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Sketch-up tutorial DVD by Dave Richards

PostPosted: 26 Jan 2016, 19:55
by RogerM
I've been working through Dave's tutorial DVD (and very good it is too). However, I have a question that perhaps you could answer in open forum please Dave in case it's puzzling someone else.

At the end of lesson 1, we have a cabinet drawing, where the Z axis (blue) and x axis (red)is aligned with the corner of the cabinet side and front, and therefore goes through the top and base where it overhangs the front and sides of the cabinet. as shown here :

Image

Lesson 2 shows you how to turn the drawing into individual components, and as if by magic, the placing of the drawing has moved so that the corner of the base is now aligned with the origin, so that the sides and front are now inset from the axis by the amount of the overhang.

Image

At no stage can I see how this has been changed. As all measurements are taken from the 3 axes, this is a fundamental point. What am I missing?

Help!!

Re: Sketch-up tutorial DVD by Dave Richards

PostPosted: 26 Jan 2016, 21:16
by Dave R
Hi roger, I'm glad you are finding the DVD useful. And thanks for calling my attention to this thread. I might have missed it else.

Yes, at the beginning of the second part of the video, the model from the previous part is moved up and back so its extreme lower front left corner is at the origin. That was done by selecting the entire model and using Move to move it back and up. I could have started the model in the first place by setting a couple of guidelines to locate the corner of the front left side of the case. then when the bottom was added and extended, its bottom front left corner would have been at the origin. Or the model could have been started with the bottom panel. I wanted to kind of show how the project design can be an evolutionary thing, though.

The location of the origin at that stage of the modeling process isn't all that important unless you want to show the model with shadows turned on. But once the design is worked out and you're ready to create the fleshed-out version with the separate components and joinery and so on, it is easiest to start drawing from the origin.

Once you've got the first part drawn and made into a component, all other dimensions should be referenced off that part instead of the axis lines.

I hope that helps to clarify things.

Re: Sketch-up tutorial DVD by Dave Richards

PostPosted: 26 Jan 2016, 21:28
by RogerM
Thanks for the prompt reply Dave. Obvious now I think about it I suppose. I just wanted to ensure that I had a complete understanding rather than just blasting ahead as fast as possible without understanding what was going on.

Re: Sketch-up tutorial DVD by Dave Richards

PostPosted: 26 Jan 2016, 21:38
by Dave R
Happy to help, roger. It's usually a good thing to check if you're unsure. :)