Sketchup As A Woodworking Design Tool #2: The Virtual Woodshop

Thanks Brad. I just went to the site, but it only gave me the top set of tools (the one with the workbench). Are the bottom set of tools somewhere else? I do appreciate the effort – great tool, as I am getting ready to rearrange my shop in the next week or two.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Thanks Brad, that will be very helpful as I get my shop re-organized! Right now it’s a disaster area as I am finishing the basement and my shop has become the temporary storage area for all of the basement contents.

Bill, when you open the file in sketchup, click on Window in the menu, then select Components from the drop down box and you will see that there are about 30 different tool components available in this model. If you left click on the little icon beside the “In Model” box, you will get another menu which allows you to “Save library as”. Click on this menu item and browse to the Google Sketchup 6 program directory, and save it to the Components sub directory, and this component library of tools will be available to you in all future models.

-- When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt! Henry J. Kaiser

Bill…. That is the same bunch of tools..i just took a screen shot from the opposite side so people could see from both angles. Mathew is correct….that is how you save all the components into your component browser so the models will be available to you in any future drawings without having to drag and drop them from two windows.

Just click on the link above and save it to your computer!

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

thanks for posting that david . i havent had time to work with su enough to get the hang of it yet but i hope to have time to work with it some this month . thanks again

Excellent. I’ve been meaning to get to work on layout for my shop – desperately needed in anticipation of our impending house renovation which will include renovating the shop.

-- Chelle http://artsgranddaughter.blogspot.com

Hi Brad Nailor… I am new to this blog, just tooling around, and saw this post. I tried to connect with the link and got the 404 error. Is there any way I can get the library?

I just got back into woodworking as my next career after many years away from it. I have spent many years in environmental laboratories, and I would rather retire back home and open a little woodshop. So little by little I have been buying tools, and now I got a huge mess in my garage. So these components would be very welcome indeed.

Thanks.

-- There are three kinds of people... those who can count, and those who can't

That would be John Yurko who created the drawings.

http://yda-online.com/shopmodels.htm

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I don’t know who has the time to do this, but it’s pretty cool that we can benefit from it. My hat is off to whoever created these.

I’ve seen these before and used them for planning out my shop. It’s such a great resource. It’s just like the “cut and paste” version that come in magazines only it is 3D and you can fly though it to experience the space.

I’m glad you posted this, it will be useful to a lot of folks who haven’t seen it before.

My tip to anyone who isn’t familiar with this: Download Google Sketchup (free) and play around with it for a while until you get comfortable with how to use it. Then go to Google’s Sketchup library and search for just about anything, from woodworking machines, to individual bolts, to airplane engine parts… you will probably find a 3D virtual model of it. Then you can download those models and use them in Sketchup.

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

GaryK: that guy should be invited to Lumberjocks!

-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com

This rocks! I have been collecting a set but here they all are in one place. Sweeet!

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

Thanks for posting that link Gary. I took the file down off my web space. Nobody had downloaded it in a long time and I needed the room. The models are not the greatest detail wise, but they are good enough to do a nice 3D shop plan.

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

Hey, nice website- I’m the guy who made all those equipment models. You can still download them from my firm’s website-

http://yda-online.com/shopmodels.htm

I just started construction on a new shop, and thought I’d start a blog about the design & construction process, eventually getting to the shop layout using the models. Check it out if you’re interested.

http://thefamilyshop.blogspot.com

JEY

Jey – Looking forward to your construction blog!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

John
Great website! Thats some shop your building. I love the design..great Sketchup work! Looking forward to watching the entire building project.

-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"

Hi Brad:
I too found these very handy in mocking up the electrical layout for my new shop. Mr Yurko has done an excellent job and I did find another set that were quite good as well.


I am indebted to fellows like you and several others here for the time you spend spoonfeeding us these technical gems.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

This is outstanding. My thanks to you “brad” and JEY. Gotta love this site!