you want to see them when you print. I take the finished drawing and make a copy, then 'explode' the copy to print.



Yeah I want it so if I like the unit when it's built I'll have a carbon copy to follow next time and I can use it as a cutting list as well.

so I have to draw the sides and shape the way I want them and draw the drawers and shelves etc and piece them together like Lego more or less and then I just press explode and it will blast them open?

[silentC]

Yeah but there's no explode button. Explode is used to convert a group or component back into the lines that make it up. You definitely don't want to do that.

What you do is create a component to represent each item that makes up the cabinet. So you draw a shelf as a rectangle and use the push/pull tool to give it depth - but it's really just a series of separate connected lines forming a rectangular prism. Then you have to select the whole thing and select Make Component to turn it into a single object which you can then move around.

What I usually do is I create each component in another Sketchup window, then I cut and paste it into the main drawing and slide it into place. When the whole thing is done, you can then create an exploded view by dragging components around. There's no built in tool that does that bit for you.

[kayu]

Hi,

At www.smustard.com (http://www.smustard.com) is a Ruby plug-in available to do exactly what you want.

It explodes your drawing and can put it back together again!

The link is http://www.smustard.com/script/ExplodeImplode

There are many plug-in's available for free, sadly this one comes at a (small) price. :)


Kayu

[garfield]

Yeah but there's no explode button. Explode is used to convert a group or component back into the lines that make it up. You definitely don't want to do that.

What you do is create a component to represent each item that makes up the cabinet. So you draw a shelf as a rectangle and use the push/pull tool to give it depth - but it's really just a series of separate connected lines forming a rectangular prism. Then you have to select the whole thing and select Make Component to turn it into a single object which you can then move around.

What I usually do is I create each component in another Sketchup window, then I cut and paste it into the main drawing and slide it into place. When the whole thing is done, you can then create an exploded view by dragging components around. There's no built in tool that does that bit for you.

Thanks for that Silent - i'll give it a go tonight.

[garfield]

Hi,

At www.smustard.com (http://www.smustard.com) is a Ruby plug-in available to do exactly what you want.

It explodes your drawing and can put it back together again!

The link is http://www.smustard.com/script/ExplodeImplode

There are many plug-in's available for free, sadly this one comes at a (small) price. :)


Kayu

Thanks Kayu

[hazza]

Have a look at the models this guy has made here (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?uq=03655370778484262638&start=0) most do what you are wanting to do. He uses components extensively and most models have a page for each piece of the woodwork that has measurements on it.

I am not at a computer with SU on it right now but I can give you a specific model to look at tomorrow.

[garfield]

Have a look at the models this guy has made here (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?uq=03655370778484262638&start=0) most do what you are wanting to do. He uses components extensively and most models have a page for each piece of the woodwork that has measurements on it.

I am not at a computer with SU on it right now but I can give you a specific model to look at tomorrow.

Thanks Hazza.

[hazza]

I am sorry but I forgot about this, anyway check this model (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=db74df71b9e293744234dbc902908767). It uses scenes and layers to great effect. Each component is on a seperate layer, then it uses scenes to enable and disable the various layers. A second layer asociated with the scene is the one with the dimensions on it.

For example:
The scene "Patte" hides all the layers except the layer with the leg and enables the layer that shows all of the dimensions of the leg.

My tip if you do it this way, do all of your design and creation on Layer0 then at the end move the different components to the seperate layers.... mmm maybe there is a script to create seperate layers for each component and move those components onto those layers..... I am off to do some searching...

[garfield]

I am sorry but I forgot about this, anyway check this model (http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=db74df71b9e293744234dbc902908767). It uses scenes and layers to great effect. Each component is on a seperate layer, then it uses scenes to enable and disable the various layers. A second layer asociated with the scene is the one with the dimensions on it.

For example:
The scene "Patte" hides all the layers except the layer with the leg and enables the layer that shows all of the dimensions of the leg.

My tip if you do it this way, do all of your design and creation on Layer0 then at the end move the different components to the seperate layers.... mmm maybe there is a script to create seperate layers for each component and move those components onto those layers..... I am off to do some searching...

Thanks Hazza.

[garfield]

I do this with my drawings and then add dimensions and print them out so I've got something to follow.

You have to make each solid item a component - so each leg, stile, rail, panel, drawer front - all need to be individual components so that you can drag them out of the finished item and lay them out how you want to see them when you print. I take the finished drawing and make a copy, then 'explode' the copy to print.

Hi Silent - sorry to back track a bit, but I've started my drawing for my project and made some components and I just can't picture how I'd lay out a drawing to be able to follow and recreate a project. I was just wondering if you have a picture or diagram of how you create you cutting list/plan and what it looks like when you explode it by any chance please?

Thanks
Geoff.

[silentC]

I've got a couple of examples at home. I'll try to remember to grab them at lunch time and post them for you.

[garfield]

I've got a couple of examples at home. I'll try to remember to grab them at lunch time and post them for you.


That would be great Silent.

Thanks
Geoff'

[silentC]

Sorry, better late than never.

The first pic is just a cut away thing that I'm working from at the moment. Instead of exploding it, I just hide the bits I don't want to see and put in some dimensions. It's not very sophisticated. I do this at different stages to see the bits I'm working on at the time and to read dimensions off and get joinery right. I'm not in mass production mode for this one, just making the bits and assmebling things as I go along.

