# Sketchup.... Help!!! I'm Lost.....



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

I am trying to visualize a desk design for my own office and cannot seem to get Sketchup to do what I want…. Let me go through what I have done step by step

1. Basic Desk Top - 24"x50" at center of radius









2. Proposed shape of the edges

















3. First Try - Drew the arc on each end; the arc started at the top corner with the second point 1/2" in from the lower corner. Then I completed the circuit by drawing a line across the bottom connect both 1/2" end points and erasing the result.

3a. Looks Good, eh?








3b. Wrong Answer! Failure!! I could not figure out how to close it in to make the solid form with the arc I envisioned.









4. Second Try - Using the Offset Tool I created the secondary shape offset from the original by 1/2".









5. Second Try - Erased the edges….









6. Utter & Dismal Failure - *Help!!!!! I'm Lost!!!!!!!!!!!!!*









*Can any of you experts out there offer any suggestion? Basically the edge treatment would be what resulted from using a larger diameter round-over bit on the edge….*

I will be constructing the final design from two very large Padauk slabs I acquired the end of last year. One is 6/4×21" x 17' (thats right feet!) and the other is 6/4×19" x 18'.

*UPDATE:*

So, I tried Gizmodynes solution and ended up with the following:

3rd Try - View of the end bevel; Whats with the leftover bits????









3rd Try - View down the side









Result after cleanup…. Looking good! This view is from the bottom….









Final: Applied wood grain texture to get a feel for what the finished desktop might look like.









*Final Questions:*
1) Does the "Follow Me" tool normally operate on all four edges at the same time?
2) What was with the leftover bits and pieces?

Thanks for all you help Gizmodyne & Greg Wurst!


----------



## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

You need to use the follow me tool.

1. Draw the radius like picture 2.
2. Select the bottom surface of your table using the arrow.
3. Click the follow me tool. It will appear to deselect the table but don't worry.
4. Click the radius area you drew.

This is a long but good video on the follow me tool at youtube.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

Thanks John… I'll try this today.

Any other takers to this question?


----------



## gwurst (Nov 28, 2007)

Gizmodyne is exactly right. I'll try to show you a visual example:

Here is your table top. I've created the desired radius.









Edit the table and only select the bottom edge. It will be highlighted.









Then, select the Follow-Me tool and click inside the radius you created.









Voila!


----------



## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

You can always do what I did. Quit messing with the &##!&*(!! program, go out to the shop, and build the thing.


----------



## Betsy (Sep 25, 2007)

Greg - how did you put text into the picture?


----------



## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

Betsy, I use Skitch to add text. It lets you take screen shots, add line drawings, arrows, and text. Then you can post to pic page.

Here is the link to skitch


----------



## Brad_Nailor (Jul 26, 2007)

You can also use the text tool! its the icon that looks like a little flag with abc in the box. There is also 3D text which is the 3D letter A icon.


----------



## Betsy (Sep 25, 2007)

Now I can't wait to work on my blog tonight! I've learned a new trick!!!!!

Thanks guys!


----------



## gwurst (Nov 28, 2007)

I would have normally used the text tool, but I had already exported them as a 2D graphic (JPG) so I just used Photo Editor to add some quick text.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

Just wanted to throw a big thanks out to John & Greg.

What a great bunch of folks around here!!!


----------



## gizmodyne (Mar 15, 2007)

I am not sure if you are following the correct procedure. You should not get any leftovers. I would need to see what you are doing.

Good work around.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

John,

I followed your suggestions step by step…
1. Select the bottom of the component
2. Select the Follow-me tool
3. Select the the Arc I had already drawn

Wait a sec… I wonder if the fact that I had arc on each of the two adjoining faces caused the issue?


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

Ok… I just tested my theory.









I created another table top from scratch and as you can see I only used one arc:

Selected the bottom of the component:









Selected and used the Follow-me tool on the arc area:









This is the result:









*Items of Interest:*

*1st: *Only one arc was drawn this time; this resulted in fewer remnents.

*2nd:* I am using the tape measure tool to place a marker to guide me in creating the arc. I wonder if this plays into it?


----------



## gwurst (Nov 28, 2007)

Odd, it looks like you had additional elements in the top that disrupted the follow-me tool. Here's how I created your arced table:

1. Create a rectangle 24"x46"

2. Use the arc tool at one end of the table and select both corners. Expand arc out and enter "2" in the dimensions box to extend the arc 2" at the center.

3. Repeat on the other side.

4. Erase the straight lines at the bottom of the arcs to make one flat surface.

5. Use push tool to push out 1".

6. Radius the top and use follow-me tool.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

Greg,

It's funny, I just did it again exactly like you stated above and have the same oddball result as I did earlier. Obviously the tape measure markers are not an issue; I did not use them this time.

You've got me… I am just happy I finally got the edge detail I needed. I do have a final question on this subject though…

Does the Follow-Me tool always operate on all the edges at one time?


----------



## gwurst (Nov 28, 2007)

No, you can click the lines you want it to follow and it will only go that far. That's how I extrude molding around items. Draw the profile and then highlight the edges for it to follow. Just CTRL+CLICK the lines you want.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

Thanks Greg! I'll have to play around with that function…..


----------



## Brad_Nailor (Jul 26, 2007)

Sometimes the follow me tool wigs out for no reason (or i should say a reason that isn't obvious). I have had to "do over" some things like round overs and crown molding that just didn't come out right several times before i get the result i wanted. You can use the tool freehand as well as using CNTRL to select the lines you want it to follow. I seem to have better results moving the tool myself when using it for more complicated follow me's like built up crown molding. Also if you hold down the ALT key the tool will use the perimeter of a surface for it's path.


----------



## croessler (Jun 22, 2007)

Anyone reading this forum really should take Gizmodyne's advice and watch this YouTube video. It explained it perfectly; I just finished watching the it and starting suing it to design some turning projects!


----------

