SketchUp Woodworking Help: What Do you need?

[Jonathan Dormody]

Howdy Folks,

My name is Jonathan Dormody, I'm the technical writer at Google who puts together the user's guides for SketchUp (I've also been on SMC for about a year now). I'm a wood worker. Feel freel to drop me a private mail when you find something confusing and you think we could use better documentation or help with. I'll do my best to help folks on individual issues when I have time and incorporate your suggestions in the documentation. Anything that would make SketchUp easier for woodworking would be of interest to me. I cannot make any promises, but I'll certainly help where I can.

Thanks,

Jon

[Lars Thomas]

Jonathan, that is a mighty fine offer. I appreciate you being here to help us out. By the way, Sketchup is a great tool. I certainly have a lot to learn. Lars

[Jonathan Dormody]

Let me also say that some of you probably use SketchUp more than I do, so I hope to learn a few things too!

[Alan Turner]

Jonathan
What a wonderful introduction and offer. Thanks for being another great SMC'er. If I had time I would love to learn the software; maybe someday. I am a bit better with a chisel than a mouse.

[Matt Meiser]

Two words:

cut list

If you could export to Cutlist Plus, that would simply be awesome.

[Aaron Beaver]

Off the top of my head I agree with Matt...CutList, or I would settle for a bill of material in sketchup.

[Gideon Yuval]

[quote=Alan Turner]Jonathan
Thanks for being another great SMC'er. If I had time I would love to learn the software; maybe someday.

Hi everyone,
At the risk of sounding incredibly stupid.......could someone please tell me what SMC is? I live and work in Israel and I don't believe I've heard anyone talk about SMC. Is it a rendering program or a cad tool?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Gideon..SMC...Saw Mill Creek.........SMC'er or Creeker .....a member here....

[Martin Shupe]

Jonathan,

Ask Google to hire Todd Burch. He is a Sketchup guru, expert woodworker, computer science programmer, and all around great guy. Pay him whatever he asks, I am sure he is worth it. I am certain that your skills are excellent, but I am just as certain that you will find something useful to occupy Todd's time. I am sure Todd could program Sketchup to make a cut list, if he hasn't already.

If you can't do that, well, your original offer is still appreciated.

[Al Navas]

Thanks for your generous offer, Jonathan. I look forward to seeing more of you and your SU posts on SMC.

An idea that has been floating around the woodworking forums, and that I request Google to consider is: Create a dedicated SketchUp (design??)Woodworking Forum AND repository. I am certain that someone will come up with a better name for it.

I wonder if others here agree on the formation of a Google forum dedicated to woodworking. My reasoning for suggesting it goes something like this:

Unless the woodworking cubbyhole is created BY Google, it would result in splintering the SU effort, and diluting the importance of the 3D Warehouse in the woodworking arena. I believe that splitting off from Google would raise walls, creating silos similar to the corporate silos that industry is trying so hard to undo. The beauty of 3D Warehouse is that woodworkers all over the world would benefit from such a repository of woodworking issues / things / stuff!

Google should (?) concentrate some effort for this idea to succeed. The fact that Google is giving away Google SketchUp suggests that it wants USERS to use SU, and to also use the 3D Warehouse to SHARE.

I am sure I sound quite boring and redundant. But you did ask for suggestions, Jonathan. Now I will get off my soap box, and say THANK-YOU GOOGLE FOR GIVING US GOOGLE SKETCHUP.


Al

[Michael Ballent]

It's great that you have decided to let every one know that you are here There are quite a few folks on here that have been using SketchUp for a while a I think that the most requested item is to have a cut list, or perhaps a really easy way to print the drawing so all three axis are drawn on the same sheet. (Unless it's already in there and I have not figured it out...) What I am talking about is a way to print the X-axis, then the Y axis, and finally the Z axis sorta like in "tiles" At least for what I have done thus far it would make it a little quicker.

One other item that would be helpful would be to be able to make dados on the side of a panel, but I am sure that there is some trick this novice is not aware up

[Al Navas]

Just wondering if it is a good idea to ask Google to create a SketchUp Woodworking Forum, and also a separate cubby hole in their 3D Warehouse for woodworking-related designs.

Do you think it would:

1. Affect traffic on SMC? If so, how (up / down?), and how could it be addressed?
2. Help the woodworking community with project design issues?
3. Be beneficial to centralize all woodworking designs at the Google 3D Warehouse?

I hope I am not too early to jump on the SU bandwagon - I realize that many of us just got the Google SketchUP version, and are therefore just getting our feet wet with it.

But I am excited about the prospects of SU being used by many woodworkers to design their projects, or to solve design issues before even jointing / planing / cutting the first board.


Al

[Pam Niedermayer]

Welcome, Jonathan. My greatest need is for more mature tree components, e.g. huge oaks and ash, etc. Or, even better, some directions for making our own interactive landscaping components. I'm just learning SU, so if said directions/capabilities are in there, please forgive my ignorance.

Cut lists are not so important to me since I seldom use sheet goods, but on those occasions when I do, cut lists would be very handy.

Thanks,
Pam

[Dave Richards]

Welcome to the Creek, Jonathon.

It looks like I'll be out of a job.

[Matt Meiser]

My greatest need is for more mature tree components, e.g. huge oaks and ash, etc.

You drawing how you plan to mill the wood too?