Outdoor "Coffee" Table #4: SketchUp til now

well done!
I can’t get past making a rectangle!

The table is going to be lovely.

-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Then you’d better stick to design IKEA furniture with it MsDebbieP! :o)

Jokes aside, SketchUp has a somewhat step learning curve until you do the “click” that makes you grasp the concept. I should play around with it more often ‘cos I’ve forgot way too much. As nowadays I’m not building anything I rather express my designs the classic way: with a pencil and a bit of paper. I do love the feeling of letting your mind soar and your hand follow freely on a paper.

On the other hand, SketchUp is the best thing since sliced bread for simulating a mock-up and “seeing” the piece on a 3D environment, and gives you much more spatial awareness and a precise idea of it’s interaction with the surroundings.

Dorje, not only your table looks great but I prevent you of calling yourself a SketchUp rookie anymore! You learn fast, man. Keep up the good work. I want to share a drink seatting around this very table once we move in to the area!

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://www.japanese-woodworking-tools.com/

Well look at you Mr Fancy Pants SketchUp wiz :) Looks great Dorje. I’m not very proficient with the whole intersecting thing either and will have to play around with it some more tonight.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Hehe…I was thinking the same thing. No more newbie tag for you Dorje. Nice work. Don’t sweat it, the intersection thing will come.

I’ll be posting more tutorials on LJ soon. Any things you want to see in particular?

BTW, I definitely like the long tapers.

Jojo, I know what you mean. I almost always start my designs with a pencil sketch. I started out drafting on a board 30 years ago and still have my draftsman’s callous. It’s not until I have the design roughed out that I switch to Sketchup for detailing.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

Thanks you guys -

Jojo – your welcome to join us at this table when the time comes. We’ll have to sit Japanese style – this is just an 18” high coffee table….

Damian – This maxed out my abilities – but I do want to learn the intersection thing…seems like the key to joinery and only having to make up one of several same components…Looking forward to learning more!

Bob – I’d love to see a more dumbed down intersection tutorial. For some reason, when I view it I’m just missing some stuff because I don’t have the prior knowledge (it seems)... For example, it would be halpful to do a slower intersection of a mortise and tenon joint, where you talk out EVERY step of the way! What do you think?

Also, what a reflief to hear that you still draw your designs out first, get a feel for what the model’s dimensions are, etc, and then mock it up in SU adding more of the details – really good to know.

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

I’ll do a more complete M&T tutorial. That one was rushed because at the time I was limited to a 3 MB limits on FWW knots forum. I have a 100 MB available now so no problem. I’ll do one this weekend.

I enjoy using a pencil too much to ever give it up completely. I may switch to a tablet though….I have a small Wacom Intous with the pressure sensitive pen but I’d like a bigger surface. Great for digital artwork and photoshop as well but the 5×5 area is limiting.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

Bob – the M&T tutorial would be really great! Thanks! I’ve never heard of an Intuous – I’ll look it up to see what you’re talking about; I get that it’s a small tablet computer, but haven’t ever seen that one!

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA