Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hello all. I've been using Google Sketchup 8 for a while. What ever work I've done was all what I learnt by myself. In a previous thread I made a WDP-4 cab. I've also done a few more diesel locos since then. Today I made a start on an Indian Railways Electric loco (WAM-4). My first problem came with the rounded edges. I tried playing with the arc tool and got that sorted out. but alas!! now I don't know how to create the corners (the confluence of all the edges). Before anyone says anything about tutorial videos please bear in mind that Youtube and other website like hattons, TMC, ebay etc. have been blocked by my server. I've put up a picture of what I've got so far. Please if anyone can give me a detail description on how to round off the corners please reply. I tried asking questions on Google but I've only got answers as to how to round off a single edge. Till now I've not scaled it down as I am just practicing. But please any help will be good. Thanks in advance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richbrummitt Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I searched 'sketchup corner round' and got a few links that looked useful: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=20485&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p171721 http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-subtract-from-a-model-with-follow-me-in-goo.html Hopefully your ISP allows viewing these links? The first is a plugin that appears to make it very easy (I know you won't be able to view the embedded demo video), the second appears to be a way to it natively. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thank you so much! The second link was of great help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike Posted November 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 19, 2012 Without access to tutorials you may struggle. You could try an online proxy to "anonymise" your web connection and get round your ISP's ban eg anonymouse.org (or similar). In Blender you can chamfer edges in multiple ways and define the amount of chamfer. Would be worth checking if Sketchup has something similar. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 Hey Red Death I'll tell you later about the internet. Can't fiddle about much Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted November 21, 2012 Share Posted November 21, 2012 In your example, to fill in the corners you need to: select the 'sweep' tool select the surface of one of the flat quarter circles then move the mouse over one of the other two arcs (doesn't matter which one) you will then see the quarter circle being swept through the arc. move the mouse to the end of the arc and click. This method only really works for spherical surfaces (otherwise the arcs don't match). It's also a bit of a pain. I second Richard's recommendation for the 'round corners' plugin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 21, 2012 Author Share Posted November 21, 2012 In your example, to fill in the corners you need to: select the 'sweep' tool select the surface of one of the flat quarter circles then move the mouse over one of the other two arcs (doesn't matter which one) you will then see the quarter circle being swept through the arc. move the mouse to the end of the arc and click. This method only really works for spherical surfaces (otherwise the arcs don't match). It's also a bit of a pain. I second Richard's recommendation for the 'round corners' plugin. Which is the sweep tool? I normally use the 'follow me' tool Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Apologies - I meant the 'follow me' tool. 'sweep' is what a similar function is called in a different program that I use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 The follow me tool doesn't exactly work. There is always a gap left Do all the curved surface have to be of the same dimensions? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 The follow me tool can get it 'wrong' when you select a face to follow an arc. It will rotate the face to be perpendicular to the first segment of the arc. It doesn't maintain the orientation of the original face. I find this a bit irritating, but there is a solution. Make the arc part of a longer path with straight lines from the ends of the arc and put the face at one end of this path. Then when you use the follow me tool it should correctly track round the quarter circle. But all this would be quicker and easier with the plugin in the link above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 This follow me tool is a certain pain in the neck. I just decided to make the cab corners angular and then I can use sand paper and round off the corners I need...! Is'nt there anyother easier software? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
backofanenvelope Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 J. Sketchup was originally designed as an Architectural 3D tool and as such not meant to be used for the kinds of work we are asking it to do. As others have shown there are plugins to help ease a number of the types of issues you are facing but they don't answer all of them. Take a look through the sticky list provided at top of the group and see if these fit your needs, but bear in mind they will need more time to learn and the learning curve may not be so easy as Sketchup, Regards Tom Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account 2 Posted November 26, 2012 Author Share Posted November 26, 2012 Thank you Tom. I am thinking about using Blender. Would that be good enough? And is the material used in 3D printing fit for sanding? Because the easier way to round off corners would be to sand it down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike Posted November 26, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2012 Is'nt there anyother easier software? Quite simply - no! What you are trying to achieve needs a certain degree of learning the processes and practising how you draw things. Sketchup is simple to use, but possibly not as powerful as some other programmes. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike Posted November 26, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2012 I am thinking about using Blender. Would that be good enough? And is the material used in 3D printing fit for sanding? Because the easier way to round off corners would be to sand it down. Blender would be suitable, but if you are struggling with Sketchup then I can't imagine that you will find Blender any easier. Blender has lots (and lots) of cool tools, but the initial learning curve is quite steep. You can file/sand printed material, though some materials are tough. Personally I would learn how to create the corners you want rather than design something which then requires sanding. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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