The second pic is an exploded view of a different cabinet that I made a few months ago. The third and fourth are the cutting lists I made. For this one I cut all the components first and then assembled.

Hope that helps a bit.

[silentC]

Forgot to say how I did the last two: I opened a new document and just copy and pasted each component in, then aligned them all in the same plane and added the dimensions.

[kayu]

Hi Garfield, Silent,

Looks great Silence! You are probably aware that if you set the camera to parallel projection you don't have to orbit around to have a good view of your layout (the last 2 pictures) They look good the way they do but it just is an easy way:U

Since I posted my remark in your thread Garfield I bought the plugin I mentioned.
The price was US $ 20. Played around a bit and it works great. You select the parts (or the whole design) you want to explode, give the distance and direction and there you go!

With one click you can put the parts back again!!

An other nice plugin for Sketchup is Cutlist 4.0.
With this plugin you can lay out your parts on your lumber in the most efficient way. You can use solid wood and ply or a combination of it.
It produces a cut list and an graphic representation of your lumber and sheet material.

The place to download it is here http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/daltxguy/blog/5143 and the best part it is free!

I can post some pictures if you like, but I ordered some wood today and I hear the truck coming, so I got to give them a hand.
Let me know.

Kayu

[garfield]

Sorry, better late than never.

The first pic is just a cut away thing that I'm working from at the moment. Instead of exploding it, I just hide the bits I don't want to see and put in some dimensions. It's not very sophisticated. I do this at different stages to see the bits I'm working on at the time and to read dimensions off and get joinery right. I'm not in mass production mode for this one, just making the bits and assmebling things as I go along.

The second pic is an exploded view of a different cabinet that I made a few months ago. The third and fourth are the cutting lists I made. For this one I cut all the components first and then assembled.

Hope that helps a bit.

Thanks very much for that Silent. much appreciated and gives me something to work off. I must also ask though - what;s the best way to line all the little pieces together... like say a tenon joint, when you want that that to go in the whole is it hard to line up?

Geoff

[garfield]

Hi Garfield, Silent,

Looks great Silence! You are probably aware that if you set the camera to parallel projection you don't have to orbit around to have a good view of your layout (the last 2 pictures) They look good the way they do but it just is an easy way:U

Since I posted my remark in your thread Garfield I bought the plugin I mentioned.
The price was US $ 20. Played around a bit and it works great. You select the parts (or the whole design) you want to explode, give the distance and direction and there you go!

With one click you can put the parts back again!!

An other nice plugin for Sketchup is Cutlist 4.0.
With this plugin you can lay out your parts on your lumber in the most efficient way. You can use solid wood and ply or a combination of it.
It produces a cut list and an graphic representation of your lumber and sheet material.

The place to download it is here http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/daltxguy/blog/5143 and the best part it is free!

I can post some pictures if you like, but I ordered some wood today and I hear the truck coming, so I got to give them a hand.
Let me know.

Kayu

Hi Kayu, Thanks for your input in this matter as well. I sure wouldn't mind seeing pictures mate if it's not too much of a hassle.

Thanks
Geoff

[silentC]

what;s the best way to line all the little pieces together... like say a tenon joint, when you want that that to go in the whole is it hard to line up?
If you make the items as components, you can get them to snap together just using the move tool. It seems to know what you want to do and aligns the faces of the tenon with the inside of the mortice. Really very easy. You can also get points to snap together by selecting one with the move tool and then dragging towards a point on the other object, like a corner or a centre line or dimension line. You'll get a feel for it after you've had a bit of a play.

[garfield]

If you make the items as components, you can get them to snap together just using the move tool. It seems to know what you want to do and aligns the faces of the tenon with the inside of the mortice. Really very easy. You can also get points to snap together by selecting one with the move tool and then dragging towards a point on the other object, like a corner or a centre line or dimension line. You'll get a feel for it after you've had a bit of a play.

Ok, thanks heaps for your help Silent. much appreciated.

[garfield]

I've downloaded the free Google Sketchup for my work computer (SSSSShhh:U) but it's showing the dimensions in feet and inches, how do i change that to metric please?

[silentC]

Window | Preferences | Template then select one of the metric ones.

[garfield]

Window | Preferences | Template then select one of the metric ones.

Thanks Silent. If I could I'd buy you a beer :2tsup:

[kayu]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, but Internet was down most of the time and when it was up, so slow that I could not post pictures. Any way here they are if you are still interested.

First picture:
A chair and an exploded copy done with the plugin I mentioned.

Second picture

A screengrab from the output by the cutlist plugin showing the boards and the parts of the chair laid out on the board.

Third:

A list with parts of the chair. The list is generated by the plugin as a csv file wich means you can import it in a spreadsheet and eventually manipulate it (sorting ?)

The cutlist-plugin is not yet finished and has some issues. Printing is troublesome but overall it helps a lot


Kayu

[garfield]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, but Internet was down most of the time and when it was up, so slow that I could not post pictures. Any way here they are if you are still interested.

First picture:
A chair and an exploded copy done with the plugin I mentioned.

Second picture

A screengrab from the output by the cutlist plugin showing the boards and the parts of the chair laid out on the board.

Third:

A list with parts of the chair. The list is generated by the plugin as a csv file wich means you can import it in a spreadsheet and eventually manipulate it (sorting ?)

The cutlist-plugin is not yet finished and has some issues. Printing is troublesome but overall it helps a lot


Kayu

Magic!! thanks Kayu