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  1. #1
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    Default Exploding a drawing

    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

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  3. #2
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    Default

    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

  4. #3
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by garfield View Post
    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.
    "There is always a way if you are willing to pay the price in time, energy or effort."
    Robert Schuller.


  5. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mollywood View Post
    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.
    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

  6. #5
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    Default

    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.
    "I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person I'm preaching to."

  7. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by silentC View Post
    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?

  8. #7
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    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.
    "I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person I'm preaching to."

  9. #8
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    Default Have a look at this plugin

    Hi,

    At 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

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by silentC View Post
    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.

  11. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by kayu View Post
    Hi,

    At 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

  12. #11
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    Default

    Have a look at the models this guy has made here 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.

  13. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by hazza View Post
    Have a look at the models this guy has made here 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.

  14. #13
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    I am sorry but I forgot about this, anyway check this model. 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...

  15. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by hazza View Post
    I am sorry but I forgot about this, anyway check this model. 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.

  16. #15
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    NSW
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by silentC View Post
    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.

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